First comes love and then comes marriage.....

Lewis and Doris married. Her birthmark was surgically removed. For all appearances, they were happily married. Running from town to town on the Rodeo circuit. Riding broncs and bulls, feeling the rush and adrenaline. One day, they discover that Doris is going to have a baby! What joy and happy announcements to make. A baby! Someone to love and take care of.
 This mark that had determined so much of what her life had become was gone and did this mean that that  life was finally starting to shine on them? After fighting for so long to find peace and happiness?


You guessed it, this little one was my grandmother. We'll chit-chat about her a bit later.
So many things, happiness and contentment all focused on outside sources, determined by things that are out of ones control. Neither one of these 2 people able to find it within themselves. Their treasure, their life, their entire worth was bundled in these elements that were external.
Sin does that. It makes those around us, the things we store up, the friends we collect, the family we grow become the source of everything to ME. "If I get this" "If I do that" "If I get more friends" "If my family would do this" Aren't there so many of those internal voices that tell us that the next thing we can amass or if our children obey then *I* can be happy? I just need everything to be how *I* want it in order to be happy.
May I ask you a very serious question? (Ok, that was a question, but not the one I am heading towards) How many lives, marriages, children, or babies have been broken, left, abandoned, (dare I say it?) aborted, or destroyed because they didn't make *ME* happy?
The beautiful and amazing thing is that these things do not have to remain broken! Our lives do not have to be empty or dependant on someone or something. Jesus came to save us!

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He's Able
He's able. He's able. I know He's able:
I know my Lord is able to carry me through.He's able. He's able. I know He's able:
I know my Lord is able to carry me through.He healed the broken-hearted
and set the captive free:
He made the lame to walk again
and caused the blind to see.

He's able. He's able. I know He's able:
I know my Lord is able to carry me through.~Lyrics and music:Paul E. Paino