10 YEARS AND A LOVE STRONGER THAN EVER!

Today is my 10 year wedding anniversary. 10 YEARS!!!!!!!! You would think that after 10 years I would be able to pick the perfect card to express my eternal love and devotion to my beautiful An. Yet, every card I looked at just seemed so fake. Don't get me wrong, the words were sweet, even beautiful at times, but they are just so generic. They simply do not do justice to the love and gratitude that I have for my An. These cards don't recall the radiant smile or the tear filled eyes of my bride the day she told me "I Will". They don't remember the nights we spent scared to death in our hole of an apartment in the getto in Fort Walton and how God used that time to knit our love and dependence for one another so tightly. I remember the joy of watching our beautiful children be born (except for Ella and Annagail), but even though we didn't get to watch their birth, I still remember the love that we both felt from the moment that we knew that she was pregnant. I love the way we laugh together both then and now. Even now as I write, I am struggling to find the words that will somehow do justice to the love we have for each other. I love you so much beautiful. Happy anniversary.

Nathan

Sweet, Sweet, Touch

Have you ever experienced a moment where words were not needed to express what is felt? The other mourning I was working out at the local YMCA (my second workout of our new fitness push), as I finished up my last lap in the pool, I got out of the pool to find myself in an enormous amount of pain in the back of my head. I tried to sit down and let it pass but it had no plans of passing. I managed to get changed and make my way to my car but I knew that I couldn't possibly drive while in this much pain. On my way to the car my wife, Angela, had called to see how my workout had gone. I told her that I did something and was in a lot of pain. She told me to stay put and she would come and get me to which I agreed. As I sat in my car waiting for her I tried to not move. At some point I kind of drifted off to sleep. Suddenly there was the sweetest, most affectionate, most kind and gentle touch on my hand. It doesn't sound like much, but in that touch my wife was able to express her deep love and concern for me. As it turns out I am fine, I just need to "go easy" for a while. But I know that what I will always remember about this day is that my wife was able to say "I Love You " simply by means of her sweet, sweet touch.

Forgiveness

True or False
The Bible says to forgive others, whether they want you to or not.

This is a subject that I have had to grapple with for several years now. I came to faith in Christ at the age of 28, so I am fully aware of what unmerited forgiveness looks like. The grace of God that has been given to me is nothing short of miraculous. That being said, I would assert that the Bible does not teach us to forgive everyone who has ever caused us harm. I do believe that we must have a spirit of forgiveness or, a "ready and willing" to forgive heart attitude. I would simply ask people to consider the cross. Forgiveness has been provided, paid for, even suffered for, yet if someone dies without ever repenting and asking for this forgiveness which is already provided, is that person granted forgiveness? The answer is of course no. I do not think it is very Christian to be harboring ill feelings of anger or unwillingness to forgive. But it is also not Christ like to simply go about handing out forgiveness to people who do not want your forgiveness. As Christians we are called to live consistent with what the Scriptures say.

A Powerful Video!

Turn your volume up and enjoy!