THIS IS THE WAY WALK YE IN IT!!!....

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘this is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

THIS IS THE WAY WALK YE IN IT....These are the words I was hearing as I faced some difficult days in the last few weeks. The days were so dark you could cut it with a knife.  My prayers were like hitting the ceiling and bouncing back, I cried out to God and I would hear crickets…silence!  I ask God, “where are You and what are You doing?”  At the end of myself and tired of my struggle I just stopped in my tracks, it was at that point I could hear those words in my heart.... 

My eyes were opened and I begin to hear as I heard Laura Story’s song, “Blessings”.  Have you heard it?  I first was made aware of it when a friend sent it to me but I didn't listen to it.  I saw some of my friends had posted it on Facebook, too.   A few nights ago a wife of a pastor called, she had me on her mind, bless her heart she is so good at calling even as busy as she is and even doing some follow-up after her calls.  At this last call she pretty much ordered me to sit down and listen to it quietly and let it sink in.  I did and finally heard it with the words going into my soul.  I goggled Laura Story and read her story, it is powerful, you must read it sometime getting the story behind her song.  Also, I found out she is the Worship Leader in a church in Atlanta that my dentist attends.  As I listened it got me back into reality and I realized I had allowed my flesh to be in control of my life.  I guess Father has me in a school, again! I am being transparent and at the same time I know I am speaking to someone out there who can identify.  We all have burdens to bare they each are a different size and color but all the same when it comes to the bottom line.  Even knowing they are designed for our good, it still hurts.  I again think if this is not going away I will be determined to live above my circumstances and not under them. I am convinced Father is telling me these words, ”This is The Way and I am to Walk in it…right now…

As you listen to this song let the words speak to you….

THE GOOD TASTE OF A SUMMERTIME GARDEN.....

This morning I was thinking how I am enjoying the produce that is coming from the farmers surrounding us.  Had delicious cantaloupe with my breakfast this morning.  In a phone conversation with my brother this week he ask me if I had a breakfast like our mother would make for us kids?  I answered, “no” I had forgotten all about it.  We lived on a tight budget so she would make toast in the oven with butter sliced thin on the four corners and one in the middle put it under the broiler and it would come out toasted just right as she watched it closely. "You just can't beat oven toast", my husband says. Then a big bowl of sliced cold cantaloupe would be placed in the middle of the table.  We would help ourselves to that good taste combination and get our bellies full.  Well what do you think I had for breakfast this morning?

Still thinking about the wonderful gardens in our area and getting to attend our local farmers market this Saturday morning I happen to see a picture a friend of mine had put on facebook it was so pretty I copied it to put here for you to see.

I got to see her later in the day telling her I copied the picture for my blog and what do you know!  The veggies in her picture she had gathered were to assemble in a gift basket for me. Guess what we are having for dinner tonight?  Yes! Fresh from her garden, funny when I get a gift like this I look past the human hand that gave it to me and see it as a gift from Father.  That makes me think how glad I am she was sensitive to our needs letting Him use her hands to deliver it to us.  Got to cut this short and get in the kitchen…..  

A MOTHER TWICE……

Gratefulness fills my heart as I sit here thinking back on the event of 45 years ago, our second son Phillip was born.  At 8:26 pm July 27, 1966, I was told I had another boy 8 lbs and 6 ounces and 22 inches long.  I became ….A Mother Twice….

Over the years of his life he has been through many trials, we have watched him triumph over them all.  As a young child I remember the day in VBS his teacher came to us telling us he ask Jesus in his heart.  Because of that day he lives his life trusting his Heavenly Father.  He has a servant’s heart that expresses itself at his church he loves and outside in his daily life as he meets those in his path.  This day I want to express my love to him being a proud mom seeing him being a Gentle Giant for God, a loving Husband to Amy...
 

and a devoted Father to Caeden…

May God's Peace, Blessing, Provision, Comfort, Leading and Wisdom be upon you over and above anything you can ask or even think!  Your family loves you dearly!!!........

WHAT A WONDER…SUNSETS!!!.....

This time of year the sun sets right in front of our porch and they are beautiful!

