"The Sacred Moment"

👰🏽🤵🏻 Yesterday, Tuesday, my husband, David, and I, celebrated our 35th. wedding anniversary! 🎈🎉 The thought that we have been married 35 years is surreal to me! 😳 As I was getting myself presentable to go out in public with him to celebrate, I reminisced about our wedding day.  One of the saddest, and most poignant thoughts of truth upon which I pondered, was concerning the fact that, so many of the dear people - who attended our wedding - have since then - passed away. 😢 And, one of my happiest thoughts about it, was that, I'm thankful that, David and I are both still alive, and that, I am still able to remember quite a bit of that "special" day! Ha! 😂  I realize, with regret, anymore that, whenever I was younger - I took MANY "givens" in my life..."for granted"...ignorantly, unintentionally, foolishly, etc.!! Knowing that I did, helps me (present tense) to have an, awareness of, and, appreciation for, the countless "gifts" that surround me, and also, reminds me to cherish ALL of life's blessings (people, etc.), provisions (home, good, etc.), luxuries (pool, etc.) and...everything! 🙌🏼 I, never again want to neglect...gratefulness and thankfulness, etc.! 😔  God gave me a "good" husband, on that hot and sunny day (July 24, 1983), SO long ago, although he frequently tends to "drive me crazy!" 😜 I may never get used to our "flexible," chaotic, "evangelistical," with no "set" hours, etc., lifestyle, although, I am honored, and very thankful to be a very small part of such a glorious mission! ✝️ For example, this afternoon, Thursday, after he had been busy all morning, in and out of our home, whenever he took our old 'MCI' converted (rv-like) bus to "gas it up" for a camp meeting to which he is going next week, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE!! 😩 Thank God - he was not in it!  He was outside of it - getting the gas (he had actually just put $100- worth of fuel in it, and, put the hose back on the pump)! Then, he noticed smoke coming from the vicinity of the engine! 😏 Evidently, there was a gas leak?!  We just got it back - not too long ago - after it had been at a "truck/bus hospital/shop," for what should have taken two weeks - at the most...for ten months, and, costing thousands of dollars more than we first thought! 😳 Thankfully, 'The GOOD LORD,' as always...provided for that unexpected expense! 🙏🏼🙌🏼💙 It REALLY is comforting to know that, according to HIS WORD 📖, GOD has it "under control," because HE is ultimately 'in control,' especially - whenever things "seem" SO "out of control," to us...from - the deaths of those loved ones who have "passed on" since our wedding...all the way to today, and, the destruction (it's probably "totaled") of our ministry bus, etc.!! 📖🙏🏼✝️🙌🏼 Praise 'The Lord'...We've gotten a lot of use out of it for approximately fifteen years!  The main thing that we realize right now (it just occurred a couple hours ago) is that - HE protected David! 🙏🏼🙌🏼 Hopefully and prayerfully, HE'LL reveal to us, and help us to understand, EVERYTHING that HE desires us to derive from this, frustrating and upsetting, occurrence - this afternoon!! 📖🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 The interesting thing about it, is that, we have lots of stories of happenings - some - similar to this, and, some - totally different, where the devil has tried to discourage and even kill us, yet, at the same time, God, having allowed him to try to do so, was using all of it for - our, and other people's, good, and, for HIS glory and honor! 📖🙏🏼🙌🏼 None of us know what a day may hold, but, being in 'the ministry,' and specifically in 'evangelism,' makes us an obvious "TARGET" for the old, evil, devil! 😈 Satan has hated us (David and I) since our beginning, and, I think that it's because he somehow knows, and knew - even back whenever we first started dating, that, God had plans and a purpose for us, and that, HE wanted to use us for 'HIS,' service and 'Kingdom!' 👑 Therefore, even before the day we wed, he has mercilessly attacked us, in - subtle and absurdly obvious - ways! He has attempted to defeat us!  He desires that we give up on each other, and ultimately, our marriage!  He knows there would be devastating ramifications from our demise (welfare of souls, our descendants, financially, ETC.), SO, he stays with his diabolical plan (which he began when each of us we were in our mother's womb) to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10)! 💔 He is relentless!  This is one of the reasons why GOD'S WORD says that we need to - be...strong 'IN THE LORD,' and, in the power of 'HIS MIGHT'...not - our own (Ephesians 6:10-18)! 📖🙏🏼✝️🙌🏼 I perceived yesterday, as I was thinking about our wedding - and all, that, my next 'blog post' would begin with that subject matter, however, other than that, I had no idea what direction it would take! 😗 I guess the point that I am trying to make in this post, is that - we should CHOOSE to enjoy, cherish, "sip up," "live to the fullest," etc., this VERY moment, because, we may not have the next one, and/or, life, "as we know it," could be completely changed in a multitude of ways - at any given moment! 🙏🏼💗 Whenever David left the house, in the bus, this afternoon (I didn't even know that he had left), to simply go get gas in it, he definitely took for granted, or assumed that, he would come home - still driving the bus, BUT, that assumption was...WRONG!! 😏 As I was walking through the house a few minutes ago, putting up laundry, I sparsely caught on an evening news report that, a twenty year old lady was jogging, and, disappeared, right after talking to her brother on the phone.  I'd say that her brother figured that all was well with her, due to the fact - he'd just spoken with her, HOWEVER...he may never see her again (his life may have drastically changed - in a moment, and, he didn't even know it)! 😥 I pray that she is found - safe and sound!! 🙏🏼💗 Today, Friday (I've written this post throughout this week), we are preparing our home for Darius' (one of our "miracle" grandsons) 18th. birthday party!  It seems as though we JUST had his 1st. one here!  We are thankful for - him, a nice home to have it, the people whom we love who will celebrate his life and birthday with us, ETC.!!  There are a few precious souls who were here for that first party, but, who have left this earth since then, also, so, like I've already written above...I'm choosing to enjoy every moment of this day of celebration, and, my very next moment (unless...???), I'm going to quit typing, and enjoy eating some lemon yogurt! 😘 I pray that you are choosing to enjoy your life...moment by sacred moment, precious soul (reader)!!🙏🏼 Until next time...👋🏼📖😂✝️🙌🏼💖