Monday, April 27, 2009

A Wife's Special Thoughts About Her Husband

As a wife, when I have thoughts about my husband it brings a smile to my face. I know sometimes I may get on other people's nerves because when I start to talk about my husband because I can go on and on. I guess you can say he so intrinsic. I've never met a man with so much integrity in all my life. I marvel at the thought of his strong stance on the Word of God. I love sitting on the couch surrounded by his children listening to him lead our family in devotions. He sets an example for us as we watch him deny his flesh when fasting for long periods of time.

Each night before I close my eyes to sleep, he reads to me the "Scripture for today was...." I lay there listening to the sound of his voice as the God of Word proceeds from his mouth. Then he proceeds to pray a blessing over me and that God will give me a good night's rest and sweet dreams. When I get up in the morning and go into the family room, I love to catch him on his knees before Our Father. I quietly tiptoe back into the bedroom as my heart rejoices over Don and the God we serve.

I know I'm not the only woman who has special thoughts about her husband. I read a poem this morning that blessed my heart.

A Wife's Special Thoughts About Her Husband
by: Laurel Atherton

A husband is the one special man who brings every happiness and shares every sweetness with the woman who is fortunate enough to be his wife.

A husband is the one special soul who is the love of her life.

A husband is a desire to never be apart.
He is the answer to one of the most important questions anyone can ask;
he is whom you want to spend all your days with.....always.
No one else is quite like him.
No one else is capable of reaching you in the same way.
There is something wonderful about him that brightens the days and makes dreams come true.
He is the one man in the world you want to walk with along life's path.
Together, the two of you have warmth of every today, you still do.
And forever, he will be the one you want to be beside as you discover everything tomorrow has in store.

A husband is your one special man, and you wish he could really understand how wonderful he is. Because there is no one you could possibly love more.

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*What special thoughts do you have about your husband. Think about it and write it down. If the thoughts that come to your mind aren't special, deny the flesh and write anyway. You'll be amazed at the flames that can rekindle when you press through.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A Birthday Letter To My Firstborn

My Dearest Sweetie,

Fond memories of you will flood my mind today. Today is a special day because it's your birthday. This birthday is the first birthday that we will not get to celebrate together because you're at Bible College. Oh how I miss you today and everyday, but you are answering the call of God on your life. For that I say Amen!

In late August of 1989, I cried with joy as I sat on the edge of the examining table. I couldn't believe what I just heard, "The pregnancy test come back positive." I was shocked. I knew something had change with my body, but the 3 home pregnancy test all came back negative. It wasn't until a blood test confirmed it. What was even more shocking is that fact that I was pregnant. I was told early in life that it would be hard for me to conceive.

It scared me the first time I felt you flutter. I was so young and had so many questions. I was told it was normal and as time goes on I would start to feel you kick. When you started kicking, I was in such awe that I would just lay across the bed and savor the moments.

A week before you were born I started having contraction. I remember standing in line at Big 8 talking to a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. She asked how far apart were my contractions. I answered so proudly, "12 minutes and it doesn't even hurt like they said it would." She informed me a had a long way to go. I didn't understand until 5 days later.

After laboring with you for over 44 hours I received the worst news. There was a shift change at 11:00 pm and a new nurse came in and called the doctor because something was deathly wrong. She asked why had I not pushed the call button for a nurse to come in. I told her that the last nurse had taken away the call button. The doctor came in and said, "We have to do an emergency c-section right now!" Then he started saying a few choice words to the nurses because I had been neglected. I wasn't sure about a lot of things that happened during labor. I was in and out of consciousness. You were born April 23, at 11:37 pm.

While in the hospital, you cried so much. I could not stop you from crying. A nurse came in and asked what was wrong. I told her I didn't think I was a good mother because I couldn't stop you from crying. She asked when did I last feed you. I told her I fed you breakfast at 6 this morning and it was too early for lunch because it was only 10:00. She informed me that nursing babies had to eat about every 2-3 hours. I didn't know. I thought you would eat 3 meals a day like me. Glad I didn't nurse you just 3 times a day......I can laugh about it now, but not then.