Around 7:00 pm in July we know it is time to settle down to get ready for our sunset.  Our grandson Caeden was visiting this month, we enjoyed waiting to see what it would be like for that night…..

At 8:30 or so, we begin to pick our place in a rocker or the swing to watch the evening display......

Each night it’s different.  Some nights, if there are no clouds, we know it will be a sunset of mostly orange.

  

If there are clouds, it will reflect off of them giving hues of pinks to purple from bright to dark shades. 

Some nights we enjoy sitting in front of a nice cozy fire in our Chiminea.....

One night the reflection on our front door was an add surprise.....

The sun slowly sets, as you see the bright ball of red slowly slip behind mountain ranges.  The colors seem to envelop the sky....

Quietly sitting there I begin to think, someone on the other side of this world will be getting ready for that same sun to start their day and we are settling in for the night and our hours of rest. 

 

This is all a wonder and who in this world can even dare think there is no God?   

  

 He made the Heavens and the Earth, the night and day and controls them all.  This verse comes mind…    Psalm 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. “

Stop and look around you can see Him ……

HAVE YOU HEARD OF A “DAY-CATION”?.....

If you haven’t heard of a Day-Cation you have now.  We made that a new word this morning as we drove off for the day.  We took a day off at the spur of the moment, that’s the best kind of trip.  We left at 8:30 this morning and just returned at 6:00 this evening resting and reflecting on our day.  I just had to share it with you maybe you can plan one for yourself.  We set out “following the hood ornament” as an old farmer friend of our use to say.  

 As we set out we just had to take a picture of one of the over looks of the morning mist over the mountain ranges it seems to be saying it’s going to be a good day…..

 After about an hour and a half drive we stopped in one of our favorite towns, Waynesville, NC.  I got so excited to see the town “hopping” with tourist from everywhere coming to enjoy this town too…..

           

I love walking these red brick sidewalks and visiting in the neat shops....

                                                                                                                                                                                     

 Phil had to try out the old fashion water fountain to see if it really worked..."well?" I can hear you asking, "Yes it did"!

 While you are there you have to visit The Mast General Store it has everything you want..... 

 I’m like a little kid when I go to the basement floor, get a green basket and fill it with every kind of candy you have ever heard of and buy it by the pound.  If you are not careful you will have to finance it, that’s, Phil’s joke....

After we had our “fix” of that great town we drove on over the mountains through The Highlands and then Cashiers, NC. 

So that’s what you do on a Day-Cation by the time we get to those last towns we don’t even have to get out of the car we just ride through looking around, listening to music, and enjoy being silent. 

 It's late now and we are ready to call it a night.  I can still see those Yellow Daisies blooming so bright in their special containers along the sidewalks.  Ah! more good memories deposited in our memory banks.....What a good day!!!

CAN YOU DANCE?......

Don’t know how you answered that question, but if you don’t know how to dance, you better get busy learning!   The old saying, “Life is a dance you learn as you go” is true!  It seems like lately, I’m either in a storm, getting ready to go in one or coming out of one.  Don’t want to sound negative, but actually, it is what life is all about if you are growing in your Christian walk.  Hey! If we didn’t have those times it would be boring or we would not learn the lessons in life that are valuable to our spiritual muscles to make it in this world.

I wrote this today because as I sat here looking around the room I saw on the table beside me a candleholder a bought about a year ago I liked because of the quote that reminds me to learn to Dance in the Rain. 

 As I look to my left on the table I have a plaque with my favorite verse on it that goes with the storms of life.  It is a reminder that when times gets tough I must focus on the One Who is watching over me through the storms! 

Don’t know what storm you have on your path but hope this is a reminder for you too!  He is right there with you and That’s a promise…….. KEEP DANCING!!!

END OF DAY RECAP OF MY PERFECT SATURDAY.......

What a great day, the over night rain brought cooler weather.  I was able to turn off the A/C and open the windows.  The breeze had a fall feeling in the air, made me begin to look forward to it.  Kicked back, took my new Birds and Blooms Magazine, a friend subscribed for me, and enjoyed reading it outside in my swing.  This is what reminded me to get outside.  I turned the page I saw this and it reminded me I have been too serious with inside stuff ......

