Every pot on his own bottom!

Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts of the day to the Lord.

Yesterday we looked at I Corinthians 7 which says this:

V29 But this I say brethren, the time is short;

it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

and they that weep, as though they wept not;
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not;
and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
and they that use this world, as not abusing it:

for the fashion of this world passes away.

Being married is quit different from being single. Bill and I have a good marriage I think. I have been married before and it was a fiasco. The fights and the bickering was enough to make a person never even want a relationship much less a marriage. But, it doesn't have to be that way.

My sister told Bill and I before we got married, that it is okay to disagree and conflict because that is normal. Bill and I went away thinking 'not for me.' We agreed that we would not fight. To disagree does not mean that there is a knock down, drag out. It means that you can agree to disagree and still be in tack.

Now, this works for Bill and I and that is not saying I agree with everything he does. It means that I love him more than I dislike the thing he is doing that I don't like.

I have also discovered something else. When you are married, you cannot go by the spirituality of your spouse. You have to continue in the Lord in your own way.

In other words, it is every pot on its own bottom.

This scripture says it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none.

My son asked Bill before we got married, 'Do you realize that she is a total fanatic about the Lord?' Bill's reply was 'yes.' Maybe he really didn't realize how much of a fanatic I am until he has lived with me. There are a lot of things that I do not do...my choice.

There are movies that I do not watch....my choice.
There are places that I do not go....my choice.
There are books that I do not read...my choice.
There are foods even that I do not eat....my choice.

By the same token, there are things I do, that he doesn't....my choice.

When you are married, your choices effect the person you are married too. The thing is that even though my choice might not be Bill's choice, he still allows me my choice and I allow him his choice.

I also have to consider that Bill has to answer to God for his own self. I am not his judge and jury. I can pray for him and that is a wife's/husband's most powerful alternative...prayer.

What I am saying is who Bill is, is who Bill is and who I am, is who I am. We each are individuals and answer to God individually even though we are married.

We have been married only a short time, and I know there are those who read this that have been married for years, and that is wonderful. I also know that there are habits formed and behaviors set that after many years of doing, is almost impossible to change.

But (there's the but) there is nothing impossible with God and when you realize just what the word says in this scripture it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none. In other words, when you get your life straight in the Lord, then everything has to take of itself because you put God back in control and not you.

The time is short - for the fashion of this world passes away.

Things come and things go. Everything passes away. Today is not the same as yesterday and by the same token, tomorrow will be even different from today. Today, serve the Lord with gladness and learn His ways because His ways are the ways to happiness for tomorrow whether single or married.

Lord, help us to serve you better. Help us not be judgemental of our spouses trying to make them conform to our image of what they should be, but to pray that they would be formed in your image by your potter's hands not ours. In Jesus Name. Amen ( it is is done)

Have a great day!

Charlotte