Raising the White Flag
My good friend Jeff Zaugg from “Dad Awesome” shares what it means to be an intentional dad.
This Week’s Quick Hits:
December Multiple Choice:
1. Which Christmas movie premiered on TV on the 9th of December 1965?
Home Alone
Miracle on 34th Street
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
Charlie Brown Christmas
2. Which one of the following singers was born on the 2nd of December 1981?
Beyoncé
Britney Spears
J-Lo
Shakira
3. Muhammad Ali fought his last boxing match on the 11th of December 1981. Who was it against?
Trevor Berbick
Joe Louis
Mike Tyson
Manny Pacquiao
4. Who wasn’t born on Christmas day?
Jesus Christ
Isaac Newton
Conrad Hilton
Charlie Chaplin
Quote:
“You see, we are here, as far as I can tell, to help each other; our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our enemies. That is to help each other and not hurt each other.” Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Ray Vaughan
Read:
The President and the Freedom Fighter by Brian Kilmeade
I was never that interested in history until the last few years. Now I cannot seem to learn enough. In The President and the Freedom Fighter, we read about two American heroes - Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas. In this little known story, Kilmeade tells us how these two men, one Black and one White, moved from strong disagreement to friendship and in the process changed the entire course of history.
Listen:
Ways to Deepen Your Emotional Intimacy
Sometimes do you feel distant from your spouse and not really connected? You are not alone! We hear that issue a lot. In this week’s episode we are talking about emotional intimacy along with ideas to deepen it in your marriage.
Watch:
Most of us have the tendency to fight the differences we see in our spouse, which does nothing to enhance our marriage. What if we took the time to look at things from our spouse’s perspective? How could that make a difference? That’s what I am talking about on this week's vlog. Join me on the Awesome Marriage Youtube Channel.
Insights:
“White Flags”
Chris Tomlin and Passion have recorded many of my favorite Christian songs. Passion features many guest artists and Chris Tomlin has been a part of many of those recordings. Out of all these songs, “White Flag'' is probably my all time favorite. Why? In my marriage and in the marriages of many people that I talk to, the answer to many if not all of our problems and issues is a surrender to God. Slowly read these lyrics:
The battle rages on, Storm and tempest roar,
We cannot win this fight, Inside our rebel hearts.
We raise our white flags, We surrender all to You,
We raise our white flags, The war is over,
Love has come, Love has won.
There are many ways we could apply the template of this song, but let’s continue with marriage; your marriage in particular. Where is your marriage today? Is it a battle most days or more often than you would like it to be? Do you feel like you are in a raging storm and the marriage is losing? Did you ever stop long enough to ask yourself why?
For me the answer lies in the fourth line of the song. In my heart I can rebel against everything that would make my marriage great because I want my expectations met, I want things to go my way and I want control of everything and I think my anger is justified.
I spent a lot of years waging this battle against a woman who is truly a gift from God to me. Guess what? My way did not work - not even a little bit. Do you know what worked? It lies in the last lines of the lyrics. I had to quit doing it my way and begin to learn how to do it God’s way and guess what? God’s way works. So today, ask yourself, “Is my way of doing marriage working?” If it is, keep doing what you are doing. If not, turning to God’s ways is the right -- and really the only -- next step.
A Next Step:
What is your white flag?
What do you need to lay down at the feet of God?
Are you ready to do that and let God take over your life and your marriage?
December Multiple Choice Answers
1. Charlie Brown Christmas
2. Brittany Spears
3. Trevor Berbick
4. Charlie Chaplin
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