tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82356225123124519532024-03-14T13:42:17.227+08:00Peacefulwife Philippines' Blog: The Joy Of God's Design For Filipina Wives in Marriage As a former controlling and unsubmissive wife to my husband, it is my sincerest wish and prayer that God be glorified in marriage by Filipinas (and non-Filipinas) everywhere, by means of this blog. I am willing to be transparent and to write about my journey as God continues to transform me into the PEACEFUL WIFE He has been wanting me to be for so long but have only recently started to become. Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-2879766202767426162014-08-30T22:25:00.002+08:002014-09-01T05:48:37.497+08:00Peaceful Wife Philippines' Posts In a Bird's Eyeview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>Here are the blog posts that the Lord led me into writing this past year. </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>Here's hoping that through this Bird's Eyeview, you will be able to click on posts that interest you without any hassle. :)</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>May God use this archive to touch your life in whatever tiny (or BIG) way He deems fit.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">About Me</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-i-became-peacefulwife-philippines.html"><span style="color: #990000;">How I Became Peaceful Wife Philippines</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/purpose-of-peaceful-wife-philippines.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Purpose of Peaceful Wife Philippines</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/dying-to-self-birthday-post.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Dying To Self - A Birthday Post</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-husbands-leadership-seminar.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Keeping Still At My Husband's 'Leadership Seminar'</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-lost-tradition-that-i-practice.html"><span style="color: #990000;">A Lost Tradition That I Practice -- Wearing a Veil</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-wind-beneath-my-wings.html"><span style="color: #990000;">The Wind Beneath My Wings</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/transitioning.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Transitioning</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/confessions-of-mini-skirt-addict-my.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Confessions of a Mini-Skirt Addict ( My Wonderful Discovery of Modesty in Clothing)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-am-your-ruth-you-are-my-naomi-closer.html"><span style="color: #990000;">"I am Your Ruth, You are My Naomi." -- A Closer Look at My Relationship with My </span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-am-your-ruth-you-are-my-naomi-closer.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Mother-In-Law (Conversations Before my Father-in-Law's Death)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/my-new-life-in-spirit.html"><span style="color: #990000;">My New Life In the Spirit</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/welcome-to-new-normal.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Welcome to the New Normal!</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/why-i-cover-my-head.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Why I Cover My Head</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/what-me-just-housewife-and-mother.html"><span style="color: #990000;">What? Me? "Just" A Housewife and Mother?!?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/being-still.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Being Still</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/peaceful-wife-philippines-ends.html"><span style="color: #990000;">Peaceful Wife Philippines Blog Ends</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">My Hang-Ups/Issues</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-superwoman-syndrome-i-can-have-it.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Superwoman Syndrome -"I Can Have It All!"</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/daddys-little-girl-when-husbands-do-not.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Daddy's Little Girl -- When A Husband Does Not Measure Up to One's Father</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-demon-decade-long-eating-disorder.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My Demon-- A Decade-Long Eating Disorder</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-many-children-should-we-have.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How Many Children Should We Have? Determining The Size of the Family</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/pms-parating-masungit-always-surly.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Parating Masungit Syndrome (PMS) otherwise known as my 'Monthly Demon'</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-control-freak-to-control-free.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From Control Freak to Control-Free!</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/from-control-freak-to-control-free-to.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From Control Freak to Control-Free to Self-Controlled!!! (My AHA! Moment)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/why-does-god-not-answer-my-prayers.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why Does God Not Answer My Prayers?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-bondage-of-people-pleasing.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Bondage of People-Pleasing</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/when-silence-is-not-so-golden.html"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When Silence Is Not So Golden</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Coming Full Circle -- My Demonic Possession (The Untold Story) </span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/coming-full-circle-my-demonic_27.html">Part 1 : Depression and Oppression</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/coming-full-circle-my-demonic.html">Part 2: The Possession </a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/coming-full-circle-my-demonic_6714.html">Part 3: Salvation and Redemption</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>My Spiritual Bondages</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-spiritual-bondages-part-1-beauty.html"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Part 1: Beauty</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-spiritual-bondages-part-2-papas.html"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Part 2: My Father</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-spiritual-bondages-part-3-control.html"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Part 3: Control</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/part-4-breaking-devils-strongholds-from.html"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Breaking the Devil's Strongholds : From Bondage to Freedom</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Marriage and Relationships</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/wedding-vs-marriage.html">Praying for the One Before Meeting Him or Her</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/wedding-vs-marriage_5.html">Wedding vs. Marriage</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/our-marriage-peg.html">Our Marriage 'Peg'</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/staying-in-loveless-marriage.html">Staying In A Loveless Marriage and Its Effect on Children</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/of-mothers-and-mothers-in-law-standing_17.html">Of Mothers and Mothers-in-Law (Standing By Your Husband and Your Marriage When Conflicts Arise)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-unfaithful-husband-godly-womans.html">When A Husband is Unfaithful (A Godly Woman's Response to Her Husband's Infidelity)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-shocking-fact-about-biblical.html">The Shocking Fact About Biblical Submission and Motherhood (The True Story of A Former Controlling Wife and How Her Disrespect of Her Husband Affected Their Children)</a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">For Filipinos/Filipinas</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/filipino-wedding-traditions-does.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Filipino Wedding Traditions -- Does Anybody Understand or Live Them at All?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-do_6.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I DO!</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-proverbs-31-woman-magandang-tularan.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Proverbs 31 Woman -- Magandang Tularan (Worthy To Be Emulated)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-proverbs-31-woman-magandang-tularan.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">'Ander De Saya' -- The HenPecked Husband, A Sad Filipino Phenomenon</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/bastos-ba-ako-am-i-disrespectul.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bastos Ba Ako? Am I Disrespectful?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/shouldnt-respect-be-earned-and-what-if.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shouldn't Respect Be Earned? And What If I Am In An Abusive Marriage? Rerespetuhin Ko Pa Rin Siya?!</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/ikaw-ang-boss-ko-you-are-boss.html"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ikaw Ang Boss Ko! (You're the Boss!)</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Biblical Submission and Respect to Husbands</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/biblical-submission-uso-pa-ba-iyon-does.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Biblical Submission -- Uso Pa Ba Iyon?!? (Is It Still En Vogue?)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/wives-respect-your-husbands.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Wives, Respect Your Husbands!</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/if-i-respect-my-husband-will-he-change.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">If I Respect My Husband, Will He Change?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/but-i-love-my-husband-isnt-that-enough.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">But I Love My Husband, Isn't That Enough? What is with this RESPECT Bit?!?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/i-am-ready-for-submissive-journey-what.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">I Am Ready For the Submissive Journey! What Should I Tell My Husband?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/can-wife-overdo-submission.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Can A Wife Overdo Biblical Submission?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/submission-road-least-traveled.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Submission -- The Road Least Traveled </span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/losing-my-voice.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Losing My Voice</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/if-i-submit-i-might-become-helpless.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">If I Submit, I Might Become Helpless! What If My Husband Dies?!?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/love-vs-respect-where-does-love-end-and.