miracles occur

This week over at Society Sunday, the topics read and write about were all so interesting. How can I decide?

Gardening for health? This week has been particularly beautiful, coaxing a few stolen hours of playing in the dirt. It gives one time to meditate and adds buoyancy to the spirit.

Self-Government? "Liberty is self-government, not government by ourselves merely, but government of ourselves--strict and unrelenting, healthful and cheerful." A lot of philosophy is packed into that statement. Even too much to explore today, when I have a sewing project that can wait no longer and General Conference for glorious instruction all week end.

The True Law of Marriage? Yes, that is it. "Its love is founded on respect and increases self-respect at the very moment of merging self in another. Its love is mutual--equally giving and receiving at every instance of action. There is neither dependence but interdependence. You cannot weaken its bond; distance cannot sunder them; it is a love which vanquishes the grave and transfigures itself into life." Gail Hamilton I'm not sure who Gail Hamilton was, but she was exactly right. True love in true marriage is not the weepy, romantic, lustful luv of Hollywood, nor is it a demanding, my way or the highway thing. It would never exercise unrighteous dominion. Like Sister Hamilton indicated it is a mutual giving and receiving. You might say, What if my spouse does not act thusly?

Example and attitude are our greatest ally. Kiss him each morning, as he heads out for the day. Serve in small and large ways, not with an air of martyrdom but with true love as our goal. The quote above concerning self-government is right on the mark--government of ourselves--strict and unrelenting, healthful and cheerful.--it is just what is needed to capture the heart of a spouse or for that matter a child. But today we are talking about the Law of True Marriage. We cannot hold back, waiting for him to make the first move. We are women of action. What  man could continue to be cold in the face of a woman that serves her family and the Lord cheerfully, that allows herself to be vulnerable instead of prideful, that chooses healthful ways to manage conflict and emotions, that keeps a  home frugally, healthfully, and creatively. Pride will melt away to such gentleness and in the face of such a woman.

Miracles will occur as a woman choose this path to labor in His vineyard for the soul of her beloved. Bonds between husband and wife will be strengthened to a degree that separation will not weaken them. Although the laboring I speak of was done in my relationship by my husband. I suppose that is why this topic was so interesting to me. Each year my husband works in another state for 4 months. It is difficult. We love and miss each other. Nevertheless separation does not sunder our  hopes and desires, our resolves to treat each other with the pure love of Christ, and to make our family our priority.