 On one page I saw this beautiful sunflower the picture reminded me of how very soon we can ride and see a field of Sunflowers standing tall facing the sun......

The birds were singing so loudly today it brought me back into the moment.  I looked out at my mountains.  The trees are growing up so that it looks like the mountain ranges I have enjoyed these 11 years are getting lower....

On the other side of my porch the red from my crepe myrtles were catching my attention.  I love it when they finally make their display for the year, don't you?  What a southern feel.......

To cap off my day the sunset was a pleasant display like God was saying Enjoy This It's For You....

Hope your day was a good one too!!!

OH MY!!!.. ARE THESE COOKIES GOOD OR WHAT?......

Just sitting here minding my own business and this popped in my mind, “how long has it been since I made Phil’s favorite cookies?”  Too long… the next thing I know I was “rattling those pots and pans”.  Of course, he was happy.

It had been so long I had to search through my recipes.  I wanted to make a healthy cookie one day, so I found one of those Heath Gurus’ websites.  Then I made it my own by putting in some bad stuff (that would be unhealthy stuff) and “Walla”, the delicious Honey Oatmeal Cookie!

As I was combining this mixture, I thought of you and how I should share it. You will enjoy them especially when it might be a cold night and you want something to be a comfort food, making the house smell good.  Funny it is 93 degrees today and they were still a comfort food and the house still smelt good.  I needed some comfort today and maybe everyday until I have to put a stop to it when the waistline gets too tight…. Oh! I don't want go there….

So hope you enjoy them as we are today.  As you will see, I was not in the mood to stand there and makes these little balls then put them on the pan and put a floured glass on them pressing them into perfect little cookies…NAW!  I pressed them in a sheet pan, baked them, let them cool real good and cut them in nice little squares. They taste just as well.  When you make them, according to how you feel, you can do it either way. 

Here is the recipe for you to be a “show off” to anyone you want to surprise and listen to them brag on you.  They will love you for it!!!….

Honey Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups plain flour (I use cake flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups oats, rolled (raw)
• opt. Dried fruit such as: raisins, chopped dates, dried cranberries (I use about ½ cup packed)
• opt. Nuts such as: chopped pecans or chopped walnuts (I use about ½ to 1 cup)

Beat sugar, honey, shortening, egg and vanilla together. Sift together flour, salt and soda and add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats,  nuts, dries fruit.  Drop by spoon onto greased cookie sheet or parchment paper works best. Bake in preheated oven 350° F until lightly browned or about 7 minutes, makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Another idea is to press all the cookie dough out on a large cookie sheet used to make jelly roll, line with parchment paper.  Bake for 17 to 20 minutes at 350 watch carefully may take less time depending on your oven. ( mine takes 20 minutes and they are nice and chewy) Let cool and cut into small finger size pieces takes less time this way.   

Wish you were here, you could taste these with me while we had a nice, long chat.....

KEN YOUNG, HOW WE’LL MISS HIM….

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”  Psalms 116:15

Our town’s good friend Ken Young passed away today.  There’s sadness among us here like it always is when we lose one that passes on.  He was one good man, always making it possible for the ones who couldn’t afford his products in his store, and who knows what else good he did for others, only his Lord knows.  “It’s the blue building on the left or right”, which ever way you are going, that was our way to get our friends and family connected to him and all his products that would help you get healthy.  Ken’s Herbs, it’s the small place you could get stuck in if you were holding your full basket of vitamins he told you to get for anything you had wrong or could fight to keep you from having anything wrong.  I don’t know it for sure, but really I think it was his life, always studying about health to keep us healthy!

Wow! How we will miss Ken when we walk in that door, look to the right and say “Hey Ken” and hear him say back, “Hello, ha’u ?” Then for him to tell me just what I needed for what ailed me.  Well I have been sitting here in a grief state and it is like I heard him say “don’t do that over me, you stay healthy now…that’s what important” and that is what I want to do for him and use what he taught us to be kind and stay healthy so I can stay around and be kind like him….

I posted this the other day in another post but it came to mind again today. I read it recently after a young girl died way too early, it is well said, ““Many times we pray for God to heal someone or to keep him or her safe. Sometimes God chooses to make them perfect instead, and brings them home with him.”

