Ephesians 2- Part 2

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Study and learn. Be changed.  Ephesians 2 Made Alive in Christ 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not
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Happy 23rd Anniversary!

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Yesterday, we celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary.  It was my turn to help out at the horse rescue so Russ met us there.  He helped us feed so we could leave a little earlier. The kids had dinner at home (I made it first)..and then, Russ and I had a rare treat...dinner out ..without kids.   After eating Chinese food, he took me shopping to a local craft store to get face  paints for Saturday.  Saturday is Hay Day at the horse rescue (www.saveTheHorses.org).  Hay Day is a festival put on at the rescue to raise money for the horses Hay bill for the winter.  There will be pony rides, petting zoo, face paints, hot dogs, burgers, etc.  After our quick shopping, we came home and he gave me a box full of gluten-free cupcakes from a local bakery.   We had one while we watched the baseball play-offs.  Do you see the give and take?  I love the horse farm.  He loves to eat out.  I love to shop. :)  I love cupcakes... he loves baseball...(although he has cause me to fall in love with baseball, too).

We certainly aren't the same people we were 23 years ago..but I am so thankful that God put in us the desire to stick it out when it hasn't been easy...when it hasn't been fun.  And now... I can say, it has been so worth it.  He is my best friend and I love him dearly.
I wish I could say we have done everything right, but we haven't.  Our marriage has  God's grace and mercy sprinkled all over it.  So today..and everyday, I fight for our marriage and do the hard work to keep it as healthy as possible.


Ephesians 5

Wives and Husbands

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy,cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.


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