The Love Dare

The Love Dare. This is the book that goes along with the movie Fireproof. I bought this book about 2 months ago or so after I was inspired by another friend who did the 40 day challenge and then blogged about it. She is a strong Christian woman and has a strong Christian and church based marriage. After she did The Love Dare challenge, she was so touched in her own relationship with Christ, her husband and her life in general that it really inspired me to take the challenge as well. I believe that anyone can do this no matter if your marriage is great or is rocky. I have not done the challenge yet but I am thinking I will start it come August 1st. I look forward to everything I will get out of this book and am hopeful that my hubby will do it after I have.
"The Love Dare is a 40-day guided devotional designed to strengthen every marriage and the same powerful book that plays a pivotal role in the new movie Fireproof."

Fireproof

Fireproof! Now I know why this movie is described as "The Most Inspirational Movie of the Year." The hubs and I finally watched Fireproof Saturday night. I was actually shocked that I got him to sit down and watch it with me; he really didn't know much about the movie but I told him that I have heard great things about it, it is very real to life, and it is very inspirational. I told him that I heard the acting was kind of cheesy but it was the message behind the story that is so powerful.

WOW! It was absolutely the most touching movie I have ever seen. I am so happy we watched it together. We both had many teary eyed moments and even some crying during the movie. We were both very moved and touched by this movie as well. Fireproof makes me want to become a better Christian, a better wife and a better person in society. This movie was so true to what life is really like; no sugar coating, no fancy acting and no special effects. More movies should be filmed like this. I am very thankful that this movie came into my life and into my marriage. The power of Gods love is truly amazing.

About the movie from the Fireproof website:

"At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband.

Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks.

As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.

While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?"

When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. Andówith God's helpóhe begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.

But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever...rescuing his wife's heart."

The Apron

I read this in an email I received and it really touched me. I thought I would share it on my blog!

The Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material. Along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the autumn, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ' old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

The Philosophy of Old Age

There are often times I read things and they really touch my heart. I read them over and over and just love the messages they send out. This is one of those readings that I want to live my life by and be able to look back when I am old and know that I lived my life to it's fullest! Enjoy!

Old Age, I decided is a Gift

I am now probably for the first time in my life the person I have always wanted to be..Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken back by that old person that lives in the mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's and if I at the same time wish to weep over a lost love ..... I will just do that!

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So I am okay with getting old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day, if I feel like it!