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Love vs. Respect -- Where Does Love "End" and Respect "Begin" In Marriage?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/honey-was-i-disrespectful.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Honey, Was I Disrespectful?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/is-daddy-head-of-family-ask-your.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Is Daddy the Head of the Family? Ask Your Children.</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/when-being-too-respectful-takes-out-joy.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">When Being "Too Respectful" Makes You a Killjoy</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/does-age-matter-in-marriage-how-does.html"><span style="color: #741b47;">Does Age Matter in Marriage? How Does An Older Wife Submit to and Respect a Younger Husband?!?</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Surveys and Types</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-three-types-of-men-command.html">The Three Types of Men - Command, Visionary, Steady -- Which One Are You Married To?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/there-are-three-types-of-biblical-men.html">There are Three Types of Biblical Men, But Only One Kind of Biblical Woman?!?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-five-love-languages-which-is-yours.html">The Five Love Languages -- Which One Is Yours? Which One Is Your Husband's?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/type-wives-with-type-b-husbands-when.html">Type A Wives with Type B Husbands -- When "Different" Is Not Really "Bad"</a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Disordered Setups in Marriage</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-wife-led-marriage-where-does-it-lead.html">The Wife-Led Marriage -- Where Does It Lead?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-egalitarian-marriage-are-all-things.html">The Egalitarian Marriage: Are ALL Things Really FAIR in Love and War?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-complementarian-or-traditional.html">The Complementarian or 'Traditional' Marriage -- Is It Really the Ideal?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/flr-and-wlm-peacefulwife-philippines.html">FLR (Female-Led Relationships) and WLM (Wife-Led Marriages)-- Peacefulwife </a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/flr-and-wlm-peacefulwife-philippines.html">Philippines' Top Searches</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/when-wife-treats-her-husband-as-her.html">When A Wife Treats Her Husband As Her Child</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/are-you-one-wearing-pants-in-marriage.html">Are You the One Wearing the Pants in the Marriage?!?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-oscar-love-curse-is-it-same-as-eves.html">The Oscar Love Curse -- Is It the Same as Eve's Curse?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/biblically-submissive-role-models-in.html">Biblically Submissive Role Models in Showbiz and Sports</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/beautiful-role-models-inside-and-out.html">Beautiful Role Models Inside and Out -- Stories of Conversion (When God Called, They Answered)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-lost-tradition-that-i-practice.html">Lies That Women Believe</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/peaceful-wife-stepford-wife.html">Peaceful Wife = Stepford Wife?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/fascinating-womanhood.html">Fascinating Womanhood</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/from-fascinating-woman-to-peaceful-wife.html">From 'Fascinating Woman' to 'Peaceful Wife'</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/is-your-marriage-fireproof.html">Is Your Marriage Fireproof?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-have-fire-proof-marriage-womens.html">How To Have a Fireproof Marriage (Women's Edition)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-courageous-marriage.html">Courageous Parenthood</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-courageous-marriage.html">How To EnCOURAGE our Husbands to be Men Of COURAGE</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/flywheel.html">Flywheel</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/jesus-take-wheel.html">Jesus Take the Wheel (Salvation for Dummies)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/from-sinner-to-savior-machine-gun.html">From Sinner to "Savior" --The Machine Gun Preacher (How to Help God Change your Husband/Son Through Prayer and a Godly Life) PART 1</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/from-sinner-to-saint-how-to-help-god.html">From Sinner to Saint - Saint Augustine (How to Help God Change your Husband/Son Through Prayer and a Godly Life) PART 2</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-conjuring-horror-film-with-heart.html">The Conjuring: A Horror Film with a Heart (How A Formidable Husband-and-Wife-Team Fought Evil Through Their Strong Faith In God)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/heaven-is-for-real.html">Heaven is For Real</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-amazing-testimony-of-howard-storm.html">The Amazing Testimony of Former Atheist-turned-Christian Pastor, Howard Storm -- The Man Who Descended into Hell and Lived to Tell</a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Interviews with My Husband, Dong</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/an-interview-with-my-husband-1st.html">First: <i>"I wanted to die. Life had no meaning...."</i></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/an-interview-with-my-husband-2nd.html">Second: <i>"I couldn't make you happy..."</i></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/an-interview-with-my-husband-3rd.html">Third: <i>"I lost my faith in God..."</i></a></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/when-words-are-many-sin-is-not-absent_27.html">When Words Are Many, Sin is NOT Absent But He Who Hold His Tongue is Wise</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2013/12/money-matters.html">Money Matters</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/worrying-is-insult-to-god.html">Worrying Is An Insult to God</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/mind-your-own-business.html">Mind Your Own Business</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/are-you-walking-billboard-for-christ-or.html">Are You a Walking Billboard for Christ or a False Advertisement?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/little-miracles.html">Little Miracles</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/bridled-strength-vs-prideful-strength.html">Bridled Strength vs. Prideful Strength</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/challenging-our-beliefs-and.html">Challenging Our Beliefs and Expectations -- How To Counter the Lies to Reveal the Truth</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/fasting-vs-dieting-how-to-gain.html">Fasting vs. "Dieting" -- How to Gain Spiritual Fruits While Losing Pounds</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/06/is-this-gods-will-for-me.html">How Do I Know This Is God's Will For Me?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/husband-bashing-wives-favorite-pastime.html">Husband-Bashing -- Wives' Favorite Pastime</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/covering-your-husband-in-prayer-power.html">Covering Your Husband in Prayer: The Power of a Praying Wife</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-closer-look-at-sarah-as-abrahams-wife.html">A Closer Look at Sarah as Abraham's Wife -- Imperfect and Feisty, but also Submissive and Godly</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/marital-sex.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Marital Sex</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/christian-submission-word-hijacked-by.html"><span style="color: #38761d;">Christian Submission -- A Word Hijacked by the Enemy (Think 50 Shades of Grey)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-world-problems-in-third-world.html">First World Problems in A Third World Nation</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-selfie-generation-me-myself-and-i.html">The Selfie -- Me, Myself and (Generation) I</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-ofwm-overseas-filipina-working.html">The OFWM (Overseas Filipina Working Mother) -- What Happens When The Light of The Home Is Gone? :(</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-pursuit-of-happiness-is-it-worth.html">The Pursuit of Happiness -- Is It Worth Pursuing?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/rich-dad-poor-dad-rich-mom-poor-mom.html">Rich Dad, Poor Dad; Rich Mom, Poor Mom -- A Tale of Two Couples</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/does-god-change-our-temperaments-when.html">Does God Change our Temperaments When He Changes our Hearts?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-dearth-of-godly-women-mentors-titus.html">The Dearth of Godly Women Mentors (The Titus 2 Women, Where Are They?!</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-dearth-of-godly-women-mentors-titus.html">?!?)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/playing-abuse-card.html">Playing the ABUSE Card</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/we-are-all-daughters-of-eve.html">We Are All Daughters of Eve</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/catholics-vs-protestants-are-we-really.html">Catholics vs. Protestants -- Were We Ever At War? (Musings of a Catholic Christian on the Iraq Tragedy)</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-working-womans-dilemma-should-i.html">The Working Woman's Dilemma -- What Should I Choose -- Home or Career?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/when-wife-is-breadwinner-look-into-role.html">When the Wife is the Breadwinner -- A Look into the Role Reversal in Providing for the Family</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-male-boss-vs-husband-to-whom-should.html">My Male Boss vs. My Husband -- To Whom Should I Submit?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/biblical-submission-in-this-day-and-age.html">"Biblical Submission in this Day And Age is Stupid."</a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">My Catholic Faith</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/idolatry-am-i-idolator.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Idolatry -- Am I An Idolator?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/to-love-honor-and-obey-catholics.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">To Love, Honor and Obey -- A Catholic's Viewpoint on Biblical Submission</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-7-capital-sins-vs-7-gifts-of-spirit.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">The 7 Gifts of the Spirit vs. The 7 Capital Sins (Choosing Jesus over satan)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/is-biblical-submission-applicable-to.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Is Biblical Submission Applicable Even to Those Married "Only" in Civil Rites? (For Filipino Catholics)</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/are-you-really-follower-of-christ-or.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Are You Really a True Follower of Christ or Simply Religious?</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-two-contradictory-creation-stories.html"><span style="color: #b45f06;">The Two 'Contradictory' Creation Stories in Genesis -- Are We Equal To Men or Are We Subordinate?!?</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Peaceful Wife Philippines Guest Posts in </b></span><br />