Like someone said earlier about Ken who was a master at music, even a member of the Hall of Honor in the Atlanta Music Hall of Fame, “he is able to see and sing and play all the instruments he wants that are rarer than the ones he got a hold of here”...

The picture I placed here I would guess was the last time he sang at our courthouse with the Collins Brothers on June 20^th.  He is the one smiling real big on the front row wearing his tie and red shirt holding his prize instrument….

We miss you Ken but wouldn't want you back here for the world... we'll see you one day!

PRAYER IS LIKE BREATHING…

This subject is clearly on my mind today and this is what I want to write about.  It’s about Prayer!  I write this as the day is ending and all day we have gotten news of someone needing prayer one after another.  We are feeling helpless, we want to go to them but what can you do, we ask ourselves? Our friend found out today she has breast cancer, in a few days she will get the details of where this journey with take its course.  Another friend ask prayer for her husband who had a massive stroke and his future hangs in balance. That is just a few to put on our list of all the others.  One good thing happen today among all the above.  My niece Angie, text me with exciting news with a sonogram picture of our newest family member she will be having in February, this was happy news among the sadness we felt within an hour ….

What do you do when you hurt so badly for your friends in need and you don’t know what to do? You pray.  That is one thing that I have always felt I didn’t understand, and I know we will never.  We aren’t wired to know we’re just told to do it and like we breathe each breath.   You ask Father for answers and sometimes you just hear “crickets”. I’m just sharing my heart here!  Don’t judge me you know what I am talking about.   I think, no I know... this is the release we need when we hurt with those who hurt.  Prayer is giving it to God who then takes it and works it to His good not ours.  I had a paradigm shift and felt so small when I heard this the other day. It was a comment given after a beautiful young lady was killed in an auto accident, this person near to her said:

“Many times we pray for God to heal someone or to keep him or her safe. Sometimes God chooses to make them perfect instead, and brings them home with him.”

Wow! That brings you into focus on leaving it with the One who knows all things! I think I will take the Devotional I read each year when it comes around on May 26th in My Utmost for His Highest and digest it into my soul that is needing it right now.   Prayer is not just something we do once in a while, it is part of us that gives us relief while knowing we can’t fix it or control it. Let's read this together, maybe you are where I am today.....

Pray without ceasing . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:17

Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong, is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues, “without ceasing”; we are not even conscious of it, but it never stops. And we are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise; it is the life of the saint. Beware of anything that stops the offering up of prayer. “Pray without ceasing . . .”— maintain the childlike habit of offering up prayer in your heart to God all the time.

Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer. He had the unlimited certainty of knowing that prayer is always answered. Do we have through the Spirit of God that inexpressible certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer our prayer? Jesus said, “. . . everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). Yet we say, “But . . . , but . . . .” God answers prayer in the best way— not just sometimes, but every time. However, the evidence of the answer in the area we want it may not always immediately follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?

The danger we have is that we want to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something that aligns with our common sense. But if it were only common sense, what He said would not even be worthwhile. The things Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He reveals to us.

A REAL FRIEND….

Proverbs 18:24 “There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”

Years ago when I became a Christian I began to notice the value of friendships.  I can’t explain it because I had friends before but I began to view them differently.  I wanted to be a friend, giving and not expecting anything in return, but found that I got back much more than I gave.  I began to get so many, and they were all so different.  One day I thought each one of my friends is like a special charm for a charm bracelet.  They were all unique, had their own personalities but meant the same to me in their own way.  Today, using that analogy the bracelet would be so big I would have to rent a u-haul truck to take it around.

My grandfather use to say everyone has an average of least 7 special friends in their lifetime; it’s those who are the closest to you.  Don’t know but looking over my list I could see how that could be true.  As you face the trials of life, it is those who stick with you through your pain that become a real friend.  They give up what is important to them and genuinely care about you, walking with you through the dark days.

