by Sue Forde | Dec 27, 2023 | Family, joy, kindness, love
What a wonderful statement! I ran across an envelope that my father had written comments on about his marriage over the years. My mother and father were married in 1943, during World War II. Dad was stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco, and Mom was working in that city as well. They met on a blind date, fell in love and were married. They both worked hard, and raised their family, and went through some rough times and some good times. And lived happily ever after until Dad passed away in 1977. My mother was so lucky to have a man who would feel free to express to her verbally as well as in action, his decided love for her.
On the envelope – a brown one from the War Department which contains their Certificate of Marriage – he wrote a comment about their marriage for most of the years they were married. I’ll let the words he wrote speak for themselves:
1944 – WONDERFUL!
1946 – Super Marvelous!
1947 – Still WONDERFUL!
1949 – Words fail me – it couldn’t be more wonderful!
1950 – What can I say? I’m in love!!!
1951 – More wonderful than EVER!
1952 – Can’t get any more wonderful – but it does!!!
1953 – Beautiful – Beautiful – Wonderful & Marvelous. These words are so inadequate to express my deep love.
1955 – I’m running out of words – but I love it!
1960 – Still most wonderful, wonderful!!!
1961 – One wish – that all men could have such a wonderful wife and such a wonderful marriage!
1964 – How – How can love be so wonderfully satisfactory and lovely!
1966 – More, More and More Wonderful!
1969 – I wish that all people in the world could share my happiness and love.
1970 – More wonderful than I deserve!
1971 – Beautiful love!!!
1972 – Love! Love! Love!
1973 – Running out of space but never out of love. Our marriage is SO beautiful!!!
1974 – I’m in love!
1976 – I love my Betty so deeply and devotedly! She is marvelous!
Dad had contracted cancer several years before his last entry on the envelope, yet he never gave up his positive attitude, loving Mom and his family. It was apparent to my brother and myself throughout our growing up years, and I learned so much from him.
How life has changed since those days of a good marriage because they worked at it, through good times and rough times. Dad had a very rough childhood, raised by a single mom and quitting school at age 14 to go to work on a boat on the lakes near Chicago. He was later mistreated by his stepdad. He had never gone to church, but insisted that we kids went every Sunday with Mom. Near the end of his life, he accepted Christ into his heart. He suffered greatly – they didn’t have hospice in those days, so Mom cared for him until he passed. He never complained, he always encouraged, he sacrificed to keep food and shelter for his family, and he loved. Oh, how he loved. What a role model and an example in so many ways!
Since then, Mom passed into Heaven, so there would be a grand reunion – sharing eternity with the greatest Love of all – our Lord Jesus Christ.
by Shauna Millar | Dec 4, 2020 | Fruits of the spirit, encouragement, gentleness, goodness, joy, kindness, longsuffering, love, peace, self control
We have all heard the story of the man who built his house upon the sand and the man who built his house upon the rock. The lesson of the story is that it is important to choose what kind of foundation we will build on. Will it be weak or strong? Not only is it important factor when physically building something but it is in our spiritual lives as well.
If your foundation is made up of lies and taking shortcuts, then the life you grow will be built on them. When you try to shortcut your life. you can end up far away from where you want to be or planned to be. It is easy to find yourself off the path that God has set for you. Not only are you hurting others, but you are hurting yourself. When you build your life on the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, gentleness and self control – you will find that your foundation is strong. It takes a lot to follow this path as sometimes it may seem easier to take advantage of people’s kindness to step on them and get ahead. Yet in the long term, we are not only building our lives for this realm but also for the next one. (more…)
by Sue Forde | Jun 20, 2019 | Fruits of the spirit, joy, peace
There is only one way to find true Joy for your life. And it’s a simple way! Here are some steps to follow:
(1) Accept the Lord Jesus as your personal Savior. (Read John 3:16). He created you. He wants you to be filled with the Joy of His Spirit.
(2) Be obedient to His commandments. And they are simple, too. Love God first and foremost. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Yes, that means you need to love yourself, even as God loves you – so much He even died for you!).
Obedience, in this day and age, may seem difficult. We naturally want to be “rebels” – with or without a cause. Rebellion includes doing things our own way, disregarding God’s way – whether it’s not following the basic commandments, or failing to put God first and treat others as we would like to be treated.
I can tell you, from personal experience, that going away from the commandments of the Lord (which He has in place not to punish us, but to keep us in joy and peace), brings nothing but trouble. It’s a lesson many of us have to learn the hard way – and sadly, some never learn. But following in God’s way – the way as set out in the Scriptures – and asking Him for guidance and wisdom, and to open the door to walk in His will for our lives – brings so much peace and joy that it’s often beyond comprehension. God is so good – He loves us and wants us to live full and joyful lives. We can choose to respond to that love, or not.
I hope for you the peace, joy and love that passes all understanding, through His grace and mercy.
by Sue Forde | Feb 11, 2019 | encouragement, joy, peace
by Sue Forde
February 11, 2019
We’ve been getting quite a lot of snow in our western Washington area recently – to the point where many have been “snowed in” for a few days. The snow causes the earth to take a rest. And when it begins to melt, it nourishes the earth with water into the aquifer.
It’s only natural that after some time passes, we would start to get antsy – want to get out and get things done, at our usual day-to-day pace. But perhaps we should take a lesson from God’s nature – when a blanket of snow falls on the earth, it’s a “time-out”. Everything lies still and peaceful – and it’s beautiful! That white layer of snow, untouched by anything or anyone, is something to behold. We look out the window – or go outside for a short period of time – and enjoy it.