<b style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-large;">Peaceful Wife </b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">(Note: I only included those posts I wrote which are not found in the PWP site. Those already found in this site but were also featured in PW, I no longer put a link to.)</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulsinglegirl.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/can-we-as-women-have-it-all/">Can We As Women "Have It All?"</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/03/21/other-wives-share-how-they-shut-out-those-accusing-voices/">Two Wives Share About Their Journeys</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/05/07/how-bible-reading-can-powerfully-impact-us-by-nikka/">The Key To God's Word Having Power in Our Lives</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/06/11/seeking-godly-beauty-not-worldly-beauty-by-nikka/">Seeking Godly Beauty</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/04/30/do-we-try-to-control-our-husbands-jobs/">Do We Try To Control Our Husbands' Jobs?</a></div>
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<a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/03/19/the-soft-serve-ice-cream-incident-by-nikka/">The Soft-Serve Ice Cream Incident</a></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-7840481426110028472014-08-30T19:57:00.000+08:002014-09-30T03:25:29.230+08:00'Peaceful Wife Philippines Blog' Ends <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lqLyl1NoUH0/VAG2VPcS66I/AAAAAAAAF0E/MZegOjDF_K8/s1600/dadamama3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lqLyl1NoUH0/VAG2VPcS66I/AAAAAAAAF0E/MZegOjDF_K8/s1600/dadamama3.jpg" height="320" width="277" /></a></div>
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In a few short days, will mark my <b>first anniversary </b>of <b>submitting fully unto the Lord.</b></div>
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On<b> September 1,</b> will be my first anniversary of <b>submitting fully to my husband,</b> Dong, too.</div>
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Suffice to say, it's been a year of <b>BIG sacrifices</b> and even<b> GREATER blessings</b>!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Biblical submission is so beautiful when done for the right reasons and when done for Jesus.</span></div>
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In a year's time, I have been blessed to have mentored some sisters in Christ who needed somebody to walk with them in their own submission journeys.</div>
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In a year's time, I have been blessed to have made some great (and Godwilling lasting) friendships with women from all over the globe, who desire to make God the center of their marriages and their lives.<br />
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I especially thank my dear sister in Christ and godly mentor, the original<b> <a href="http://peacefulwife.com/">Peaceful Wife</a></b><a href="http://peacefulwife.com/">, <b>April Cassidy, </b></a>for being so gracious and loving towards me. April, you have been such an inspiration!:)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zz7fugf_YuQ/VAG3Yfioz-I/AAAAAAAAF0k/oD83WERFXTY/s1600/april.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zz7fugf_YuQ/VAG3Yfioz-I/AAAAAAAAF0k/oD83WERFXTY/s1600/april.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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In a year's time, I have been able to get to know the Lord more through <b>His Word - The Bible</b>, and now through my continuing <b>studies in theology</b>, at Saint Vincent's School of Theology.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In a year's time, Dong and I have become closer and more loving towards one another as I continue to learn the value of respecting him and his God-ordained leadership in our family, and as he continues to love me unconditionally.</div>
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It was my husband's idea that I blog about my submission and respect journey.</div>
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<i><b>I obliged. </b></i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<i><b>I obeyed. </b></i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
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I believed it was God's Way of letting me get His Message across, through my husband's prodding.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But, these past few days, I have been experiencing a <b>DEEP DESIRE </b>to again be <b>OBSCURE</b>. </div>
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To be <b>HIDDEN in Christ</b>, and to be <b>unseen</b> through the world's eyes.</div>
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<i><b>I discerned.</b></i></div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<i><b>I prayed.</b></i></div>
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I sought the <b>Spirit's Help</b> in leading me to the right path.</div>
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And, after a week or so, the <b>Lord has spoken..</b>. </div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">I am to END this blog, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">and this is to be my last post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">My mission here is done.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> At least, my "public life" on the internet, is.</span></div>
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But my <b>hidden </b>and <b>obscure life </b>with Christ is still going to continue. :)</div>
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The Lord showed me these past weeks as I continued to pray for His Conviction, what it was that He still wanted me to do.</div>
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There was only one thing that kept on appearing in my thoughts, and recurring in my heart...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Lord told me that I was still </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>SO LACKING in LOVE, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>and that He wants me to learn how to</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> LOVE <i>MORE.</i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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He also showed to me that I still had a LOT to learn in so far as being<br />
<b>less judgmental </b>and <b>more compassionate.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Lord wants to prune me once more, away from anybody's and everybody's eyes.</div>
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I want to be like my dear friend in heaven, <a href="https://www.ewtn.com/therese/carmel.htm">Saint Therese</a>, whose life was so FULL of LOVE. I pray that the Lord will show me how it is to really LOVE Him, love my husband, love my family, love my enemies, etc. just like Saint Therese LOVED God with all her heart and soul...</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjTDNXdK--g/VAG29WCLARI/AAAAAAAAF0c/yF1DEWnFfNQ/s1600/therese-pose-web_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjTDNXdK--g/VAG29WCLARI/AAAAAAAAF0c/yF1DEWnFfNQ/s1600/therese-pose-web_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">"I know well that it is not my great desires that please God in my little soul, what He likes to see is the way I love my littleness and my poverty; it is my blind hope in His mercy, this is my only treasure.... The weaker one is, without desires or virtues, the more ready one is for the operations of this consuming and transforming love.... God rejoices more in what He can do in a soul humbly resigned to its poverty than in the creation of millions of suns and the vast stretch of the heavens."</span></i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"> <i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">"Merit is not to be found in doing much or in giving much, but rather in receiving and in loving much. It is said that it is far sweeter to give than to receive, and this is true. But when Jesus wants for Himself the sweetness of giving, it would not be gracious to refuse. Let Him take and give whatever He wants."</i></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">"Our love for Jesus is truly great when we do not feel its sweetness. It then becomes a martyrdom... When, on the contrary, we begin to seek ourselves, true love dies away. Unfortunately, many serve Jesus when He consoles them, but few are willing to keep Him company when He is asleep."</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5jezeTQz78/VAI256GetUI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/yGeEBecGyDw/s1600/images%2B(48).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5jezeTQz78/VAI256GetUI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/yGeEBecGyDw/s1600/images%2B(48).jpg" /></a></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></div>
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="text-align: justify;">"True love is found only in complete self-forgetfulness, and it is only after we have detached ourselves from every creature that we find Jesus."</span> </span></i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">"I tell you that it is enough to recognize one's nothingness and to abandon one's self like a child in the arms of God.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;"> - Therese of Liseux</span></span></i></blockquote>
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* * * * * * * *</div>
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And so with this short and final blog entry, I would like to thank everybody who has been one with me in my own journey as a biblically submissive wife and child of God.</div>
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You may still email me at <b>peacefulwifephilippines@gmail.com</b>. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYkOcuxw0DE/VAG3yvQWy-I/AAAAAAAAF0s/ySRhc-LBrqc/s1600/dadamama4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qYkOcuxw0DE/VAG3yvQWy-I/AAAAAAAAF0s/ySRhc-LBrqc/s1600/dadamama4.jpg" height="320" width="156" /></a></div>
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Though I will no longer blog (for the meantime -- don't know what the future holds!), I will still be continuing in my journey and walk with our Lord, albeit <b>hidden</b> and <b>obscure. </b></div>
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I will continue to pray too for all the wives in the Philippines and around the world, in order that God be glorified through everybody's "gentle and quiet spirit" and love for one's husband and children.</div>
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In the beginning of writing this blog, I have quoted this Bible verse, and I will quote it again paraphrased and personalized for me...</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Luke 17:10</span></b><br /><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"></span></span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">In the same way, when you obey Me you should say,</span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">'I am an unworthy servant who </i></span><i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">has </i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">simply </i><i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">done </i></div>
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<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">my </i><i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">duty.'"</i></div>
