Rest is good. I guess God does know something that I don't. Who would have thought? Judy and I and the kids just got back from 4 days in Carlsbad and I can't believe how the Lord could provide us such rest at a time we needed it most.
It's so nice that we can go from 110 degrees to a sunset like the one above in only two hours. We truly are blessed to live where we do. There is just something about a sunset over the ocean that brings me to a place of worship. He put all this in place, the waves, the sun, the sand and yet He still desires to spend time with me. How cool is that?
Judy and I keep busy all year long so it was nice to have a minimal agenda. We actually stayed in bed in the morning past eight o'clock. I know now why we don't have black-out curtains at home. Our kids would be late to school everyday and the Lord wouldn't know who I am since I would oversleep my quiet time.
This vacation came at just the right time for our family. Judy and I feel called by the Lord to be on the front-lines of marriage so he has been fine-tuning us the whole month of August. We went three straight weeks having pretty heated discussions in our marriage that left Judy asking, "Does everyone else have to have their closets cleaned out like us? God has us deal with everything!"
Judy and I have been committed to seeing growth through the struggles. Since I believe we are both tracking with the Lord, He is constantly changing and transforming us. And through these changes in ourselves we have had to learn to adapt to the changes in the other. It's been a bumpy road, but God brings tremendous peace on the other side.
The scripture that God keeps bringing to me comes from 1 Corinthians 13:5 where it says love does not demand its own way. Obviously, it says a lot more about love in this chapter, but for now, not being demanding speaks a lot to me right now. I have no place or no right to demand my wife change or do something for me that I want because it would make my life easier.
I have surrendered all claims to my life to the Lord and I know He will use Judy to meet my needs as He will use others, but I can't mold and shape her into what I want her to do. So she knows I will take my concerns to the Lord if I think she should change in any area. I know the Holy Spirit is working in her so I'll let Him do the work and trust Him for the results.
We come back now refreshed and ready for ministry. We love marriage and all that it can bring to a family as well as to society. If we're to help and bring encouragement to others, we know we have to deal with things in our backyard. As well as our closets.
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