Forty Years - I'd Do It Again!

 

Bud and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary this past December 24th, which is also his 64th Birthday.  I love this man with all my heart!  We've had a good life together.  Oh sure, we've been through hard times, good times, in-between times, and probably will again.  We know that God put us together without a doubt! 

We met in California in 1967.  He had come to visit his grandfather and find out just what "sin" was? Now, my future husband didn't have any religious background at all.  He'd only been to Sunday School a few times when he was very young.  His Daddy had told him Papa would know all about that stuff.   His Papa went to the church my Dad was pastoring at that time.  So he packed a backpack and headed for Perris, California where his Papa lived, hitching hiking all the way.  However he ended up wandering through Haight Ashbury for a short time and had a brief encounter with Charlie Manson.  But he had a hunger deep inside for "TRUTH" and he found it in a little church in San Jacinto, Ca.  He repented in a children's revival at an altar filled with children. He received the Holy Ghost in the "upper room" at a Balboa Park convention while Brother Tenney was preaching and he's never turned back! 

We may not always have had the BEST of material possessions, but our needs have always been provided and the LOVE of GOD and for the TRUTH of the WORD have always been the most prominent concern in our lives.

God has been good to us.  We have three grown sons, and they've given us five grandchildren and one great granddaughter!

Our vows to each other are just as intentional today as they were 40-years ago.  Did I say I love this man?  Oh, I DO, I DO, I DO...

 Yes, Bud dear, I love YOU!!!!

WHY GOD?

Why?

Are there days when you’ve ask yourself WHY? or ask God WHY? or even just wonder WHY things happen or people say the things they do?

Why do the ones you thought you could trust, say things indirectly, but intentionally within your range of hearing, to hurt you? And then watch for your reaction? Why? It’s especially disappointing when fellow believers do this to each other.

Is this what putting one’s trust totally in God means? We learn quickly that we can’t depend on man (mankind). The human carnal nature just seems to take control at times and then we can be the brunt of it. Most of us have the built in nature to TRUST first. That makes us vulnerable to those who desire to inflict pain, physical or emotional. So, those of us who prefer to trust first get hurt and then after several hurtful experiences, we eventually give up and no longer trust that particular person. It’s really shameful to have to deal with this type of attitude in the everyday world we live in let alone within the church. God wants so much for us to be willing and ready for him to use us, but we can be so shallow-minded that we don't get beyond the first lesson!

It’s in times like these, that we are so glad that we know Jesus and he’s our friend. In times like these, that’s when He’s a friend like no other. We can always depend on Him to carry us through.

I personally, am so thankful for his love and everlasting mercy. I never want to forget just how much he loves you and me.

There’s enough negativity in this world...let’s not bring it into our churches. Our church family is supposed to be a place of trust, peace, love, and encouragement. It’s not just a social club... we can join anything just to be with a group of people. Our fellowship is much more than that! We gather to worship the one true and living God... the God of our salvation. The God who trusted us with His Spirit... dwelling inside us. That’s a huge responsibility... Please don’t take it lightly! I certainly don't!

God is a loving God and for that I am ever thankful!
Without Him...there isn’t a LIFE!