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I have done my duty, Lord.<br />
<br />
Continue to use me in propagating Your Kingdom, outside of this tiny blog.<br />
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Pardon me for all errors and inconsistencies, dear readers. Those are mine! :P</div>
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Praise God for all enlightenment, inspiration, and nuggets of wisdom. Those are His!!! :) </div>
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I LOVE you, my sisters in Christ. :)</div>
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Thank you for walking with me in this journey. :)</div>
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It's been a great honor and blessing! :)</div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">"It is necessary to consent to remain poor and weak; this is hard... I have always longed to be unknown, I am resigned to being forgotten. It is necessary to count on nothing."</span></i><br />
<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">"I understand that love includes all vocations. I realize that all my desires are fulfilled. I have found my vocation. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love."</span></i></span><i style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> -</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"> Saint Therese </span></i><br />
<i style="text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #660000;"> “What good will it do you to be able to talk profoundly about the Trinity, if you be wanting in humility and so displease the Trinity? It is certain that learned speeches do not make a man holy and just; it is a virtuous life that makes him pleasing to God.”</span> </span></i><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">- Thomas Kempis, </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;">The Imitation of Christ; Book 1, Chapter I,</span></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-29948134238403535592014-08-19T09:10:00.000+08:002014-08-19T09:10:57.225+08:00BEING STILL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pxP95G9gwUw/U_KiVo-FFJI/AAAAAAAAFzg/mfcElpI6LAc/s1600/psalms-46-10-640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pxP95G9gwUw/U_KiVo-FFJI/AAAAAAAAFzg/mfcElpI6LAc/s1600/psalms-46-10-640x480.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is what the Lord wants me to do again...</div>
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To <b>BE STILL</b> and<b> KNOW</b> that <b>HE IS GOD.</b></div>
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If in the past year since my conversion, I have been <b><i>'reclusive'</i></b>... </div>
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I believe, the Lord wants me to do this again.</div>
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He wants to talk to my heart again, with just <b>Him and me ALONE</b>, with His Word -- the Bible.</div>
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So, I will be <b>OBSCURE</b> again, and not write for the meantime.</div>
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I will be back when the Lord directs me to do so.</div>
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I don't know when that will be...</div>
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Till then,</div>
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<b>May we all be richly blessed!</b></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-80481740755593279562014-08-12T17:57:00.000+08:002014-08-20T14:39:58.819+08:00Catholics vs. Protestants -- Were We Ever At War? (Musings of a Catholic Christian on the Iraq Tragedy)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6tkhGiXzJU/U-ndSQ-dvKI/AAAAAAAAFyY/PszubWhRuKI/s1600/nikkabible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6tkhGiXzJU/U-ndSQ-dvKI/AAAAAAAAFyY/PszubWhRuKI/s1600/nikkabible.jpg" height="320" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am a Catholic Christian. I love God. I love Jesus. I love the Holy Spirit.<br /> I love reading the Bible.<br />I love our Blessed Mother.</span></td></tr>
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I am often seen holding my torn maroon Catholic Bible beneath my armpit, or simply holding it close to my chest, and many stop to ask me if I am <i>"Christian."</i></div>
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The security guard at our local grocery store said, <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Ma'am, are you 'Christian'?"</span></i></div>
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The old lady selling food at our children's Catholic school said, <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Mommy Nikka, are you 'Christian'?"</span></i></div>
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There were several other incidents, and to all of them who asked my answer was:</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"Yes, I am. I am a Catholic Christian. I follow Christ, so I am a Christian. I read the Bible and you should too!".</span></i> </span></div>
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Afterwards, I give them a smile.</div>
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What is it about Bibles<i> and </i>Catholics, that fellow Catholics will dare ask me if I was a <i><b>"Christian"</b>, </i>just because they see me with my Bible or reading my Bible?</div>
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I even have some non-Catholic friends asking me if Catholics were Christians.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The answer to that is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Not all Christians are Catholics, but </span></b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">ALL Catholics are Christians."</span></b></i></span></div>
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What I find <b><i>more than just a tad uncomfortable </i></b>is the use of the term <b><i>"Christian"</i></b> to denote <b>Protestants, </b>leaving out <b>Catholics</b> from that term. Christianity, I believe is NOT a religion. It is a <b>WAY OF LIFE. </b>Early Christians in the time of Saint Paul had no name for their newfound faith. They used to call themselves <a href="http://carm.org/early-christians-called">"Followers of the Way"</a> (Acts 24:5) because Jesus <i>was</i> "the Way". In the same way, that all who follow Jesus <i>now </i>and who believe Him to be <i><b>"the Way, the Truth and the Life"</b></i> (John 14:6) are called <b><i>Christians.</i></b></div>
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Didn't Jesus Christ die for both<b> Gentile and Jew</b>? </div>
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Didn't Jesus die for <b>ALL</b> of us, regardless of <b>nationality, culture and race</b>? </div>
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Didn't Jesus get crucified not only for the people of the olden <b>past,</b> but also for the people of <b>today, </b>and the people of the still unknown <b>future</b>? </div>
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Didn't he <b>SAVE</b> <i>all</i> of us?</div>
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But, of course, though the Lord Jesus died for all of us, it is still up to us, by virtue of <b>FREE WILL</b> to accept this FREE <b>gift of salvation. Faith is both a gift and a responsibility.</b> Though we may have been baptized, we still can act "unsaved", like I did for those many years, when I was in deep depression, bondage and despair, seemingly hopeless and wanting to commit suicide very often. :(</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Save for the Grace of God and my love for God, despite my sinfulness, I am still alive today.</span></div>
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I am alive to tell the <b>Truth,</b> that I was once <b>blind</b> but can now <b>see</b>! The Lord has <b>saved </b>me! In my <b>brokenness</b>, I cried out to Him and He <b>comforted </b>me, and made me <b>new.</b> The old Nikka has died, and I am <i>"born again".</i> No, I have not changed religions for I still remain <b>Catholic </b>by choice, but I now am a <b>TRUE FOLLOWER </b>of Christ. <b>I am a Christian!</b> I follow <b>Jesus</b>, and I am a <b>new creation</b>!</div>
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<br /></div>
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* * * * * * * * </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A very heartbreaking world event led me </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">to writing this post... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> The beastly killings by ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) of Christians in Iraq. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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I apologize in advance and send out a warning that the photos I have taken from the </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Catholic Online site are gruesome and graphic. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Unfortunately, this is <i><b>reality.</b></i>:(</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpU0liPTmgg/U-nRJHxFbzI/AAAAAAAAFxA/btKIgZN5OJI/s1600/14075174371961_700.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpU0liPTmgg/U-nRJHxFbzI/AAAAAAAAFxA/btKIgZN5OJI/s1600/14075174371961_700.jpeg" height="309" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kurdish men carry the bodies of children who died after being driven from their homes with nothing to eat or drink.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Here are some excerpts of the sickening and condemnable acts of terror that the Islamic extremists have done or have been doing to our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq:<br />
<br />
From <a href="http://www.catholic.org/news/international/middle_east/story.php?id=56481">Catholic Online:</a><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"The world hasn't seen this kind of atrocity in generations," he told CNN. He's mostly correct. Although genocides have happened repeatedly throughout history, including famous genocides in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, as well as Cambodia, the genocide perpetrated against Christians and other minorities is extreme, partly because it is being gleefully publicized.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The terrorists who have invaded Mosul and other ancient Christian communities in Syria and Iraq have made music videos of themselves murdering civilians and captured soldiers. They are literally enjoying the act of killing and the fear and suffering experienced by others. This sadism may be the purest manifestation of evil witnessed since the Rape of Nanking during WWII. </span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Already, several images have emerged of Christian children beheaded by ISIS, merely for being Christian. </span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">According to Arabo, women are being raped, then murdered, and men are being hanged. These are the people who were warned - <i><b>convert to Islam or be put to the sword.</b>" </i></span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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* * * * * * * * </div>
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Babies are being beheaded, women are being raped and murdered, men are being hanged... simply for being <b>Christian.</b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0lZ3Qrl2CQ/U-nSGkOswSI/AAAAAAAAFxM/oemL9ZR3hUQ/s1600/14075173811961_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0lZ3Qrl2CQ/U-nSGkOswSI/AAAAAAAAFxM/oemL9ZR3hUQ/s1600/14075173811961_700.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">How can anyone turn away from a child, facing mortal terror? All Christian the children in Mosul are reportedly being killed.</span></span></td></tr>