Our lives should be like that. In today’s world, we rush here and there, with so many things “to do”, that we often overlook the sheer beauty of nature, and we get no real rest. God has set the seasons for us – and with it, a lesson. Take time out of our busy day to “think on these things” – the greatness of our loving Father, all that He provides for us each day, hour, minute and second. Relax and don’t worry, as “everything” is in God’s hands – and YOU most of all! He holds us each in the palm of His loving hand – and knows exactly what are needs are – and meets them according to His power and riches.
Worry is a tool of our enemy. Stress, also, comes from that evil one who wanders the earth seeking whom he will destroy. It’s sometimes difficult to pull our thoughts away from worry and stress. We need to “make” time to just relax, read God’s word and His promises to us, and be filled with joy. And, like the time of snow, we will become renewed and fresh – and ready to go again.
by Sue Forde | Jan 14, 2019 | encouragement, joy
A couple of months ago, we got a couple of puppies. Yes, a COUPLE! You see, our dog Bear, whom we’d had for 14 years, died last year of cancer. Husband Bob said we should replace him. We looked for weeks, but there were no dogs available that caught our eye.
One day, on a whim, I checked out craigslist, and there was a photo of the cutest little puppy! AND the people offering him lived in our town! We decided to go check him out. When we arrived, the owner was holding the little cutie in his arms – and then, his wife came out with the puppy’s sister. We looked at one another: that was that – we had to take them both! How could we separate them!?
Mick and Ebbie were 10 weeks old when we got them. Babies. And of course, babies need training, just like human babies!
The first thing was to train them to use the outdoors for a bathroom. That means taking them out every hour until they get the idea. Kind of like potty-training a baby! They got the idea fairly quickly, and now, at 3 months, they are doing well.
Other things they’ve learned are how to sit, lay down, stop barking, and when it’s time to eat!
They have personalities all their own, just like children. Each one is different, and it takes a learning curve to understand their wants and needs. We’re still learning to communicate, but it’s not difficult to understand when they want something. One thing they know, though, is from the tone of my voice, whether they are pleasing me or if they are doing something wrong. Teaching them to do what is right at this young age will bring a lifetime of joy for all – both dogs and owners. This lesson applies to children, as well – teach them to live right, to love God, to think of others and be polite – will bring much joy in their lives and to those around them.
Pets are a joy when they are trained to obey. Like children, they can become spoiled, or they can be “brought up in the way they should go”, to understand there are parameters and expectations for behavior in society.
Too often, I see a man or woman with their dog, where the dog seems to be in charge of them, not the other way around. Likewise, some children are always pushing to get their own way, to the chagrin of all around them, as they throw temper tantrums until the parent quickly gives in to keep them quiet. Those actions will often last a lifetime, and wreaks havoc on not only individuals, but society as a whole.
Puppies and children have several things in common: They are loved, and they need to be trained so they will be a blessing to others around them, not a burden.
by Sue Forde | Dec 27, 2017 | Fruits of the spirit, General, joy
By Sue Forde
I’ve heard individuals say, “I just want to be happy!” Some people seek happiness in the pleasure of relationships with other individuals; some try to find it in drugs or alcohol. Still others pour themselves into their work to the exclusion of everything else, or seek to become rich in order to be “happy.” “I can only be happy if I have a new house.” Or, “I will be happy if I get that man/woman to be my spouse.”
Yet time after time, we hear people sigh that these things never bring real or lasting happiness, and there always seems to be a “hole” in their lives. This type of happiness is based on emotions and circumstances; it’s temporary and must be sought again and again. It only lasts for a short while. As the great King Solomon said, “all is vanity,” as he sought to find happiness in all these ways and more. (Eccl. 1:2).
True happiness or joy is an attitude that does not rely on emotions or circumstances. In the book of Proverbs in the Bible, we learn what can bring long-lasting happiness or joy. It starts with a good relationship with God. Psalms 144:15 says, “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” And more astonishing, we find that God himself can be happy (pleased), when His people do the right thing. “And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing,” (referring to Solomon’s request for wisdom, instead of material things). When King Solomon pleased the Lord, he reaped the rewards from his loving Father God.
In other places, we read: “The Lord had done great things for us; we were joyful.” (Psa 126:3) The joy of the Lord also brings strength in hard times. (Neh 8:10).
Joy starts with the Lord who created us in His image. And, as followers of Jesus Christ, the son of God, we also become sons and daughters of the Father. (2 Cor 6:18).
Can you even imagine this? Think about it: Jesus Christ is Lord of Lord and King of Kings. (1 Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14, 19:16). As sons and daughters, we become princes and princesses in His kingdom. See yourself in this new light. How would a prince or princess act? Would they be kind, loving, giving – when all that their Father has, has been given to them? These freely given gifts include salvation (Jesus died to bring us that, paying the price for our faults and failures in life); joy, peace, love. All the good things we all seek, every day. There’s a simple way to tap into this type of happiness/joy. That’s by seeking God’s will first and foremost; and everything else is added to your life in return (Matt 6:33).
No matter what your circumstances, joy can be yours by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ into your life, by turning your life and your will over to Him, and then start each day with a recommitment to His will for your life. You’ll find amazing things start to happen – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly – but exactly on God’s time schedule as is best for your life! Why not give it a try? You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
