Hello everyone… it has been a bit too long since I have posted another entry. I will definitely be posting more frequently!

I read the selection below in James Merritt’s How to Be a Winner and Influence Anybody: The Fruit of the Spirit as the Essence of Leadership.  Merritt actually excerpted the passage from David Ireland’s book Letters to an Unborn Child. Ireland had a debilitating neurological disease that confined him to a wheelchair. He knew he might never have the opportunity to enjoy a relationship with or see his unborn child grow up, so he wrote a book with letters to the unborn child.

No married couple desires the circumstance / situation of illness or handicap , but God teaches us so much in “circumstances”. God desires to change our hearts and reveal his beauty, love, and sacrifice to us more than he seeks to use his God-magic-wand to change the circumstances. The Holy Spirit equips and empowers us to serve through less-than “ideal” circumstances. This is a beautiful and humbling example of serving your spouse.

I’m a sap (That sure does have an unnecessary negative cultural connotation.). I teared up…. err, I mean, um… beer and baseball, :::manly belch:::. I’m just kidding; I am secure in the sensitive heart God gave me.

Read the selection below out loud a couple times. I do not need to add anything to this passage, so I will just encourage you to read and think about it. Hug and kiss your spouse. Pray for a servant’s heart. Ambitiously, eagerly, and  intentionally serve and uplift your lover. Be a servant. Thank God for your blessings and the resources with which he has entrusted your family.

Your mother is very special. Few men know what it’s like to receive appreciation for taking their wives out to dinner when it entails what it does for us. It means that she has to dress me, shave me, brush my teeth, comb my hair, wheel me out of the house and down the steps . open the garage and put me in the car, take the pedals off the chair, stand me up, sit me in the seat of the car, wist me around so that I’m comfortable, fold the wheelchair, put it in the car, go around to the other side of the car, start it up, back it out, get out of the car, pull the garage door down, get back into the car, and drive off to the restaurant.

And then, it starts all over again; she gets out of the car, unfolds the wheelchair, opens the door, spins me around, stands me up, seats me in the wheelchair, pushes the pedals out, closes and locks the car, wheels me into the restaurant, then takes the pedals off the wheelchair so I won’t be uncomfortable. We sit down to have dinner, and she feeds me throughout the entire meal. And when it’s over she pays the bill, pushes the wheelchair out to the car again and reverses the same routine.

And when it’s over — finished — with real warmth she’ll say, “Honey, thank you for taking me out to dinner.” I never quite know how to answer.

Related Scripture

Galatians 5: 22-24 … ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Romans 12: 9-13 … ⁹ Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. ¹⁰ Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. ¹¹Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. ¹² Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. ¹³ When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Colossians 3:12-17 …¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.