Saturday, January 21, 2012

January 2012 Serenity for your Soul


When a married couple thinks of their wedding bands it can
bring some tender moments and thoughts.
After years of wearing the bands they become almost a part of you. Then when you think of all they symbolize (I tear up when I think about all they symbolize). Therefore, the wedding bands a husband and wife wear are very valuable. A little over four and a half years ago my husband and I made the painful choice to sell our wedding bands at a pawn shop. Now often times you hear of someone doing this because their marriage is over or some reason like that. Vic and I were and still are very much married. We experienced a business failure earlier in the year and we were truly bankrupt. Caleb and Simeon were both in diapers and we were out of diapers, there was no food in the house, and there was no money in the bank. We did not have two nickels to rub
together. We had already sold everything of value that we owned. The only thing left was our wedding bands. I remember on our way to the pawn shop saying, “It is only our rings, not our
marriage.” I would say it over and over again. I still hurt from that sacrifice. I still find myself looking down at that finger missing the rings. There were many times when I was still in the
workforce when my clients would ask why if I was married I did not wear wedding rings. I still often times feel this gaping whole over their not residing on my finger. I find myself being envious and jealous over women who still have their wedding rings and find myself coveting them and their lives once in a while.

Then I read January’s issue of the Eternal Encouragement Newsletter (Serenity for your Soul). Author Lorrie Flem confessed that when she was first married how she would spend so much time noticing what she didn’t have. This affected her ability as a wife and homemaker in a negative way. It was when I read this that I was convicted of this very thought pattern. I realized
have been focusing so much on the ring not on my finger that I have been missing some of the wonderful blessings in my marriage. I decided I would confess this to the Lord and then started making mental lists of all the blessings I do have in my life. It was then that I realized that
through that business failure our family did indeed lose a lot. However, I now see that things we lost were the things that were not the important things. The Lord stripped away nonessentials and left us with the things that matter most. I did not lose my relationship with the Lord. I did not lose my salvation. I still have my husband and two terrific little boys. All the things that matter I still have. This realization has brought peace to my life and has made our home life
happier. I don’t know if my wedding rings will ever be replaced, but somehow when I see the blessings in my life their replacement loses much priority.

Lorrie's words usually hit me right where I am in my life and offers just the words I need to
challenge me to become the best wife and mother that I can be. If you would like to explore Eternal Encouragement for yourself then go to their website http://www.eemagazine.com/ Once you have explored the site I know you will want to sign up for the free newsletter. If you go down about the middle of the page you will find the form to fill out to receive encouragement right to your inbox. An added bonus is that you will also receive the free e-book Organizing Happiness when you sign up. I know you will not want to miss out on any of these opportunities.
Note: I receive Serenity for your Soul as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program in exchange for my honest review.

10 comments:

  1. Great review, Charity! I love the way you made it so personal to you. I have gleaned much encouragement from Lorrie's articles also. Thankyou for sharing your heartfelt experience.

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  2. Changing thought patterns is so very difficult. I am glad you were able to look at what you DO have and be thankful.
    Thanks for this reminder, I needed to read this today

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  3. Oh, I had tears in my eyes as I read about you selling your rings, but I understand when that kind of sacrifice is necessary! Well written!

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  4. Thanks for sharing such a touching and meaningful story. It's so cool to see how God spoke to you this way!

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  5. Charity,
    Thank you for sharing you real life testimony~ contentment~discontentment... real life struggles... I love your transparency, if more people were as honest and transparent as you our world would be a different place. You are blessed. You have a husband and two beautiful boys, May the Lord continue to bless your family with a deep love for Him and one another. Thank you again for sharing part of your life today!

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  6. Thank you for sharing such a personal story! I know what you mean about becoming attached to your rings. My husband and I were married, divorced, and remarried. He won't wear the band from our first marriage and it really bothers me. But we can't afford new ones. I wish he realized how much it would mean to me for him to put his ring back on his finger. Heather

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  7. I like the others, find it inspiring and refreshing to read the very personal touch in your story. So many times in life we find ourselves sometimes focusing on what we dont have instead of remembering all the blessings we do have by our most gracious and heavenly father.

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  8. Congratulations on your win! Great job! Heather

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  10. Oh, what a touching story. Losing things that we place such importance on is tough. I'm not sure I would handle that with as much grace as you have.
    Your review touched my heart.
    Congratulations on your win! :)

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