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An Honest Account of Love, Grief and Walking With God
Finding God's Goodness in Life's Disappointments

Friday, February 12, 2010

A Different Valentines Weekend



February 12, 2010

It has been a busy week as I am preparing for my Spring Semester at CWJC. I am excited about my new class and am feeling better physically and emotionally. I went back to swing dance class and had more fun as the steps are becoming easier…….I am determined to learn to dance again in the natural and in my heart……life for me must go on. I am thankful for friends that are looking out for me and chaperoning me. I also went to a Tivy basketball game which was fun……Joe and I only spent 12 years of our life in a high school gym every Tuesday and Friday nights. He was such a Tivy fan.
I have felt a new layer of healing over my heart this past week which has been a nice gift from God.

As I approach Valentines Weekend, I am actually going to TRY to walk a half marathon ……..that is what you do when you don’t have a valentine……at least it will keep me busy and taking steps. I reflect over Valentines we had in the past and they are fond memories. Memories I will cherish. I actually found a few Valentine cards Joe gave me in years past that I have saved. Although they made me shed a tear, I am at a different place than I was months and weeks ago. The pictue attached is of us at a half marathon I walked last year around this time.

I have had a number of married people say that the love Joe and I had been special and they didn’t have that in their relationship. For those of you that are married, what Joe and I had didn’t just happen. We worked on our relationship. We fought through the tough times. We were committed to transparency in our relationship. We invested in each other. We learned to love unconditionally. We chose to forgive each other whether we felt like it or not. WE set boundaries around our relationship to protect it. We learned to encourage each other and keep our relationship alive. We took time to be with each other in every way. We learned to share our hearts with each other first before anyone else. WE prayed a lot and depended on God.....it is only as we drew on His grace that we had what we had. That is my Valentine advice to anyone married or thinking of marriage. Good marriages don’t just happen. You have to work at them.

II Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace (the empowering presence of God,,,,that is what grace is to me) come to you in abundance so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient.” Amplified version plus my addition of the meaning of grace. His presence is all I need and I will learn to abound in these circumstances.

Living Like I am Loved,

Kathleen

3 comments:

  1. Yeah! Here I am!....being inspired, again, by your wisdom and your attitude. :) I have a great idea....on your Half Marathon Walk...include some of your 'swing steps' along the way. :) I can see it already... Thank you for your encouragement concerning marriage and relationships....as I tell you...you are wise. Happy Valentine's Day.....there are many that appreciate your love. xoxoxooxxo kit

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  2. Wow! I am just falling in love with your blog, Mrs. Maxwell. Your words about marriage and the work you and Joe put into it, rings so true. I am not married...yet...but I will be someday and I have always known that it takes work. However, the way you say it hear, makes, it real for me. You are such a gifted writer and I love reading what God is doing in your life. It sounds much like the way He works in mine. So, I wanted to thank you for keeping this blog and being so honest and open about what you are walking through. God bless you!
    xoxo,
    Jamie Fowler

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  3. Kathleen,

    You're awesome thanks for the advice on marriage. I needed to hear that! I love you! Have a great time at the marathon!

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