Celebrated Veterans of Marriage!

When I first started "Living Above" in 2009 I knew it belonged to God, and He would be the one to use it for His purposes.  Since that time, He has led me to use this blog to teach, to guide, to educate, and to honor.

Today is a day for honoring!

Today my parents have been married for 45 years!  November 6, 1965.  Their story is one I truly cherish and I have them tell it often because it makes me smile.  Just a couple of country kids who fell in love.

Dad was in the Vietnam war, Mom was still in high school.  He called her up one day and said, "I'll be on leave in about a month - let's get married!"  And that's exactly what they did!  Then, my Dad went back to the war for 14 months and my Mom finished school.

So often we hear of Veterans of big wars being interviewed and celebrated.  So I decided to interview my Mom about this wonderful day in history - for they are indeed veterans of marriage!

I asked her what she remembers about that day, 

November 6, 1965.  

Here is what she said:

• Dad's best friend was a little upset he was going to miss the Opening Day of Deer Season
• All her bridesmaids had those big funny hats
• Everything was so different then - and yet still the same as today
• She recognized she was a young married woman, with a huge potential of becoming a widow, as Dad went back to the war.

On the surface of it all - one might wonder, "Will this last"?  

I'm so proud of them 45 years later to say a resounding YES!!!

We live in a day & age, a culture, where we don't see many 45th Wedding anniversaries in the paper.  We see tons of engagement & wedding announcements - but not many anniversaries.

These two people are beating the odds!  In fact, I did a little digging... less than 5% of marriages make it this long today!

So what's their secret?  I asked them.  

Here's what they said:

• Commitment - to their marriage & each other
• Selflessness

My Mom said this...

 "We had to just stop & think at the times we wanted to throw in the towel and call it quits... Do we want to be in this shape (divorced, separated) 50 years from now?  Do we care more about ourselves or our kids and our witness... 50 years from now.  We've learned to count the cost."

Here are some of the things they have faced over the past 45 years:

• Serious car accident - Mom almost died
• Scare with Breast Cancer
• Financial woes
• Dad - Laid off from work
• Mom - Depression
• Several illnesses & surgeries
• Mom's Mom remarrying
• Prescription drug addiction (Dad's Mom)
• Death of parents
• Birth of 2 daughters
• Death of granddaughter (Anna)
• Daughter's divorce
• Retirement
• Being a banker in this economy

These are the verses that continues to get them through the tough days:

John 15:16 (NASB)

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you."

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

"'For I know the plans that I have for you', declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."

She said when she thought about a future without her husband, she figured that didn't sound too hopeful - so they decided to stick it out together!

I asked her what were some "life changing blessings" in their marriage.

She said two main things - looking back:

• In 1970 the Holy Spirit led them to join Denman Avenue Baptist Church.  (they are still members of this church 40 years later!)
• Knowing their 4 beautiful grandchildren are being raised to love the Lord.

What are some of the things that I have learned from them in watching this marriage?

• They put the Lord first - when they say they're going to pray about it, they really do!
• They go to church together - they don't miss!
• My Dad is the leader of their marriage
• My Mom submits to my Dad's leadership
• They still do sweet things for one another 
• They still date!
• They respect each other's individuality
• They support each other's hobbies
• They still surprise each other
• They don't expose each other's weaknesses - rather they help to fill in the gaps!

Mom & Dad you've done good!  

I'm super proud of you!  

You're an excellent 

example to us all!

The Bright Spot of My Week

Well, it's finally Fun Friday!

If you've been coming here long, you know I like to make my blog as fun as my real-life Friday!  I got to watch a really sweet bright spot of my week and I wanted to share a bit of it with you today.

Wednesday afternoon I was collating conference materials for a retreat I'm speaking at next weekend.  I had pretty much commandeered the entire cafe of our church.  John came in to check on me and my progress when JP stole his attention with a football.  It was really a sweet thing to watch.  John showed JP how to plant his foot before throwing the ball.  He showed him how to make the ball spiral and he showed him how to catch.

I know John had many other things he wanted to get done before leaving the office.  But he exchanged those busy minutes for some precious time with little JP.  I loved hearing him laugh & cheer each time he caught the ball.  It was a wonderful thing to watch as I worked.

I heard this song on the radio this week and it reminded me of this time with John & JP.

What moments this week have taken your breath away?

My Journal - My Heart

I don't recall exactly when or how it got started but I'm so thankful it did!

I'm referring to journaling my prayer times with the Lord.

I do know that I've had two main influences - one, is my Mother and the other is my dear friend Elorra, from Austin, TX.

I watched both of these ladies, share their heart from a very personal & pretty journal.

My friend Elorra gave me one of my very first journals in 1998.  And it seems as if the flood gates opened at that moment and have continued on ever since.

My journals have evolved in how they look over the years.  They started out as small spirals from a discount store, to hardback sketch books (I didn't want to be confined by the lines), to beautiful books from local specialty shops.

I have realized over the years that my Mom & my friend had it right... my journal is a place I can share my heart with the Lord and He can share with me what I need to learn.

I love writing in my journal!  It's one of the things which motivates me to get up every morning!  I want to have something to write in my beautiful book!  And in order for that to happen, I must meet with the Lord!

I truly believe we are to record what He teaches us!

Proverbs 7:2-3 (ESV)

Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of your eye.  Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Okay - how in the world do we bind words on our fingers and write something on an organ?!  I truly believe we are to memorize scripture so it's truly a part of who we are, and for most of us memorizing starts with actually writing it down!

