It's been over a month since my last journal entry...not that this fact has in anyway disrupted cosmic order. I am acutely aware that my published musings reaches an audience that may best be described as negligible. Still, if for no other reason than my own self gratification, I personally have missed not finding or, in truth, making the time to immerse myself in written reflection on matters that I find worth contemplating in greater depth. For my own sanity, I'll endeavor to do better.
The lack of journal entries should not denote a lack of productive business on my part. My bride, Miss. Judi, and I have been involved with the determined task to strengthen and grow our marriage by attending two marriage enrichment exercises. The first was the requirement to obtain our annual re-certification as facilitators so that we may continue to lead Dynamic Marriage classes. We spent the weekend of February 23rd through the 25th in day-long classes with 24 other couples being instructed on how to lead the nine-week sessions. Our second experience was to participate, for the second time, in a seven day Marriage Enrichment cruise to the eastern Caribbean. (I know, it's tough duty, but we forced ourselves to enjoy the experience nonetheless.) Approximately 55 couples were also participants representing Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, and, of course, Florida. The seminar was lead by two dear friends, Kurt and Kristen Sauder. Kurt is the Minister of Men for Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, and his wife, Kristen, the daughter of my best friend when I was growing up in North Carolina, was an equally superior partner in presenting the materials that were designed to have the attending married couples evaluate their current relationships and to utilize God-centered tools to strengthen their marriage bonds. We had a truly tremendous time and saw God continually being at work in the lives of the couples who looked first to Him to be the strength in their marriages.
So, as you can see, Judi and I have been pursuing with determination what we believe is our calling to assist God in His work to right marriages that may be off course and to enrich further those marriages that strive to obtain all of God's intended blessings. We do not approach our mission as "all prefect and all knowing." Far from it... Judi and I struggled mightily on more than several occasions to hold our own marriage together, both of us at separate occasions being ready to walk away from each other. But by the grace of God and our realization that He lead us to one another initially, we have fought Satan's ever looming desire to split us up. It is now our desire, with God's intervening direction, to stem the tide of the national cancer that divorce as become...especially as it effects married couples in the church.
It shall be my desire on frequent occasions, to utilize this journal to express my personal feelings, beliefs, and observations on interpersonal relationships...especially as they pertain to the "choice" to be truly vulnerable with another human being. It is only by the giving of ourselves to others are we in turn enriched and we fulfill God's second commandment, "Love one another." Everything else in this quest we label as "life" is just supportive details. Later...