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In response to this crime against humanity, <a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-Catholics-angry-at-Iraq-persecution-20140812">this was the response</a> of the South African Catholic Bishops:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Christianity in Iraq is a tradition that goes back 2000 years and the "utter destruction" of dioceses, parishes and families because of their loyalty to faith is a crime against humanity, the Catholic Church of Southern Africa said on Monday.</span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><i>"It is absolutely abhorrent that the Christian community of Iraq, a tradition that goes back almost 2000 years, is suffering expulsion from their country and martyrdom,"</i> the church said in a statement.</span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-bottom: 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><i>"As Catholic bishops of Southern Africa, we beg for religious tolerance in Iraq. We assure our Christian brothers and sisters of our deepest concern and we assure them that we have not and will never forget them."</i></span></blockquote>
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* * * * * * * * * * *</div>
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<br /></div>
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Note that the<b> call </b>for a stop to <b>religious persecution</b> and impending <b>genocide</b> was made by <b>Catholic bishops.</b> This was a cry for urgent help for<b> ALL CHRISTIANS</b> -- not just Catholics, but also for Protestants and those from independent Christian sects/denominations. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>When faced with certain death, all Christians will unite. </i></div>
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<i>When faced with inhuman atrocities, all Christians will call on the Lord Jesus to save them and comfort them.</i></div>
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<i>When faced with enemies of their faith, all Christians regardless of doctrine, dogma and theology, will cry out to God and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to please save them from death and protect them from evil.</i></div>
</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Islamic militants sure didn't have a problem putting the <b>Christians</b> under<b> one group.</b> :( </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mGN-ILtZG2c/U-nSVsy0gvI/AAAAAAAAFxU/vlYiA4Nm-g4/s1600/14075169061961_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mGN-ILtZG2c/U-nSVsy0gvI/AAAAAAAAFxU/vlYiA4Nm-g4/s1600/14075169061961_700.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Convert or die. ISIS militants are crucifying victims because to them crucifixion is especially humiliating due to its Christian implications.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">So, what is the problem between Catholics and non-Catholics, or those from the other Christian denominations, whether big or small, or </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">in-between?</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why is it that <b>Catholics </b>are constantly being labeled <strike>slandered</strike> as </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- idolaters</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- Mary/Saints worshippers</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- pagans</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why is it that our <b>Pope</b> is always being tagged as the <i><b>"AntiChrist"</b></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and the <b>Catholic Church</b> as the <i><b>"Whore of Babylon?"</b></i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why do some <b>non-Catholics</b> look down on <b>Protestants </b>for not partaking of the <b>Sacraments </b>or </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for not <b>praying the rosary</b>?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why do some <b>independent Christian sects</b> consider Christmas, Easter and other Catholic/Protestant traditions as <b>pagan feasts</b>, and look with <b>disdain</b> on any well-meaning Christian who does celebrate these occasions?</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Tell me, who has a <span style="background-color: yellow;">monopoly on goodness</span>?</b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Tell me, who has a <span style="background-color: yellow;">monopoly on grace</span>?</b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>Tell me, who has a <span style="background-color: yellow;">monopoly on love</span>?</b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>And lastly, tell me who has a <span style="background-color: yellow;">monopoly on Jesus Christ </span></b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: yellow;">and salvation</span>?</b></span></i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When our <b>Christian faith </b>is being <b>attacked</b>; when people are being<b> killed </b>for simply <b>loving Jesus </b>and <b>believing in His Gift of salvation</b>; when children are being <b>beheaded</b>; when women are being <b>raped </b>and when men are being tauntingly <b>hanged</b> like <b>Jesus</b> at <b>Golgotha</b>.... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Can anyone -- Catholic, Evangelical, Methodist, Baptist, or any other Christian church have time to <b>debate on theology</b>? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Will Protestants/other sects have energy to debate with us Catholics on why we love the <b>Blessed Virgin,</b> being the <b>Mother of Christ</b>, and on why we consider her our <b>greatest intercessor</b> <i>(not Mediator -- <b>Jesus is the ONLY Mediator </b>between God and Man) </i>who leads us to her Son? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Will Catholics have the leisure, at the brink of crucifixion, to tell non-Catholics, that they should have the <b>Sacrament of Extreme Unction </b>because they are about to die and this sacrament is the only sure way to Heaven? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Will any person, especially a child about to be beheaded, even<b> <i>care</i></b> if the other children beside her are<i> not </i>from her religion or denomination?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY5a-dKMzgg/U-nhlfn-OnI/AAAAAAAAFyw/4B7PvqDN5sA/s1600/2014081646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY5a-dKMzgg/U-nhlfn-OnI/AAAAAAAAFyw/4B7PvqDN5sA/s1600/2014081646.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A child is photographed, waiting to be killed by militants. </span></span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">ISIS uses these images to terrorize others and to glorify their spree of terror.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We are<i> all</i> <b>brothers and sisters <span style="color: #990000;">in Christ. </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We should <b>pray</b> for each other and <b>LOVE</b> each other.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> We may <b>differ</b> in dogmas, in practices, in doctrines, and in theology... but if we believe that <b>Jesus</b> is the <b>Son of God</b>, and try our <b>darndest best to love Him </b>and <b>follow Him</b> -- then by all means, <b>PLEASE </b>stop the <b>name-calling </b>and<b> branding</b> and <b>monopolizing </b>of <b>salvation </b>and even of <b>Jesus Himself.</b></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b>John 11:51-52</b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;"><b> (ESV)</b></span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: 16px;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;"></span></span><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text John-11-51" id="en-ESV-26563" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">51 </span>He did not say this of his own accord, but <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26563A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26563A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>being high priest that year <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26563B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26563B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,</span> <span class="text John-11-52" id="en-ESV-26564" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">52 </span>and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26564C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26564C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>not for the nation only, but also <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26564D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26564D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span><span style="font-size: large;">to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.</span></span></span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span class="text John-11-52" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pm-kRyMgAIc/U-njIe2d8NI/AAAAAAAAFzA/LTYWnwVU4Qg/s1600/april+praying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pm-kRyMgAIc/U-njIe2d8NI/AAAAAAAAFzA/LTYWnwVU4Qg/s1600/april+praying.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">April Cassidy, the Peaceful Wife, my very good friend and</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">sister in Christ is a Southern Baptist Christian. She longs too</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">for a united Church of believers of Jesus</span><span style="color: #999999;">.</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F9901rrt-tg/U-neWB8tXWI/AAAAAAAAFyk/qa8BLF03ALo/s1600/praying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F9901rrt-tg/U-neWB8tXWI/AAAAAAAAFyk/qa8BLF03ALo/s1600/praying.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am a Catholic Christian and I love </span><span style="color: #999999;">my </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">non-Catholic brothers</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">and sisters in Christ.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We should be constantly praying that the Holy Spirit would reconcile the <i>invisible </i>Church into <b>one holy, catholic, apostolic, and visible Body of Christ.</b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> And by "<i>catholic"</i> I mean <b>universal</b>,<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><b>not</b> </span></i>the <b>Roman Catholic Church.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">1 Corinthians 12:12</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">(ESV)</span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: large;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">For just as</span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28630A" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28630A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">the body is one and has many members, and </span></i></span></h3>
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<span class="text 1Cor-12-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>all the members of the body, though many, are one body, </i></span></span><br />