Just sitting here in front of my keyboard typing away this thought comes to mind.  There have been times when it was like the doors were closed, the phone didn’t ring and the notes didn’t come.  It was if God was saying, “I want you to experience no one but Me”. It was at those times felt the presence of the One who really cared and is A REAL FRIEND!  I knew I did have a big brother who would never leave me nor forsake me.  He'll goes before me, behind me, in front of me and lives in me, how much better does it get?....and His name is Jesus!  

WHAT I AM WEARING, WE CAN ALL USE THIS….

I read “What Are You Wearing Today” somewhere, it ministered to me so much I had to keep it as a reminder to do it everyday.  Things are coming at fast pace all around me and in my face every other one.  When I hear from you, the same thing seems to be going on in your world.  Questions come up like…”What can we do about our finances?”, “our health issues?”, “Help! My job has been outsourced to another country” and “what can we do about our kids doing their stuff?” or the pressures they face seem to become ours too”, so what’s you answer?  Let’s see…HUM!!!…

I keep getting the same answer.  This answer seems too easy, but it’s the way to live with it, among it, and through it.  A plan would be… to stop, be quite (that’s the hardest thing for me) realize and “own it” that we have been in control and THEN hand it over to Him like what it says below …”Put Me On” that means let Him have it.  I can hear you saying, “I did that”, or “I have to do it again”.  Yeah! Again, and again and again!!!

In the book, “Jesus Calling” it was a good one for July 7^th one phrase caught my eye. “Practice thinking in certain ways, trusting Me, thanking Me, and those thoughts become more natural.”  Lately, the WG disease is trying to flare up in  my husband’s blood system, again.  I let it get me really down and got myself in a state of wariness.  I want to fix it!  One day I got alone and ask Father,  “what is this about?” and “what do You want me to do?”  I got this answer clearly, He said, “don’t fight me on this” So that was it.  So I came away with this “He knows what He is doing” and “this could be the way to control it”.  The doctor attended the issue real well right on the spot, changing the meds and giving good instruction although he is puzzled.  At this time it is just to wait and rest in Him…again!  That is where I am right now.  I know you have your story too and probably could say the same thing about yours that I just said, you are hearing too to just  “rest and wait, trusting the I AM”….So now let’s read the following and put it on……

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING TODAY?...

Seek My Face at the beginning of your day. This practice enables you to "put Me on" and "wear Me" throughout the day. Most people put on clothes soon after arising from bed. Similarly, the sooner you "put Me on" by communicating with Me, the better prepared you are for whatever comes your way. 

To "wear Me" is essentially to have My mind; to think My thoughts. Ask the Holy Spirit to control your thinking: be transformed by this renewal within you. Thus you are well equipped to face the people and situations I bring your way. Clothing your mind in Me is your best preparation for each day. This discipline brings Joy and Peace to you and those around you. 

Psalm 27:8 “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 

Romans 13:14 “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” 

Colossians 3:12  “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

HEALTHY HEART IS A CHEERFUL HEART…

Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength”

My heart became an interest for me January 1, 2003. It was New Year’s Day. We had just finished watching the movie, Castaway. Like each year on this day, we were camping at our favorite spot at the KOA Campground in Panama City Beach, FL. During the movie I felt kind of funny, but I had felt it before. The same indigestion, pressure in my upper back between my shoulder blades and a funny feeling going up my right jaw. After a while I thought I should tell Phil it was getting worst. Like always anything that went wrong I would say it must be my Gall Bladder. He right away said we are going to the ER because he knew it was pretty bad if I told him something was wrong.

At the ER I was waiting for the doctor to tell me the procedure for the removal of the GB. He finally came in and stood at the end of my bed. I looked at him and said,”OK, let’s get this over, take the ole thing out and let me be on my way”. He looked sternly at me and said, “ its not the GB it’s your heart”. I was shocked and a little upset with myself for the misdiagnoses because I always knew what I needed and how to fix it…. I thought! The next day one of those well appreciated test called a Heart Cauterization revealed I had to have open heart surgery and right away. I was going to need a Quintuple bypass surgery. In case you don’t know that is a # 5. Well I had been so healthy in the past and this news made me feel like I got my report card and I had made an “F”. But I had to get it together and decide what to do I did not want to have my surgery in Florida and in that hospital. I wanted it at my favorite hospital, Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Phil left it up to me to decide, that’s the way we work. Finally a few days later, because of the blood thinner was at a lower level, I was able to travel. The only thing they wouldn’t hear me on was I couldn’t go in my RV; I had to be transported by ambulance to Atlanta. The ride was 7 hours. By this time my pain level had lowered because of that blessed medication, morphine! So the ride was like riding on a cloud in a wonderland. I called all my family and friends although Phil had already taken care of it, laughing and having a good time.

