Sunday can't beat that day

Mothers day was great and why not? With such a caring and considerate Mom like this family has we know we are blessed. We had a great couple that spoke at church today that were from Etheopia and it was so encouraging to hear them speak about pouring into lives and the difference we make in the world when that's our purpose. Diane was busy again making coffee for everyone at church and everyone sure enjoys her gift. James and Caleb pulled the old Canam dirt bike out and worked on it for a couple of hours, that old bike hasn't run since the team at camp got it going 7 years ago. But they didn't give up and in no time they had it out at the ranch and it ran just fine again. We spent some time out at the ranch finishing up backfilling with the bobcat and loaded it up and headed back to town. On the way in Diane suggested we stop at Murry and Terry's house and say Hi, well that ended up in an hour or more of a great visit and plans to do a motorcycle trip together this summer it was a great visit.

I was thinking of how it takes a lot to build a strong marriage these days and you'd have to be blind not to see that's it's getting harder every day. Or is it? The rules really haven't changed, FOCUS + RESPECT + CONSIDERATION + LOYALTY + HONESTY + COMMITMENT + God = The marriage you will always be satisfied with. The marriage that you will always cherish. The marriage that will never be boring. The marriage that will never go dry. The marriage that wakes you up to a new challenge every day with your best friend. Mountains can be moved, enemies conquered, hard times worked through, sickness carried through, dreams lived to see, and most of all we get to turn a generation around, our children and their children and their children and on and on it goes. Good marriages seldom happen by accident and far more seldom by luck. When marriage is a commitment for life, there's such freedom knowing your spouse is the love of your life till death do you part. We as men need to honour our wives and treat them as special as we did those first times we met herand the first years we were married. I've told every one of our sons that if you always make sure all of your wife's needs are met before yours you will never have to worry about yourself, as your cup will be running over always. In public it's your wife that should be the one receiving all the attention not other women, it's your wife that should be hugged not other women, it's your wife's hand you're holding not others. A few years ago a bunch of us from high school were together and we were talking to a friend and he remarked as to how many of us have kept our marriages together. But as we looked over the years and at different events we all met at, you could always tell that every girl there knew her husband cared and appreciated her as his wife and that she was special to him. Most of us went in different directions with our lives, but it's always great to get together and see that we are hangin in there and sticking together. One of the most important things in our marriage is that we enjoy each others company and spend time together just talking and getting to know each other more and better every day. I had a friend once say to me that he has never seen me mistreat my Diane or treat her without respect and it means a lot to him to see that. I have made more than my share of mistakes in my lifetime and there were times I didn't treat Diane the way I should but but I am glad those day are long gone and I have said that I would rather be beaten to death with a baseball bat than ever hurt the mother of our children and cause or bring the kind of suffering into this home that stupidity causes. I am so blessed to be married to the most beautiful women in the world, the most caring mother in the world, the greatest and most committed friend to others in the world. My wife, Diane Stephan is the most beautiful women in the world and I thank God for her each and every day.

Happy Mother's Day, Diane!

Happy Mother's Day to all the other mother's out there, may you be loved and blessed and appreciated by all the dad's out there and all your children.