After the freezing cold of a few weeks ago, most of the trees seem to be coming back and greening out. The fruit trees for the most part look good, but I am sure there will be no grapefruit or orange crop this year. We still buy grapefruit from a few street vendors and it is very good. Perhaps it comes out of Mexico. As we were loading produce last Friday, I noticed the yard beside the warehouse - full of those beautiful little pink blossoms that abound everywhere. The grass was covered with them reminding us of a new beginning after the storm.
Perhaps you can enlarge this to really appreciate the beauty of it
We are still keeping very busy with large amounts of produce and other items for the colonias. The number of families we serve continues to grow, but the Lord always seems to provide enough for everyone. Along with our regular items, we also had Rice Krispies Treats. We were also donated Wal-Mart bags full of "goodies" - chips, drinks, energy bars, etc. to be handed out. We used to just unload and stay a bit and then leave to reload, but we have been staying through the whole distribution as we have so much to hand out. God is good.
Back to the women of the Bible, we see a woman guilt of incestuous conduct, Bernice. She was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I (ad 38-4) and is described as the one who "vexed the church". She was forst married to Marcs, then she married her Uncle Herod, king of Chalcis. After he died, she had evil relations with her brother, Agrippa. She left him, and married Poleman, king of Cilicia. She then left him to go back to her relationship with her brother. She became the mistress of Vespasian and then his son, Titus. When Titus became emperor, he cast her aside. Bernice and her sister, Drusilla, were the most corrupt and shameless women of their times.
Pastor Vance started a 3 weeks sermon series concerning marriage, called Love and Respect. The attitudes towards marriage in these times are changing. Ideas that marriage is not such a great idea - it is God's idea. When we become Christians, God has a goal for our lives and relationships. "Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children." Ephesians 5:1. This verse was a challenge form Paul to use the power of the Holy Spirit in you to live your life for Christ. We have to settle our relationships with Christ. "Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians5:21. Because we are follower of Christ we become imitators of Him. We have to submit to others by putting the other one first. Selfishness is the root of all relationships. You have to live your life for your spouse and not for yourself. Put each other first. The first step in a good marriage is to act like Jesus - don't try to work on the other person but work on yourself. Are you living as a Christian? Are you doing things the right way (God's way)? God put rules in place for men and women complementary and not competitive. He designed these roles to promote fulfillment of these roles. Let God transform your attitude in God's designed role. He is the Creator and Designer. Quit competing and start complementing each other. We have to recognize the difference in men and women to avoid conflict. Let the response that you give in a relationship empower them and not tear them down. "However, let each one of you love your wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband". Ephesians 5:33. A women has a basic need to beloved and respected. In order to feel good about each other, a wife feels to beloved and a husband needs to feel respected. women need to have security in their husbands. When she does not feel that, she feels resentment and then the husband feels disrespect. What is most important in a marriage is how we treat one another. Men and women are different but still become one in marriage. When you get into a confrontation slow it down. You are both on the same team. Your response is your responsibility. Be imitators of Christ. Focus on being a better person.
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