When you came home from the hospital I couldn't put you down. My family said that I would "spoil" you by holding you all the time. I couldn't comprehend that because what I was doing seemed so natural. Today when I reflect back, I'm so glad I held you all the time. I don't regret carrying you while I did chores around the house. I became a pro at doing dishes and scrubbing the sink with 1 hand.

I remember your first day of school. It was such a big ordeal. The whole family went. I'm still not sure who cried more me or Dad. I do remember that I always wanted you to look your best when you went to school. Everything had to match.

Then one day you grew up and decided to start doing your own hair and picking out your own clothes. It was so hard for me to let go. You were growing up so fast. I was afraid that you wouldn't need me anymore. Boy that was far from the truth.

Most parents hate the teen years. Not me. During this stage of your life, I enjoyed the time we had as a homeschool family. Some people didn't understand why we would homeschool teenagers. We understood and that's what mattered. Homeschooling was so much fun. I will always remember how would dance all afternoon and call it PE.

When you did go back to public school, you made us proud. We sat back with confidence knowing that you were strong in the Word and you knew who you were in Jesus. We raised you to be confident and compassionate. You graduated with honors and told so many of your friends about Jesus. You lead so many to the Lord and now you want to fulfill the Great commission. We bless you Sweetie to go into the world and take the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ into all the nations and make disciples.

Ruth is currently attending Portland Bible College majoring in Worship Music.
http://www.myspace.com/ruthieking23

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Birthday "Buddy" Ben

On April 22, 1994, at 8:02 am, I heard Dr. Kelley say, "Yes it's a boy!" I wasn't surprised at all. We knew that we were having a boy. All of the many ultrasounds revealed that. What the ultrasound didn't reveal was how beautiful and strong he was going to be.

I was on bed rest for the last trimester of the my pregnancy with Benjamin. I wanted to go somewhere so bad that I talked a 16 year old young lady from church to take me to KMart. She was so scared. She said, "Sister King I'm going to get in trouble if I do." I promised her that no one will ever know and that it would be our secret.

I got up and put on this cute maternity outfit that I hadn't gotten a chance to wear. I had to wear my house slippers because my feet were swollen. Actually I hadn't feel my feet for some time now, but she told me that they were big. I was smiling the whole time. Everything looked so pretty outside.

We were back by the time Don and the other kids got home from church. He realized something had changed about me. I was way too happy. After the young lady left I confessed. I was knotty and when I went to the doctor on Tuesday they chewed me out. (I was glad when that appointment was over.)

When Benjamin was born, Don and I both couldn't stop crying. The nurses almost had to pry Ben out of Don's hand to continue with their testing. Don kept his face glued to the nursery window. Still crying. He said the nurses kept staring at him. Don must have cried for at least another hour. He had so much joy that he couldn't express it through words.

Ben has blessed our lives in so many ways. He's our athlete. He plays football, basketball, wrestle and runs track. It never fails that whenever we see him on the field or the mat, we get weepy. We weep because of what God has done in his life and how far God has brought him. If you would have asked us 10 years ago if Ben would ever play sports, we would have said no way. God has healed Ben. God has also healed our daughter Ruth whose birthday is tomorrow. One day I will write about their healings.

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Benjamin is a Hebrew name which means "Son of the right hand."















Ben & I having fun :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Obedient Wife

The Obedient Wife
by: Robert Arthur Miller

There was a man who had worked all his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money.

Just before he died, he said to his wife...'When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me.'

And so he got his wife to promise him, with all of her heart, that when he died, she would put all of the money into the casket with him.

Well, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there - dressed in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, and just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said ,

'Wait just a moment!'
She had a small metal box with her; she came over with the box and put it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down and they rolled it away. So her friend said,

'Girl, I know you were not foolish enough to put all that money in there with your husband.'

The loyal wife replied, 'Listen, I'm a Christian; I cannot go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money into the casket with him.'

You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!?!?!?'

'I sure did,' said the wife. 'I got it all together, put it into my account, and wrote him a check.... If he can cash it, then he can spend it.'

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Such Sweet Words

Yesterday my dear friend Sheneen came to visit me. She wanted to make a quilt for her daughter Hannah. Someone gave her some cute Holly Hobbit material and she wanted to use it for Hannah's room. She had asked me weeks ago if I would help her with it. Of course I would help her because it would give me an opportunity to fellowship and sew.

