In our Bible Talk we have been going through the Fruits of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
So far, I have written about Love and Joy. (Check out those posts at Love, Love, Love, and Have a Joyful and Happy Day.) This past week, Brad and I led a discussion on Peace.
Last week, we celebrated my parents’ 49th wedding anniversary. 49 years. That is impressive to me. With the exception of my grandparents who were married for over 72 years, my parents have the longest marriage of anyone I have personally known.
Then, on Saturday, we attended a wedding of a couple at church. As I watched their faces throughout the ceremony, I saw the joy and love just emanating from them.
So, I started thinking about the journey of a married couple. Every couple pretty much starts out the same way… They look into each other’s eyes with love and hope and excitement. They have great visions of how their life together will play out. And, I’ll bet that while they’re standing together, saying their vows, they are not planning on becoming “another statistic” and have their marriage end in divorce.
After spending yesterday with my parents, celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary, I have been thinking a lot about love. Obviously, to have a marriage that has withstood trials, hardships, and just the test of time, there is a lot of love there.
And, while I know there are other things that have contributed to the long life of their marriage, (I got some great advice from the happy couple. Be sure to check back to see what it is…), one of the most visible characteristics is love.
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How many times have I heard this in my life? I’d wager millions. But what does it really mean? I think too many people – myself included – have used this phrase as a Goodbye. It’s not that I don’t want someone to have a good day, it’s just what you say.
But, just before hanging up after one of our phone conversations, my mom said the following…
This past weekend, my mother-in-law gave me a couple African Violet slips to plant. (For the record – I am so much not a plant person, I just had to look up what they were called…) Now, it’s not that I don’t like to be surrounded by plants and beautiful flowers. I do – they make me very happy! Unfortunately, neither of my thumbs are very green. Hence, two slips for a better chance of having some blooming violets later this summer…
