When Greg and I began our adoption process, we knew we would face spiritual warfare. A couple of weeks ago Greg and I found ourselves at two separate events about marriage and I was reading a book about marriage, "Have a new husband by Friday" (every married woman needs to read this excellent book!). That weekend Greg and I talked a few hours and we became painfully aware of some cracks in the foundation of our marriage. We decided to make some big changes and some new commitments to fight for our marriage. We are very happy with the changes we see already in our marriage. However, even as we are trying to make new better habits and choices, satan continually attacks. So, I was studying in I Corinthians 13 about what love means.
I Corinthians 13:4-8: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails..."
The Greek word translated "is patient" in the NIV is "makrothymeo". Makro means long and Thymeo means anger, wrath! Wow! I have been angry a lot lately! Does that mean that I have loved!?! Makrothymeo means to suffer long, long suffering, as opposed to being given to hasty anger or punishment. OUCH! That hits a sore spot. It seems I have been given to hasty anger toward my husband and hasty punishment toward my children. When I am angry and frustrated at Greg, it seems I also have a shorter fuse with the children. Makrothymeo involves exercising understanding and patience toward persons. Makrothymeo frequently suggests a refusal to retaliate. I definitely need to exercise and practice this kind of love! Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs! This phrase comes from a Greek word, "Logizomai" which means to count, reckon, regard, consider, to occupy oneself with reckonings or calculations. To reckon anything to a person is to put something to his account, what he must be answerable for. I have such a bad habit of keeping a record of how my wonderful husband has wronged me and I become angered so easily. Instead I need to always hope in and believe that what he does, he does not do to hurt or harm me, always protect and faithfully stand behind my man, always trust that he is fighting for our marriage, always persevere and endure the hard days. I have decided to enjoy the good days and pray like crazy for God's perfect love to flow from me on the more difficult days. Thank you all for your prayers and letting me share with you what I have learned and am still learning about love!
Yesterday, on 2/14/12, valentines day, our consulate approval was overnighted to the CCCWA in Beijing! :) So, we are at our final step in our journey to get to our daughter! I can't believe we are finally at this point! It sure felt like we would never get here. Now we are waiting on our travel approval from China and then we book our flights!!!
