The "D" Word

Okay, look I created this blog to count the blessing that I'm granted daily (yes, they area daily, even when I try to ignore them). It was supposed to offer me the opportunity to see how God has lead me in the past and how He has never forsaken me. It is a way to count my blessings and hopefully through the testimony on my own blessings to maybe, just maybe, bless someone else. Of course, I really doubt my readership is larger than 3 (one of those being myself), but the writing exercise is helpful, too. However, I wanted to pose a question from time to time, and who knows maybe the other two readers will comment on this one.

Anyway, here is the question: When can a person move on after a marriage is over, or maybe better phrased when is a marriage over? When I thought of this question, I was trying to help a friend, who is actually divorced now and dating his ex-wife. I told him what I've read in the Word, that divorce is only acceptable in cases of infidelity i.e. adultery, but that it doesn't have to be so, even in that case. But how long should a person just be without companionship, if there spouse leaves. How do they know if that person has did the adultery thing? Honestly, I can't really find a definite biblical reason for divorce, the adultery thing seems to be allowed because well, that's just extremely painful and difficult to recover from. Check out this link to Bibleinfo.com I use this site alot for bible verses on specific topics. Anyway, what do you all think?

Check out these lyrics from Anthony Hamilton's "I Cry":

Girl I cry
These tears that I shed are the trail to bring you home
Girl I cry
Mama told me that a mans own tears can make him strong
Girl I cry
I will sit around here and wait for you to come home
I cry for you, I'll cry
I cry for you, I'll cry

Ball to the Face

Took my 4 kids, my niece, nephew, and the dog for a walk to the playground closest to my house this morning. Seemed like a good idea, and it was. The sun was out, but it wasn’t too hot. The shady parts of the walk were still cool.

It’s about four to five blocks, so it may have taken us ten minutes. My kids even got to see a police officer (he held traffic so we could cross the busiest street) and a couple of ducks on the way.

Well, we got to the playground, which is pretty nice for this area. It has that soft rubberized surface, but it’s not black so it doesn’t hold too much heat. It seems fairly new, and it’s in good condition.

I brought along a toddler big wheel and a basketball, because there are basketball rims and the two year old loves to ride his big wheel. Well after a while on the playground equipment, my three-year old son, my nephew, and I were on the basketball court just chasing after the ball and shooting. My son was having a blast just throwing the ball and trying to race me to it across the court. I was trying to hold him up in the air so he could have a better chance at making a basket, but he keep throwing the ball down instead of up. I shot a few baskets myself and so did my nephew. One time the ball goes through the netless rim and smacks my boy right in the face. Does he cry? Noooo. Just walks it off like the tough guy he is. I’m impressed, but he doesn’t feel like playing basketball anymore. He lets me talk him back into it, though; however, a few minutes later, he’s chasing after the ball and falls on the asphalt skinning his elbow. He takes it like a champ still without tears. We head on back home, and he doesn’t whimper or complain the whole way not even about the fact that we are leaving which usually upsets him.

It made me think about what my pastor sermonized yesterday. He used Gideon and his band (they weren’t large enough to be considered an army) of soldiers as an object lesson on not giving up and finishing the job. Gideon had watched the Lord defeat the Midianites and pursued those who were fleeing. Judges 8:4 says that they were “faint, yet pursuing.” I feel like every time I try to play the game I get busted in the face with the ball, and every time I try to run after the ball, I get tripped up and fall. My face hurts, my elbows are sore, and I’m ready to forget this ridiculous game. Forget doing the right thing, forget biting my tongue, and forget faith. I’m tired. It’s funny how knowing and behaving are two different things. I know that doing the right thing is the wisest. I know that the meek inherit the earth. I know that living by faith is an exercise to strengthen my faith for the next storm that will come (scares the superlatives out of me). Lastly and maybe most important at this moment, I know how God has carried me and provided for me in the past. I’ve even mentioned some of those blessing in this blog. So it’s fair to say, I know, but I’m not acting like it. Why, well it’s a matter of self-discipline. I’m doing what I feel, instead of what I know. When soldiers go into battle, and their brother in arms falls in their first time in the heat of the battle, is there fear? Do some feel like running? Well, why don’t they? Is it because they’re scared of the commanding officer? I kind of doubt that, because fear isn’t that rational. But knowledge, respect, and discipline together are powerful. Knowledge tells you why one particular course of action is preferred over another and why you should trust the guy in charge. Respect helps you to do what he says. Discipline, well, that’s the routine doing what should be done without letting your feelings get in the way. Guess I need to work on the discipline.

boomerang

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Today, I'm thankful for the blessing of text messages and brothers, or better put my text messaging brother. I was lamenting my status, which happens from time to time. I told him I was angry and he gave me the same advice I told him in a remarkably similar situation. Paraphrased what I told him and what he returned back to me is to trust God's infinite wisdom and know (or remember) that He has a plan for your (my) life. I know it, so now can I act like it?