But God

It has, inadvertently, become an "office day".  Stuck inside, on the computer, but blessed to be able to take care of some things for the people we are working with.  My hubby flits over to Facebook on the computer next to me and we see someone dear to us in the midst of marriage problems, young, and airing it on the web.

My heart breaks, their 1st anniversary not yet celebrated, their young 18 years of life marred by family dysfunction... they just don't know what marriage really is yet.

Sadly, I didn't know either.  18 years of life, saying "I do", family of dysfunction... 4 years later I said "I don't", 2-year old in tow.  Marriage was disposable, life was collateral.  I had no clue.  I was a tornado ripping through, not just my life, but everyone else's.  I was in pain and I had no measurable line to tell me what life was, what love was, what marriage is meant to be.  All I knew was, you hurt me - I hurt you.

Then God.

A year after divorce I was stepping into relationship and marriage again.  Unbeknownst to me, the master marriage counselor stepped in too.  He showed me:

Marriage is NOT perfect.
People hurt
People lie
People cheat
People deceive
People ignore
People hate
People fight...

But God.

God calls us to look past all that.  To SEE with the HEART.  To know someone's hurts, past, hang-ups and ugly spots... and love them anyway.

God called ME to love with my every breath in-spite of my every hurt.  And so I did.  And I learned

People heal
People find truth
People find loyalty
People reveal
People pay attention
People love
People amend...

And God.

God restores.

GOD restores every piece of every dark and shattered spot.  All people have to do is ask... lean... trust... hope.... and know:

sometimes it takes time 
sometimes we  grow up while we wait
sometimes we just grow
sometimes it feels like no time will ever come and
sometimes it comes just-like-that

In a blink
God
and man
and wife
and life moves forward on this crazy marble we call earth.  Spinning and living and learning.

Marriage is NOT easy, not one bit.  It is the daily choice to love another person more than yourself no matter what.  After all... don't we want to be loved,  no matter what back? 

But first, God
the rest will follow.

People me.
People him.
God and We and love and forgiveness and hope will follow.

Forgiven... forgiving... every-single-day,

Link-up Parties I love!  See what other happenin' hangouts I might join Monday-Wednesday Hops here.

NOT Just a Next Door Savior

I ordered Max Lucado's book, Next Door Savior, because I had hoped to gain some insight from him on living out our faith in today's culture.  However, I was highly disappointed.

Max's book is, basically, a watered-down version of the Gospels.  He takes the extraordinary life and Lordship of Jesus Christ and humanizes him to such a degree that it is hard to respect and revere Him for the magnificent and deserving of our praise savior that he is.

If that wasn't bad enough... and hard enough to muddle through... he throws in a graphic story of abuse and incest which happened to a church woman he knew.  The relevance of her story and the need for such detail was extremely unnecessary and, sadly, caused me to loose a lot of respect for Mr. Lucado.

I enjoy reading books which arm me for sharing the gospels.  I enjoy reading books which expand understanding of the gospels.  This was neither.  I found it to be an affront to True faith and belief that, yes, Jesus understands us... but he did not loose dignity or face in order to come and deliver us.  He came and he stood in the face of adversity and overcame - not succumbed.   

Next Door Savior suggested he was just that: some guy next door who just happens to be a savior too.  Jesus is so much more than that.  If he was like the guy next door... why were so many leaving when he explained what it took to follow him devoutly?  Hardly "next door" to my mind!

Grateful my King is seated on a throne,

* This book review is my opinion alone.  Book Sneeze provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

This Day Not So Bright

I was excited to order Kay Arthur's book, Lord, I Give You This Day because I knew her for her method of teaching inductive Bible study.  I was excited to see how she would transfer her inductive approach into a daily devotion.  I couldn't wait for my package to arrive... to unwrap this treasure... and soak up her insight and encouragement for each day.

I am sorry to report: I was disappointed.  Kay Arthur does put forth words well researched, but the simple lay-out of this little book was not very appealing to look at nor were her daily entries always very easy to follow.  Not in a complicated-to-heavy-of-a-read way, rather, in that her directives are not clearly outlined for each day.

This Day does not follow the traditional lay-out for a daily devotion, which typically shares an opening scripture and scripture reference for reading along with a thought to provoke the theme.  Sometimes, in this book, you are nearly done reading the day's installment before you catch-on to the theme/meaning and the scriptures are sporadic and not always very compelling.

However, for the new believer, this simple book with satin built-in book mark, can be a decent catapult into daily appointments with God.  That is why, out of 5 stars, I would likely give this compact devotion a 3.

Giving the Lord Every Day,

* This book review is my opinion alone.  Blogging For Books provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.