For Better or Worse!

(#1)

This book is dedicated to Dawn, and all those who are experiencing what FAITH will become when your own comforting training wheels for your normal life are removed. 

Perhaps the greatest problem to overcome is FEAR itself.  I have noticed in my own life that during happy moments, we often do not praise God for that particular moment of enjoyment and happiness, but in times of difficulty, we definitely seek Him.  I have learned while enduring the painful moments offered during the adventure to trust God and allow His hand to perform His will for myself and for my family.  I have learned the faith I had prior to beginning our two adventures with cancer was nothing in comparison to the walk of faith one develops while on the path through some pretty dark valleys.  I have learned our prayers may be awkward at times and our attempts to pray might be feeble.  I have learned the most powerful channel of communication is still Prayer.  I have learned the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not via the one who is expressing his or her desire of their heart.

I was happily married 37 years, ten months and four days to a beautiful (inside, and out) God-fearing woman, and it is because of her, and our close relationship that I can testify, first hand, as to the goodness of God in all things.   Hopefully, my humor intermingled throughout this book, coupled with sharing intimacies of the adventures we enjoyed, will offset those times when your faith is being stretched.   My desire is that you too will begin to “Enjoy The Moment” you are experiencing.  

(#2)

One person on my editing team suggested that I share, at this point, what Dawn and I did in our marriage to have it appear to be so healthy and so happy. I contemplated firing her immediately for putting me on a “hot seat,” because she made me really think.  I really do not know any one thing we ever did successfully that worked all the time. I, however, will share with you some of my opinions that I developed over the period of time we had together in our short 37 year, 10 month, 4 day marriage.  Perhaps, the answer for our success could be best summed up in two words: Monitor and then, constantly and lovingly, Adjust!

Now, to my opinions!  I do not know if there is ever such a thing as a perfect mate, but I believe we, each one of us, as the male or as the female in a marriage, need to try to become perfect.  My vows asked me if I took Dawn for better or worse, etc.  It should have said do I take Dawn as she was for better or for worse.  I said, “Yes”, obviously, and so did she by taking me, in like manner, as I was. Like Isaac with Rebecca, I took Dawn, and she became my wife, and I loved her!  And Dawn took me as her husband and loved me! We had no preconceived idea of what a perfect mate was!  We only knew we loved each other and desired to be with each other and then, with time on our side, we really discovered what love was all about. Was I a perfect mate?  I say, No! And, for the truth in the matter, I believe my loving wife would say No, also.  Someone once said that the honeymoon is nothing more than that very brief period of time between the “I do” and the “You’d better.” Perhaps this funny idea is true, but if so, this indicates to me that neither of the two partners have removed “Self” in their marriage and inserted the needed “Oneness” into their own marriage equation. You married him, be his! And you married her, be hers!  He, or she should come first, but then too, all of us need to recognize the biggest single obstacle in developing the “oneness” in