FireProof Week 3

Focus this week: Love for a Lifetime (Matthew 19:5-6)

The study had us focus on whether or not you truly understood your marriage vows and the covenant that you made with your spouse and God on that special day. I remember that Dr. Carswell said that those that were a witness to our wedding were at the birth of a new family, family that until that moment had not existed before. That's hard to wrap your head around to think about. We have a chance to start a new family that taken what we have been given and have learned from our own individual families and combined with our own ideas and direction from God create a family, just the two of us. After only being married for four months, the wedding day is still very real. I still remember my vows and the focus that I had. I really took those vows serious and wanted to make sure that Kevin knew that. However, I know that as time will go on that certain vows may be more of a challenge to uphold. The study focused on a few and explained them.

1. To have and to hold (how well you bonded and "held" to your spouse)
2. For better or worse (how stable is your treatment of your spouse, regardless of circumstances?)
3. For richer or poorer (how well does your marriage stand up to financial pressures?)
4. In sickness and in health (is your marriage affected by health struggles?)
5. To love and to cherish (refer to your accomplishment of the principles in Ephesians 5)
6. I pledge my faithfulness (are you faithful to your spouse, not just meaning looking at someone else or flirting, but being honest and loyal in all situations.)

I know that for us, during the first four months, I guess we feel like we have accomplished number 1. Having been apart for the whole 4 years that we dated, we have spent more time together than ever. Also, having just been married, which I am sure most can relate, number 2 for richer or poorer, mainly means for poor or poorer. Even when you come into an extra surprise of money, there's never enough. I had always had money living at home after college, but now with Kevin and the few bills we do have, we are going from pay check to pay check. But God is good and He does supply our needs. Number 4 is the one that I feel Kevin and have had a real hold onto. I have personally had many illnesses and times when I have been sick and between our two families we have dealt with that too. Just two weeks after we married, Kevin's grandfather passed away. Three weeks ago, I got bite by a spider, which got infected. So I went on an antibiotic and then 10 days after that had an allergic reaction and broke out in hives. Oh and in between my spider bite and hives, Kevin sets a hay field on fire. So the past 3 weeks have been busy for us, and to add school on top of that with the end of the first nine weeks here. It's never a boring moment down here in the country. So, I guess we have dealt with some stuff, but you just laugh at it and move on. But the vows we made on June 21, 2008 were something that you don't just say once, but it's a daily things that you have made a commitment to do. Loving your spouse, in all aspects of that word. It's not just the loving feelings, true love, like we talked about in week 1 comes from really understanding your spouse and seeing them through God's eyes. I guess the one vow that will be a daily struggle for me, is to keep my treatment of Kevin the same in all situations. It's really easy for me to get stressed out and to snap at him for no reason at all. I always feel horrible after the fact and am quick to apologize, but I have tried and need to try harder to treat him with the same love and kindness and tenderness that I would want from him in all situations. But that's a daily thing that I try to work on.

Something to think about: What is one vow that you made on your wedding day that maybe you have been struggling with to keep lately? What could you do to improve it and show it to your spouse?

A Day at the Doggie Spa

Well, Abby may not be a Bevery Hills Chihuahua, but she's no dog either! Abby went to the groomers today and she looks so pretty!

Humble Acres Farm

Humble Acres Farm the Beginning: March 19, 2001 at 5:30 a.m. Kevin's life changed. He had 20,000 new chicks in his life. Kevin and his dad worked hard that first flock to learn all the could about chicken farming. Soon after the first two chicken houses were up and running, they added the cows. The cows are actually located in Williston, down the road from where I teach. In Janurary of 2003, Kevin added two more chicken houses. This brought the total up to 40,000 birds. It has stayed at 40,000.

Humble Acres Farm Now: Currently, Humble Acres has grown not only with chickens and cows, but they have added sheep and organic compost. The sheep are the type of sheep that you grow to eat, just like the cows. We are hoping to have some baby sheep really soon. The mama sheep look like they could bust at any minute! Kevin and his dad are working hard to sell the organic compost. It does a super job! I have used it on my plants and I have passed it along to my family and they have been very pleased with it. Their goal and prayer is that the orangic compost will take off and sell like crazy. But in everything that Kevin and his dad do, they have always put it into God's hands. This business what built on the belief and foundation that everything they do belongs to God. We are all excited about what the future will bring. God has truly blessed the farm and all that are connected with it.

Humble Acres Farm Pictures

Chicken Houses

10,000 chickens per house 5, 040 eggs


Cows

Sheep

Organic Compost in the making

Kevin's Favorite Farm Helper

FireProof: Movie Review

Today, Kevin and I went to see the movie FireProof with our Sunday School class. It was a great movie! While you are watching it, you have to be careful not to get completely caught up in the story, but look at the meaning that the actors are trying to tell you. Whether you have been married 3 months, 3 years, 13 years, or 30 years, everyone can learn something from this movie. It teaches you that just like your relationship with Christ, it is a daily commitment. It's something that you can't do just one time. Every day you have to commit to do for God and for your spouse, even when you don't feel like it or get a reward in return. If you see this movie, you will be encouraged by it to not only do a better job at showing and demonstrating love to your spouse, but also doing the same towards God. HE already does it and has done it every day. So what are you waiting for? I don't want to give any secrets away about the movie for those that haven't seen it. But in the movie the dad challenged his son to a "love dare", he dared him to love his wife unconditionally and to commit to that each day. The dad told him that when it gets tough, that's when you really have to dig in, no matter what your heart or emotions tell you. "Nothing is fireproof, anything can burn, but having the correct knowledge and equipment will help you to withstand the heat and not burn while you are going through it."

Thought of the day: I challenge you to start a "love dare" with your spouse. What unselfish acts can you do to show your love? However, keep in mind that you must do it with the mind set that it's okay if you don't get anything in return. You are chosing to love them no matter what their response may be.