The wait was three days after we got to Piedmont. I can look back and see how God had lined it all up no doubt! I had a great medical team. This wonderful doctor, Dr Morris Brown III called late one night and said everything was “Go” for the surgery the next morning. It was done and I did wonderful, had a good support system of family and friends that was marvelous! So on the 12th of January we made the Trek up hwy 515 for the two-hour ride to our home in Blairsville to recoup for the next 7 weeks. Per doctors advise we stopped for a walk after the first hour. My request was to get my yarn for “busy work” for the recoup time. I walked on my own to the back of Wal-Mart in Canton GA, selected my colors and at that point needed a motorized cart to get back up front to wait on Phil to checkout. Funny thing happened, one of the greeters walked up to me wanting my handy cart. She informed me another lady needed it. I said, “OH NO plainly!!! I just had open heart surgery a few days ago and I need it” After showing my scar, my lady friend quickly walked away, saying I most certainly could have that cart.

So I told you my story to let you know two things I have learned.
#1 - It really does matter to have a cheerful heart. The doctor told me my problem had been developing for 30 years and I can look back and tell you for sure there were days I lived under way too much stress living my own life instead of letting Christ live His in me. We never know what our body goes through by what is going on in our mind that affects the one organ that keeps us alive. I have to stop from time to time and have a down to earth talk with myself, like I better get serious about life and let those things go that don’t matter and take action on those things I can do something about allowing Christ to be my life.
#2 - As women and men too, we need to be responsible for our health. Get a yearly physical with a good doctor. We think men are the ones that have heart attacks but that’s not true women are fast in the race going ahead with this one health issue.

Some good advice for all of us is....

Keep Good Mental Health…

Eat a good healthy diet (find your plan)…

Get regular exercise…

Get regular check ups with your doctor....

Most of all enjoy and value the life God has given you. And again our verse is one to live by “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength”

SUMMER MONTHS THE TIME FOR WEDDINGS…

So what a good time we had over the weekend celebrating the 4th of July this year. Today this 5TH day of July I begin thinking of how much summer we have left. It feels like the days will slip now into fall then winter again before we know it. It’s like down hill now and we had better enjoy them while we can….
My thoughts go to this SUMMER'S WEDDINGS, “Do you notice every weekend in these months there will be is a wedding”? Somewhere, some place, a
"Bride-to- be" is getting excited, all the preparation is done and about to come to an end, because the coming weekend will be the day she will put on that dress, carry that bouquet with the fresh flowers of choice and make her grand entrance. The bride’s maids will have their dresses all fitted to perfection and the guys have their tuxes because the special day is about to happen for the special couple. The Groom will be standing down at the altar waiting to see for the first time his beautiful Bride have the walk toward her prince charming. After vows said and “the kiss” the minister will announce…
“I now present to you, Mr and Mrs. _____” Then their life will begin….
Reading through my notes I found this prayer, from Max Lucado. I love his expressions in his writings. This is so appropriate for that day and the years ahead for anyone starting their lives together….

The Wedding Prayer
Create in us a love O Lord, an eternal love. Your love is a love that forgives any failure, 
 spans
 any distance, 
withstands any tempest. 
Create in us a love, O Lord, a new love, a fresh love, 
a love with the tenderness of a lamb, the grandeur of a mountain, the strength of a lion. And make us one. Intimately one. As you made a hundred colors into one sunset, A thousand cedars into one forest, and countless stars into one galaxy …
make our two hearts as one, 
Father, forever …
that you may be praised, Father, forever.
From Shaped by God / Max Lucado

SO years later this is still for you...This could be for anyone that is already married or planning one day to marry. When I read it, it made me take inventory of my own marriage after years together. Enjoy your life with the one you love….