Mirror Mirror on the wall....

Marriage is a major vehicle for the gospel’s remaking of your heart from the inside out and your life from the ground up.” ----Tim Keller, The Meaning of Marriage

{The story behind the pictures: I had gone to do my morning walk (I'm trying!), and when I got home John had made the bed and left this note.}

You know, it really stinks sometimes when you want someone to "see all their faults and shortcomings, and do life the way you think they should."   But somehow it kinda backfires on you.   God puts a mirror in front of your life and you see all of your own faults and shortcomings.

It has occured to me in the last few months that marriage can be one big fat mirror.....to the point of being totally obnoxious.....like, I don't want to see my faults, thank you very much....this is not about me, it's about him.....please stop pointing those things out to me......he's not perfect either Lord.....I mean really, I can't take all the blame, right?

And no, I'm not saying that my John is perfect.   But when I started this Love Dare journey, I was thinking I would learn a lot and I could teach him a thing or two.

I believe we think that way so often about all situations in our lives.   We judge people thinking our sins are somehow 'less' offensive.   When Christ died for all sin.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." -----Romans 3:23,24

"You can give undeserved love to your spouse because God gave undeserved love to you----repeatedly, enduringly."

"He was willing to love you even though you didn't deserve it, even when you didn't love back.  He was able to see all your flaws and imperfections and still choose to love you.  His love made the greatest sacrifice to meet your greatest need.  As a result, you are able to (by His grace) walk in the fullness and blessing of His love.  Now and forever."
                                                                                -------The Love Dare

To me, that's the beginning and the end of all my questions.   When I want to point my finger at my husband and pick out all of his problems, this is what God continuously brings to mind.   This is my mirror.   God loves me.  Even enough to die for me.  And he continues to love me.   And I do not deserve it.  Period.

There's the wonder of sunset at evening, The wonder as sunrise I see; But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul Is the wonder that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me. O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.

 There's the wonder of springtime and harvest, The sky, the stars, the sun; But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul Is the wonder that's only begun.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me. O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.





Many days I find myself worn-out with life.   I can't keep up.   I can't be everything to everyone.  I can't figure it all out.   I can't be super-mom and super-wife.   I let people down.  I let myself down.  And most importantly, I let God down. 

Marriage is not a sprint but a marathon.  {As is life in general.}  And if I can learn something new each time it gets ugly, I'll take it.  I believe that God uses marriage to grow us.   To grow us in lots of ways, but mostly to grow us into creatures that are more like HIM.

"Chasing what doesn’t matter is the temptation in this life and when we do, we speed up life and miss what is important."

source

I so often chase what doesn't matter.   My to-do list, my empty desires, comparisons.....    and everytime I come up empty with nothing to show for it except wasted precious time.



But everyday is a new day. His mercies are new every morning.

I need God every single day.  This is not a part-time proposition.  He alone can satisfy, even when all else fails me. 

Keep up the faith my dear friends! 

We are on a life-long journey together~