When we started out she was frustrated because she wanted to it to be perfect. I had her to stop and look me in the eyes. I told her she was being too hard on herself and it's okay not to have straight stitches. I reminded her that when Hannah becomes a mother and shows her children the quilt, she's not going to show them the crooked stitches. She's going to tell her children how much love she feels each time she looks at the quilt. She will reflect on the quilt and have fond memories of her mother.

After that she looked at me and said, "You have been such a Titus 2 woman to me. I know I'm older than you, but you have"

I'm familiar with the Titus 2. I had to read it again this morning because those words meant so much to me:

Titus 2:3-5 The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

There's so much I want to say on the Titus 2 woman. It won't be today because I'm still cleaning out the tomato stains from the last time I talk to someone about being a Titus 2 woman. Also, because of my weight I've been told when I step on toes it hurts.




Tuesday, April 14, 2009

In Memory of Isaac the Iron

After all these years that Isaac and I have been together, he decided to die on me. I couldn't believe that he had the nerves to do that at a time when I needed him the most. Why couldn't he just hang on for a few more weeks? For my sake and the sake of my family's clothes. Didn't he realize how much I needed him today?

I know I may have had a strange way of showing my appreciation for Isaac. I left him on for hours at a time. I didn't do it on purpose. I was in a rush. Now it's too late for me to apologize to him for all the head trauma I caused him by dropping him on the floor. I should have picked him up and comforted him, but instead I just kept walking. He was thirsty and wanted to blow off some steam, but I never gave him any water. I thought maybe he'd just be a man and suck it up. I thought he liked all the starch I would put on the clothes. He would just sear on contact, so I didn't bother cleaning his plate from all the black goo. Now it's time for me to let him rest in peace.

He deserves a decent memorial service, but I may be the only one in attendance. You see, my family didn't know Isaac. They've seen him, but never bothered to develop a relationship with him. Maybe if they had taken the time to get to know him, Isaac would still be alive. Maybe if they knew how much I used and depended on Isaac for my sake and theirs, they would have had compassion on him. That's okay because at least I was here during his final moments.

Isaac's death will not be in vain. Before the actual memorial service, I will go to WalMart and get one of his relatives and bring him or her home to say a final farewell to Isaac.

The picture above reminds me of the earlier days when I first met Isaac. He was so full of joy and longevity was his promise to me. I just made a final promise to Isaac. I promise to take care of his relative that will be coming to live with me soon. I will keep his relative clean and give him or her water. Most of all, I will introduce his relative to all my other family members.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

My Sarah

Seems like it was yesterday when I found out I was pregnant with Sarah. I wouldn't call December 7, 1997, yesterday. I still remember the nurse coming into the room with the results. She showed me the stick (which I still have) with the "+" sign on it. I cried with joy because we had another "blessing" on the way. Don was so excited that he couldn't contain himself. We were proud to say that we had another "blessing" on the way.

Sarah is our youngest child. She will be 11 in July. She has brought so much joy into our lives and the lives of our children. Some may say that she's spoiled, but we say she's well loved.

I love encouraging woman with small children. I love to tell them to cherish their babies. Hold them close for long periods of time. Savor the moments of nursing them. Always smile at them and in return they will learn to smile back. Speak life over them. Tell them that they are world-changers. Tell them that they are leaders and not followers. One day you will look back and have no regrets.

Sarah one day when you look at this blog, I want you to know that mom thinks your special and loves you very much. Thank you for baking cookies for the family when mom couldn't.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Love In Marriage Can Last Forever.....


Love is something to share with a wonderful person;
and once it's there, you've got to make it last.

Love isn't something to be taken for granted. It's something to be nurtured and cared for and caressed.

Love can last forever...if you want it to.

Love isn't tough and tentative; it's wonderful and gentle and tender.

Love is mysterious, but it asks that you share no secrets.

Love is blind, but it asks that you see how happy it can make you.

Love is more like a flower than a tree; the wrong things can hurt it so easily.

But the right things can make it more beautiful and more fragrant than anything else your life has ever known.

Love is something to be treated as the best of all blessings; and as your own little miracle that will keep coming true as long as you want it to.

~Barin Taylor