<span class="text 1Cor-12-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28630B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28630B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>so it is with Christ.</i></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Heavenly Father,</b></span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A father holds the decapitated body </span><span style="color: #999999;">of his child. :(</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We lift up unto you our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering from persecution and certain death in Iraq. We lift up unto you the souls of the babies and children who were beheaded. We lift up unto You our sisters who have been raped and dehumanized. We lift up unto you our brothers who have been crucified and</span></i><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> taunted for their faith.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A woman killed by Islamic militants. Christians are under a sentence of death</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> in </span></span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">ISIS-controlled parts of Iraq and that includes women.</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lord God, You sent us Your Most Holy Son to die for us, in order that we may achieve salvation. We believe in Him, we put our trust in Him, we put our hope in Him. Grant that You cover our dear brothers and sisters with Your Son's Most Holy Blood. Protect them from evil, o Lord. If they cannot be freed from death, then please Lord, welcome their spirits into Your Presence. Have Mercy on them, o Lord. We beg of You.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I pray too for the Islamic militants whose hearts have been hardened by satan, and whose eyes are blinded to the Truth. I believe that nothing is impossible with You, o God. You can turn hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. You, o Lord, hold our lives in Your hands. Please, o Lord, we beg You, o God. Have Mercy on us. We pray that peace will reign even if it looks hopeless. Even if we are in the midst of so much darkness.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wZOZWAsarzs/U-nZxTpJ-WI/AAAAAAAAFyA/Wv8E_k2liz0/s1600/14075172271961_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wZOZWAsarzs/U-nZxTpJ-WI/AAAAAAAAFyA/Wv8E_k2liz0/s1600/14075172271961_700.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">All humanity owes a debt to this baby girl, to find her murderers <br />and bring them to justice, dead or alive. Let us not be<br />apathetic to her plight. Get down on our knees and pray NOW.</span></span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the midst of evil, o Lord, we trust in You. You are our Refuge and our Fortress, our God in Whom we trust. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>This we ask in the Name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You, with the Holy Spirit... ONE GOD, forever and ever.</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amen.</span></i></div>
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This is a war against <b>evil</b> and against <b>satan,</b> my <b>dear sisters in Christ</b>. This is not even against<b> Islam</b> or the<b> militants.</b> This is against the <b>Father of Lies</b> himself who wants to<i> kill, rape, humiliate, and desecrate churches,</i> in order to spite the One True God. It is satan who uses people blinded with<b> hate </b>and <b>religious fanaticism</b> to carry out his mission. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Let us not for an instant lose sight of whom we are up against.</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 6:12</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i>For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let us never lose hope. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let us continue to pray. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Together, as ONE Church, we can make a difference. </span></b></div>
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Let us unite ourselves in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters, not just in Iraq, but in all parts of the world, who are currently being persecuted, for simply believing in Jesus Christ. </div>
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As we seek for <b>earthly justice</b> to recompense for the crimes ISIS has done against humanity and against God, let us...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Above all, <i>still </i>continue to LOVE. </b></span></div>
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Let us <b>love </b>our<b> fellow Christians,</b> no matter what denomination they may belong to.</div>
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And best of all, <i>even if it <b>hurts</b></i>, even if it <i>sounds <b>stupid </b>and<b> crazy..</b>. <br />Even if every atom in our body screams for revenge... </i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Let us love and pray for our enemies. </span></b></div>
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Let us pray that satan <b>remove his bonds </b>from them in order that they stop this<b> evil </b>and see the<b> Light.</b></div>
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Let us pray that they <b>realize</b> the <b>depths of evil</b> that they are causing to their <b>fellow human beings. </b></div>
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<b>Why? </b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Because we are Christians and that is what our Christ wants us to do.</span></div>
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We are all <b>God's Children</b>, even if some have turned their hearts away from God. :(</div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Matthew 5:43-48</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-43.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>43</b></a></span><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor<span class="nivfootnote" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px;"><sup><a href="http://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/5.htm#footnotes" style="text-decoration: none;" title="Lev. 19:18">i</a></sup></span> and hate your enemy.’</span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-44.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>44</b></a></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,</span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-45.htm" style="text-decoration: none;">45</a></span></span><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-size: large;">that you may be children of your Father in heaven.</span></span></b></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> <b>He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous</b>.</span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-46.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>46</b></a></span><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?</span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> </span><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-47.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>47</b></a></span><span class="red" style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?</span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"> </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/5-48.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>48</b></a></span><span class="red" style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"><b>Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.</b></span></i></span></blockquote>
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May God have Mercy on all of us. </div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>"There is one Lord, one faith, </b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>one baptism."</b></i> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">(Ephesians 4:5)</span></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-20030507144843095442014-08-09T22:40:00.002+08:002014-08-11T11:58:13.738+08:00The Amazing Testimony of Former Atheist-turned-Christian Pastor, Howard Storm -- The Man Who Descended into Hell and Lived to Tell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzChuH-dFfU/U-YtXJsSSUI/AAAAAAAAFvI/0_PKoGsxZqU/s1600/tn_1200_10.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzChuH-dFfU/U-YtXJsSSUI/AAAAAAAAFvI/0_PKoGsxZqU/s1600/tn_1200_10.jpg.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Howard Storm's painting of the Cross. He 'died' as an atheist, and went back from Hell a renewed person and a Christian.</span></td></tr>
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Sometimes the Lord allows me to undergo a series of similar experiences and then inspires me to write about them consecutively such as when I wrote my Christian Movie series --- '<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/is-your-marriage-fireproof.html">Fireproof', </a>'<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-encourage-our-husbands-to-be-men.html">Courageous</a>' and <a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/03/jesus-take-wheel.html">'Flywheel'</a> --- earlier this year. </div>
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After watching <b><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/08/heaven-is-for-real.html">'Heaven is For Real'</a></b> and writing about it, the Lord inspired me to search more on Near Death Experiences, while also being wary to test the spirits, since NDE's do oftentimes go into anti-biblical, New Age territory. </div>
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In my research, I chanced upon what was probably the most astounding and amazing Near Death Experience of a man who was an atheist who went to hell and back. His name is <b>Howard Storm.</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYaBi3O-0g8/U-VNdoXhIkI/AAAAAAAAFtY/BohGS58lRP8/s1600/howard+storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hYaBi3O-0g8/U-VNdoXhIkI/AAAAAAAAFtY/BohGS58lRP8/s1600/howard+storm.jpg" height="200" width="139" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LInVsyiw-jQ/U-VNxaI6M5I/AAAAAAAAFtg/3G1MVBy7pPM/s1600/howard_storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LInVsyiw-jQ/U-VNxaI6M5I/AAAAAAAAFtg/3G1MVBy7pPM/s1600/howard_storm.jpg" /></a><span class="auto-style17" style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.600000381469727px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Before his near-death experience, <b>Howard Storm</b> at </span><a class="auto-style4" href="http://www.howardstorm.com/" style="color: purple; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;">www.howardstorm.com</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> was a <b>Professor of Art </b>at<b> Northern Kentucky University</b>, and was <b>not a very pleasant man by his own admission.