Here is a picture of my current journal.

My husband gave it to me on my recent 40th birthday.  I love it! It still smells like leather and it has beautiful flowers on it.  It's also really thick!  I actually take it with me almost everywhere I go!  I've opened it on numerous occasions and in the strangest of places (coffee shops, grocery stores, parks, restaurants, etc) to share my my heart with ladies that I meet.

When you ask me, "What's God doing in your life lately," I'm more than likely going to pull my journal, my heart, right out of my bag and say, "let me tell you!"

I often think about what will fill the pages to come.  What will my prayers be like, what verses will the Lord show me when I'm half-way through, or nearing the end of the book.  They are only empty pages now... but still sacred to me - for I know they will one day contain words that my Lord has directed to me.

Do you keep a journal?

What does yours look like?

Is your journal your heart?

If you're here from iFellowship... WELCOME!

I hope you grab a cup of your favorite beverage

and hang out with me a while!

Leave me a comment, so I'll know you came by

and know that I'll be by later to visit you as well!

Vote the Bible!

Wow!  What an extreme honor!  I find myself writing my contribution to Seeds of Faith Women on TUESDAY, November 2nd, 2010!  




One of the most important days in our nation's history!!!

I hope you're not thinking,

"What?  Is there something important going on today?"


Because I would answer with a resounding, "YES!!!"

Do you know the many women who sacrificed everything to be able to participate in today's activities? 


Grab a cup of coffee & perhaps a sample ballot from your city & join me at Seeds of Faith to read the rest of this post! 

You're not all alone!

But we've all felt this way!

We've all felt like no one could possibly understand because no one has experienced our exact set of circumstances.



In this "aloneness" we begin to justify certain behaviors - because we think we're so unique in our pain - and we get off track a bit.

I teach a ladies class on Sunday mornings at my local church.  We're studying the Titus Woman, found in Titus 2: 3-5.  However, before jumping to the roles of both the older women and the younger women, I thought it might be good to give the ladies a bit of context and found an amazing treasure there for us all.

If we look at Titus chapter 1, we see exactly who wrote the book and to whom and why.  Titus is a letter, written by Paul to Titus.  The "why" is found in Titus 1:5.

Titus 1:5 (ESV)

For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.

(Okay - now before you send me emails or comments wondering if women can be elders... this is NOT what this blog post is about!)

I only want to look at the very first part of this verse....  let's look at it again...

"I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains"

In order to fully understand almost this entire book, I must tell you Crete is an island off the coast of Greece.  The people there, more than likely had settled into doing life their way, with no accountability!  And why wouldn't they do life their way?  They lived on an island - separated from the rest of the country!  No one could possibly understand what life was like on a small island, totally surrounded by water.  Let's just do life exactly how we want to - who's gonna notice anyway?  Right?

Back to my original question... Have you ever felt like you were all alone?  When you've felt like this, I would imagine things tend to get a bit out of order.  One bad way of thinking usually tends to lead to others!  As my husband would say, "this is just stinkin' thinkin'".

I find amazing hope in this one little verse in Titus.  I believe that God knew we would feel alone at times and He gives us this great example of sending Paul and Titus to Crete - a small island, a people who needed order - to remind us He hasn't forgotten us either and He wants to bring us encouragement & order to our life circumstances as well.

Think about your day right now.  Do you need someone to step in and "set in order what remains"?  You're not an island!  God knows exactly what you need and wants to bring order to your day and your life!  Look around you!  He just might be sending a "Titus" to you right now and all you need to do is look up from your "aloneness" to see them!

Be encouraged today that God cares about every detail of your life and He doesn't want you to feel alone!  He is also a God of order.  Let Him comfort you in your pain as He brings order to your life.

Who has been your "Titus" lately?  

How did they encourage you in your time of loneliness?

His Word Sunday

I know there is a lot going on today with it being "October 31st."  However, I want to encourage you today to focus on the fact it is the Lord's Day.

In service today you may be honoring, All Saints Day (November 1st).  Later, you might be heading out to gather candy with your children in some fashion or another... but for a time today, just focus on the Lord.

David says it best:

Psalm 103:1 (ESV)

"Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"

Just who is this Lord that I am to bless?  Read on...

Psalm 103:8-13 (ESV)

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  

He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever.  

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

Sunday's coming!

If you've been coming to my blog - you know that I like to do something fun on Fridays!

I think because I work really hard all week doing ministry stuff - mentoring local ladies, working in my local church, writing blogs that are more of a spiritual nature...

         ..... and by the time Friday rolls around - I like to let my hair down and just relax a bit.

Also, if you've been here before you know I'm a Texas gal at heart - even though I currently live in New Orleans.  You can find my husband & I two-stepping in our kitchen often!!

So... in celebration of the weekend - I thought I might post a country music video of a song I just LOVE!

I love the phrase, "Friday's here, but Sunday's coming!"  This coming Sunday is Halloween.  I've read so many blogs about whether to "celebrate" this day or not.  I've read all the whys & why nots.  And this morning, I thought, "ya know... it's still Sunday" - Halloween or not - it's still the "Lord's Day!"

And I LOVE Sundays!  That's why I LOVE this song!  My two favorites about Sunday are church with my family & the sacred Sunday afternoon nap!

What do you love about Sunday?