#mental vocalizations

It has been exactly two months and nineteen days since I married my best friend. Our wedding day was the happiest day of our lives. Several days ago, I remembered a prayer I said years before I met my husband. I had just started more specifically praying for a God-fearing husband. One day, after asking for the Holy Spirit to grant me wisdom to know how to pray for God's chosen spouse for me, I found myself on my knees eager to offer up one of my most earnest prayers. It was one that didn't have any 'specifics' that were left up to me, but left all the results totally up to God.

Lord, I pray that you would grant me a husband and marriage that would help me have a deeper understanding of Your love for me. May he be one that not only hears the words of my mouth, but listens to the song in my heart.

That was it. Short and simple. My prayer journals began filling up with other specific prayers for my future husband, yet that prayer never ceased to leave my mind. I knew only God could help me best understand true love.

It's been a little over two months since I became a wife. Some days, I find myself wondering what I did to deserve my husband. I often find myself in overwhelmingly grateful and happy tears. The tears come when my husband sends me a text message right before leaving work, asking if I need anything from the grocery store. It happens when he comes home with herbs, spices and other ingredients for the dinner he knew I was making but didn't have all the ingredients for. Tears roll down my cheeks when he gladly sets up our Roland studio keyboard and recording equipment so I can get back to making music - a project I have been wanting to accomplish for years. I cry happy tears when he wakes up at 5am to help me prepare for an upcoming potluck that requires tedious food preparation...which usually means hours of varicose-forming standing at our "very purple kitchen" (as he likes to call it). When he spends hours on FaceTime with my parents and plans the details of our time together during their upcoming/next visit, my heart can't help but feel like bursting with joy as I realize love is not something we must deserve in order to receive.

Love is a GIFT from God.

Thoughtfully yours,

Wow! What a wonderful reminder! Our Heavenly Father delights in giving us His countless blessings each day. Heaven is His Costco and we get to have individual gold memberships! Not through our loved ones and friends, but through His Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ! How about that?! And it gets even better! Each day it brings Dad joy to forgive us and supply our needs…in bulk. Not paid for at the cashier with American Express, Visa or MasterCard…but with the life of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary. With His death He paid the price of our sins. Let us make each day of our lives a paragraph in our lifelong “Thank You” card to our Heavenly Supplier and Giver.

I read this quote during worship this morning and found it so relevant and encouraging to read, especially with the presidential election coming up:

"We are all woven together in the great web of humanity, and whatever we can do to benefit and uplift others will reflect in blessing upon ourselves. The law of mutual dependence runs through all classes of society." - Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 535

The Bible is full of countless analogies on reaching out to others and leading them to Christ. As fishers of men we are to cast our nets and hooks into the water in faith. We prepare. We cast. We wait. Whether or not we catch fish is dependent on a variety of variables.

A year ago I had my first fishing experience in Panama City Beach, FL. Being a vegetarian then (I'm vegan now), I decided to only fish for fun; several men and women on the pier did the same. I recall the very first time I cast my line into the water. It didn't take long to discover the importance of having a sinker tied to my line; its weight helped to keep my bait or hook in the water. It seemed to be a perfect day for fishing; I had quite a few catches that day! When the fish tugged on my line, my heart beat fast as I reeled the fish up to the pier and out of the water.

I have been helping out at the Vacation Bible School (VBS) at my church. Since opening day last Sunday we've had several adults come and drop off their children. Most of the parents stay and wait for their children. There are also a few grandparents that come and wait for their grandchildren. One English-speaking elderly gentleman has impressed me with his thoughtfulness and kindness toward a sweet elderly lady who only speaks in Spanish. I'm 'guesstimating' but I'm almost certain he's in his 70s. Every day since Sunday he has faithfully been stopping by the snack shop and asking for an "extra snack" for her.

Four days have passed since opening day and I have been impressed by his continuous kind gestures. He wants to converse with her and get to know her. That is obvious. He glances her way often but since she is unable to carry a conversation in English, he communicates with her with his language of thoughtfulness. While the difference in language may be a barrier for these two, he has been successful in letting her know she is being thought of.

A couple hours ago I listened to a voicemail message from a young lady at a detention center. Her voice was barely audible...and I could tell she was distressed and almost at the point of tears. The call started with an automated message stating the call was from the C____ Detention Center. It was then followed by a pause where the young caller identified herself and left her first and last name. The automated message which followed gave instructions on which number to press...depending on whether or not I wanted to accept the call. The message played three times.

"That's random," I thought to myself as I thought hard about whether or not I know someone with the caller's name. "Nope. I don't know anyone with that name." I suddenly felt a sense of worry and concern. What if that was her 'one phone call' and she used it on a complete stranger - me?