</b> He was an </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">avowed atheist</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and was <b>hostile</b> to every form of religion and those who practiced it. He often would use </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">rage</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> to</span><b style="font-size: 11pt;"> control </b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">everyone around him and he </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">didn’t find joy </b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">in anything. Anything that wasn’t seen, touched or felt, he had </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">no faith</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> in. He knew with </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">certainty</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> that the </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">material world</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> was the </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">full extent of everything</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> that was. He considered all belief systems associated with </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">religion</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> to be </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">fantasies </b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">for people to</span><b style="font-size: 11pt;"> deceive themselves</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> with. Beyond what </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">science</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> said, there was</span><b style="font-size: 11pt;"> nothing</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> else. But then on </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">June 1, 1985,</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> at the </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">age of 38</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, Howard Storm had a </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">near-death experience </b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">due to a </span><b style="font-size: 11pt;">perforation of the stomach</b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and his life was since forever changed. His near-death experience is one of the </span><b>most profound, if not the most profound, </b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">afterlife experience I have ever documented. His life was so immensely changed after his near-death experience, he <b>resigned as a professor </b>and devoted his time attending the <b>United Theological Seminary </b>to become a <b>United Church of Christ minister.</b> </span></span><span class="style1"><span class="auto-style16" style="font-size: 11pt;">Today, <b>Howard Storm</b> is presently happily married to his wife <b>Marcia </b>and is <b>Pastor of the </b></span><a class="auto-style4" href="http://www.uccwebsites.net/covingtonucccovingtonoh.html" style="color: purple; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;"><span class="auto-style16" style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Covington United Church of Christ</b></span></a><span class="auto-style16" style="font-size: 11pt;"><b> in Covington, Ohio.</b> - </span><span class="auto-style16"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by <a href="http://www.near-death.com/storm.html">Kevin Williams</a></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Please read his astounding, awe-inspiring story<a href="http://www.near-death.com/storm.html"> here.</a>)</span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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I would not go into full detail on his amazing journey from hell and back, but something struck me in his recollection of what had transpired to him there and his conversations with Jesus and the heavenly angels while he was in the place that he said was <i>"between Heaven and Hell"</i> <i>(what we Catholics would call 'purgatory'.)</i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">This is an excerpt from that heavenly conversation with </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17"><i>"Asking them how it would be possible to change the course of many people, I observed that it was difficult, if not impossible, to change anything on Earth. I expressed the opinion that it was a hopeless task to try.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17">My friends (the angels) explained, quite clearly, that <b>all it takes to make a change was one person.</b> <b>One person, trying</b>, and then because of that, <b>another person changing for the better. </b></span></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17"><b><span style="font-size: large;">They said that the only way to change the world was to begin with one person. One will become two, which will become three, and so on. That's the only way to affect a major change.</span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17">I inquired as to where the world would be going in an optimistic, future one where some of the changes they desired were to take place.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17">The image of the future that they gave me then, and it was their image, not one that I created, surprised me. My image had previously been sort of like <b>Star Wars,</b> where everything was space age, plastics, and technology.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></i></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Howard's vision of the future is NOT what is going to happen.</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="auto-style17">The future that they showed me was almost no technology at all. What everybody, absolutely everybody, in this euphoric future spent most of their time doing was raising children. The chief concern of people was children, and everybody considered children to be the most precious commodity in the world."</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></b></span></i></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Howard Storm painting </span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;">In the future, the most precious 'commodity' will be children and people will live in a very natural setting</span><span style="color: #cccccc; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And when he talked to Jesus, this was what</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> the Lord told him: </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wB-Ofjz4Kdg/U-YqXXRelmI/AAAAAAAAFuA/ZaIRILtlEpc/s1600/howard+painting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wB-Ofjz4Kdg/U-YqXXRelmI/AAAAAAAAFuA/ZaIRILtlEpc/s1600/howard+painting1.jpg" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Howard Storm's painting of Jesus</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“When He [Jesus] told me that I had to come back to the world and I was trying to convince him not to send me back…, I asked Him what would I do if I came back… Before He had a chance to answer, I said, 'You know I am an artist and I would like to build a shrine for You… I would make this shrine so big and beautiful and bizarre that people would come from all over the world out of curiosity to see what it was about. And what they would find was it would be about You. And that would make them think about You. That’s what I would like to do if I came back'.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He said, "I would rather you didn’t do that".</i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #999999;"> Howard Storm</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And I said, "</i></span><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WHAT?!! People have been building shrines to You forever. There are lots of shrines. Why can’t I build a shrine? I would like to build a shrine."</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He said "You spent so much of your life hiding out in the studio, avoiding people, I would prefer it if you didn’t avoid people by building this big shrine… I don’t really care about shrines. People like to build shrines. I understand that. It makes them feel good. It does absolutely nothing for me or for God. We don’t have any use for them whatsoever. If that’s what amuses you, I guess that’s what you gotta do. But don’t do it for me. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking it’s something I want or need, because I don’t".</i></span></blockquote>
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<i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m like, "OK, You shot down my idea, what’s Your idea of what would I do"?</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“And He said, "</i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Love the person that you’re with</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">".<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWdqXJ6AQfQ/U-YrYvNpBrI/AAAAAAAAFuY/8uWpIlBNpkM/s1600/tn_1200_05.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWdqXJ6AQfQ/U-YrYvNpBrI/AAAAAAAAFuY/8uWpIlBNpkM/s1600/tn_1200_05.jpg.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">Howard Storm painting of a radiant Jesus</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And I said, "OK, great, I’ll do that. No problem. What do You want me to do"?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He said, "I just told you what I want you to do: </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Love the person that you’re with".</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And I said, "</i></span><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yeah, but after I do that, what do You really want me to do"?</i></div>
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<i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“No, that is what I want you to do: </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Love the person that you’re with</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">".</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I said well, that’s simple enough, that’s easy, I can do that.</i></span></div>
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<i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And he said, "Oh really. Well, that’s what</i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> I</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> want you to do. </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>That’s enough</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">".</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></i></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And I said, "How is it enough"?</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He said, </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>"If you do that, you’ll change the world".</b></i></span></div>
