Author: jeanniebruenning

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A marriage contract

There are few questions I’ve pondered over the past few years as I’ve listened to all the debates on marriage.

Question #1:  If two Atheists get married at the court-house and never step foot in a church, are they considered married in the sight of God?

Question #2:  If two Christians get married in a church, but refuse to sign the marriage certificate, does God consider them married?

Question #3: When did Genesis 2:24 – the “leave it and cleave it” verse – become “And they shall obtain a marriage license to prove this holy union”?

If two people, any two people want to be in a contract with each other allowing them to the rights that the State provides – they should do so; it’s called equal rights. It’s what those renegade forefathers fought for. The ones who risked everything to build a country that allowed people freedom.

If two people want to be  married in the sight of God, that is between them and God. It has nothing to do with a church, a priest or the color of the dress. It has everything to do with the commitment each makes in their hearts to each other and to God – this can be done anywhere.

A marriage license is important.  The most common reason is that it provides tax benefits and legal rights. Two things God isn’t particularly interested in. However, it is important when the individuals who are under contract decide they don’t want to be in contract with each other anymore.

Jeff and I will celebrate our 33rd anniversary next month. We did the marriage license and the church thing; but the contract that had the most influence was the one we came up with early in our marriage. It simply stated that whoever broke up the marriage would get the house, the debt and the kids – with no argument from the other party.

Obviously neither of us wanted that!

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Nov 6

At 10:00 tomorrow morning, Jeff and I will relive the phone call we received two years ago from Austyn telling us her water broke; almost 16 weeks early.  We will then recall Brian telling us that she had been airlifted to a hospital in Denver. By 5:00 Jeff and I were on a plane. At midnight we were in her room. The next morning on the way back to the hospital, we received a call that they had been rushed to the ER. When we arrived at the hospital we were informed that they were back in the delivery room – hoping that she could deliver naturally.

Around 2:00 Jeff and I stood outside the delivery room door, listening to the doctors giving instructions to push. A few minutes later a nurse walked out beaming. She simply said, “She’s breathing on her own – she’s a fighter.” For 3 1/2 months Emery Rain Ford lived in the hospital, I lived in Niwat CO and Jeff lived in CA.

On Nov 6 while the rest of the country is fighting over who will be president, I will be playing with Emery Rain as she turns two. I will be grateful for the insurance that allowed her to get the care she needed, for the extended unemployment that allowed me to care for my children as they cared for theirs. I will be grateful that we live in a country where we can choose who will watch over us. But most of all I will be confident that the God who was there 2 years ago and blessed us in allowing our Emery Rain Ford to survive will be the same God who will watch over us no matter who sits in an oval office.

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Inspiration

I’ve heard artists speak of moments of inspiration. A song writer who claims it took fifteen minutes to write a song. A speaker who moves outside his notes – using words and terms that flow from deep within. I love hearing stories of those who were known to lock themselves up for days, forgetting to eat, unable to sleep; only to present a waiting audience with a painting, a drawing or a piece of music that lives forever. Inspiration: an unexplainable phenomena.

Any inspiration begins with an idea. How often do we have ideas that we don’t act on? How often do we say, I thought about doing that once? Not that all ideas are inspired, but I do believe that we toss more of them away than we should. If inspiration is birthed by an idea, should not all ideas be considered?

I had a question; God why are we here? After years of asking that questions, I had a thought, an idea. It seemed crazy at first. There was a time I could have tossed it out with all the others. I am grateful I did not. Inspiration is a gift, that begins with an idea – it’s truly an unexplainable phenomena.

THE PLAN

PRE-ORDER @ A Silver Thread

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Day 31

Walking on Water

Day 31 of this 31 day fast. I was hoping for a big ending and I wasn’t disappointed. This morning as I sat at my computer it was as if a slide show began in my head with all the crazy and unfinished situations that have been part our life these past four years. For an instant, it felt as if it were all hanging on a thread.

THEN a thought came to me, It’s like walking on the water. I stopped to consider. I love the story of Peter trying to walk on the water.  I have stepped off the side of a pool many times with complete confidence that I could walk across the pool. Like Peter – I sank. BUT I have never looked at this story symbolically.

Walking on water means there is no back up plan. There are no ropes. No strings. This isn’t jumping from rock to rock. There is nothing holding you up but water. Imagine, standing in the middle of a lake, suspended. Does that not describe so many times in our lives.  Suspended, nothing to grab, nothing to catch us … walking on water.

So what does this story mean? That if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk on water! We can walk through the times in our lives when there is no floor, nothing to hold on to, no plan B.  We not only can walk through them, we can get to the other side. We can walk on water!

…and if we you find ourselves sinking, He is always close by, reaching out His hand, helping us back in the boat.

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Day 30

The New 23 Psalm

On Day 4 I wrote my version of the 23rd Psalm. I am thrilled to say I now see it completely different!

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I have no lack.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside restful waters.

3 He restores my soul; He  leads me in the paths of righteousness

Not for my sake, but for  His glory.

4 I will walk through valleys that are dark – as if death hovered over,

BUT I  will not fear evil, for You  will never leave my side;

You gently lead me, your correction and guidance is a comfort to me.

5 You provide all my needs even while I am in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed me; And have filled my cup to overflowing.

6  Only goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will serve, honor, love and glorify the Lord  forever.

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Day 29

Me, me…what do you think about me?

I have become so very aware of how our culture has become self-centered, self-serving and self-indulgent. It’s easy to see it in the our culture, it’s a bit more difficult to find it in our churches, our religions, our beliefs. But if you stop and listen for a moment, you will see it, you will hear it.

What can God do for me? Who’s going to help me? Why has this happened to me? Our entire lives revolve around me. In the good times and bad, I and my needs consume the mind.

The purpose of these 31 days was to focus on God and how much He loves me. Not what he can do for me, but how much He loves and desires a holy relationship with me. There is a tipping point when one begins to realize just how much God does love us, we begin to see how much we do not deserve to be loved. That doesn’t stop God. It does create a choice; Will I focus again on how I don’t deserve such love, OR will I focus on how much God loves me?

Life is so much more fun when I replace God for me. Surprisingly, all those terrible things don’t seem so terrible. My needs no longer appear to be so great. Best of all, God’s love becomes deeper and deeper each day. Oh to be lost in His love rather than my pain.