If I Had a Soapbox. . .This Would Be It

Have you ever had people coming over and the things that you were supposed to do last week or the week before suddenly became very important. We had small group at our house last night and I walked into the bathroom to realize that the towel rack had not been fixed. I beckoned my Prince Charming and Fix-it Man into the bathroom. He said do you want me to fix it or make it look fixed? I said, "Whatever it takes."

Sorry for the interlude here, but I think we do this in our life as well. We make things look good or appear to be fixed, but if you put a towel on that towel rack or lean up against it. . .guess what . . .the weight or pressure on the the towel rack sends it to the ground.

This is true of our married life, the way we interact with our kids, as well as our hearts that have been hurt. We spend a lot of money, time and energy trying to patch things so it will appear to be perfect. The fact of the matter is that you can patch all you want, but when anything that bears weight on that towel rack comes along, it will come crashing down. When the pressures and hard times come into that marriage (believe me they will come), that marriage will not be able to stand if you have been trying to patch it to make it look like it is fixed. Interesting statistics tell us that the first five years of marriage and about 5 years into the empty nester stage will try our marriages like never before. There will be more divorces during this time.

We need to do the things that will fix the marriage, that will repair our broken hearts and will send our kids to the next level in their spiritual being. This may mean that we have to give up some pretty hard things that are keeping us bound in chains. We may have to give up some of our selfish ways. Let me tell you from this only child. . .that ain't gonna be easy! I am the ultimate "only child."

I think one day when we face Jesus we are going to be reminded of all of the things that we meant to fix. Let's fix them today in His strength so that we will be prepared when the guest arrives.

Colossians 3: 12-14 (NIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.