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<blockquote style="background-color: white; border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); line-height: 21.450000762939453px; margin-bottom: 0.85em; margin-top: 0.85em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And I said, "Oh, You want me to change the world"?!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>"Exactly, that’s why I put you in the world in the first place: to change the world... </b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>The way that I want you to change the world is by loving the person you are with".</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Wait a minute, that’s a </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>contradiction.</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> You want me to </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>change the world </b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">but You just want me to </i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>love the person I’m with</b></i><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">?</i></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xlq1HqrQoyM/U-Yqp13D6wI/AAAAAAAAFuI/o8QjKCb2aVU/s1600/tn_1200_Every_Knee_Shall_bow_.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xlq1HqrQoyM/U-Yqp13D6wI/AAAAAAAAFuI/o8QjKCb2aVU/s1600/tn_1200_Every_Knee_Shall_bow_.jpg.jpg" height="289" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">"Every Knee Shall Bow" painting by Howard Storm</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></i></span></span><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;">“</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes, that’s the plan; that’s The Big Plan</span><span style="font-size: large;">…</span></i></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><i style="border: 0px rgb(225, 225, 225); font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you love the person that you’re with, then they will go out and love the person that they’re with, and they will go out and love the person they’re with and it will be like a chain reaction and love will conquer the world and everyone will love one another. That’s God’s Big Plan."</i></b></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vjuAQ0iGgCU/U-VVi1HdRPI/AAAAAAAAFtw/awRxZ8X0mag/s1600/howard+marcia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vjuAQ0iGgCU/U-VVi1HdRPI/AAAAAAAAFtw/awRxZ8X0mag/s1600/howard+marcia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With his second wife, Marcia, together they serve</span><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="color: #999999;">God's </span><span style="color: #999999;">Kingdom. </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">His first wife, an atheist, left him </span><span style="color: #999999;">after he emerged a (new) believer </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">of God, following </span><span style="color: #999999;">his </span><span style="color: #999999;">spiritual experience with the Divine.</span><br />
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"Double-atheist" Howard Storm quit his high-salaried and prominent job as an art professor in the university he was working for, and then went into the seminary to become a minister after his faith experience. Skeptics and cynics alike can raise eyebrows on a LOT of what he's said, but for me, <b>the proof is in the pudding.</b></div>
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Nothing witnesses more greatly than a life <b>totally TRANSFORMED</b> in obedience to the commandments of our Lord; and Reverend Howard Storm's life now as a Christian is so full of<b> love and compassion</b>, <i>(which he admitted he had none of before when he had his career and himself as god) </i>that it cannot be attributed to anyone other than to <b>God Himself.</b></div>
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The Lord singled out some messages for me, from Howard's testimony. <i>(I have been reading almost all of the pages in Google on Howard Storm, for the past two days.) </i>And this is what I felt led to write about today, and which touched me greatly from having researched on his supernatural, extraordinary spiritual experience:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> CHILDREN <i>and</i> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">LOVE.</span></div>
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The Lord changed me and made me into a new person on <b>September 1, 2013</b>. I didn't have a near-death experience like Howard Storm, but I did experience a string of <b>highly stressful </b>events that shook me to my very core. I was <b>so broken</b> during that time, and I asked the Lord to help me. In my despair, He saved me, the Spirit convicted me of my many sins, I repented; and life has never been the same! Since that time, I have <b>totally let go and let God.</b> I <b>fully submitted to the Lord</b> and after that, I <b>submitted also </b>to my earthly authority, <b>my husband Dong.</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Isaiah 66:2</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.</span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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Since that time too, I have been taking <b>seriously,</b> my roles as a <b>wife</b> and <b>mother, </b>and find inspiration and direction too from these Bible verses:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L7uW1j0PE2U/U-Yt3jkaZ2I/AAAAAAAAFvQ/r22na9gNxfk/s1600/nikka+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L7uW1j0PE2U/U-Yt3jkaZ2I/AAAAAAAAFvQ/r22na9gNxfk/s1600/nikka+cooking.jpg" height="152" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Titus 2:4-5 part</span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Titus-2-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">"....to love their husbands and children,</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> </span><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-NIV-29914" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>to be self-controlled<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> and pure, to be busy at home,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914E" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914F" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> so that no one will malign the word of God."</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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How wonderful to know a future wherein the people's major assets are <b>children</b>!!! :) In these modern <strike>evil </strike>times where children are viewed as a <b>hassle,</b> a <b>burden </b>and a <b>chore</b>; the Lord wants to remind us that children are <b>His most precious treasures</b>; and that in the far-off, highly spiritually evolved and better future, they will be considered as such.<br />
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Psalm 127:3-5</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;">(NIV)</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Ps-127-3" id="en-NIV-16125" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">3 Children are a<b> heritage </b>from the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">offspring a<b> reward</b></span><b><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16125A" style="background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16125A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span></b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b> </b>from him.</span></span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
</span><span class="text Ps-127-4" id="en-NIV-16126" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"></span></i></span></span>
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<i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Ps-127-4" id="en-NIV-16126" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">4 Like<b> arrows<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16126B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16126B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> </b>in the hands of a warrior</span></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="text Ps-127-4" id="en-NIV-16126" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-127-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">are children born in one’s youth.</span></span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NIV-16127" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span></span></i></span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NIV-16127" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><i style="text-align: left;"><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NIV-16127" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"></span></i><br /></span></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NIV-16127" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">5 <b>Blessed</b> is the man</span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="text Ps-127-5" id="en-NIV-16127" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></span><span class="text Ps-127-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">whose quiver is full of them.</span></span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="text Ps-127-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">They will not be put to shame</span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></span><span class="text Ps-127-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">when they contend with their opponents<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-16127D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-16127D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in court.</span></span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QwPIeaZoE4/U-YuVnrA2pI/AAAAAAAAFvY/H3EdJ_Rf1rY/s1600/Brown+Sugar+Photography+-+Alejar+Family-14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QwPIeaZoE4/U-YuVnrA2pI/AAAAAAAAFvY/H3EdJ_Rf1rY/s1600/Brown+Sugar+Photography+-+Alejar+Family-14.JPG" height="251" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Our children are our greatest treasure. :) - the Alejars Aug 2013</span></td></tr>
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Even before my conversion, I have always professed that: <i><b>"My religion is LOVE".</b></i> I long for Christ's <b>united Church of believers</b> one day, wherein all true followers of our Lord and Savior will worship Him together, minus the<b> nasty</b> and<b> rabid accusations</b> and <b>slandering</b> that <b><i>"Christians"</i></b> usually hurl at each other. Though we differ in dogma, we all do <b>worship</b> and <b>love</b> God, so what's the problem? I find it such a <b>turn-off</b> when people claim to be the <i><b>"true Christians"</b></i> while <b>judging</b> and <b>condemning </b>others who may not hold their <b>same beliefs or doctrines. </b>Nothing is more <b>un-Christian </b>than <b>unloving, judgmental, Pharisaic people.</b> Those who do not know Christ will not find Him in those people with that kind of behavior. :(<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Wasn't it Mahatma Gandhi who said, <b style="font-style: italic;">"I like your Christ. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-style: italic;">I don't like your Christians."? </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KxglBYtSkGI/U-YsJFEgqoI/AAAAAAAAFu0/tOJOLKRPVMM/s1600/tn_1200_01.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KxglBYtSkGI/U-YsJFEgqoI/AAAAAAAAFu0/tOJOLKRPVMM/s1600/tn_1200_01.jpg.jpg" height="440" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"> Howard Storm painting<br />Jesus died for ALL of us, not just one denomination or race.</span></td></tr>
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I was blessed by this atheist-turned-Christian pastor's testimony. I pray that we do not wait for us to be near death before we realize that there really is a God, a <b>very loving God</b> Who is just there waiting for us to <b>believe in Him </b>and to <b>love Him. </b>Whether we believe it or not, <b>God loves us</b>. Whether we accept it or not, <b>Jesus had already died for us</b>. We are <b><i>all</i></b> <b>God's Children.</b> I pray that we respond to our Heavenly Father's call to <b>accept His Son</b> NOW. Not tomorrow, not when we get old and wrinkled, not when we are nearing death... but <b>N-O-W.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q6BEUFHGnGY/U-Yr-q7Ht2I/AAAAAAAAFuk/ySPdU2rmjjE/s1600/tn_1200_32E.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q6BEUFHGnGY/U-Yr-q7Ht2I/AAAAAAAAFuk/ySPdU2rmjjE/s1600/tn_1200_32E.jpg.jpg" height="335" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Howard Storm's portrayal of the Holy Trinity</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Hebrews 3:15</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Scripture says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be stubborn. </i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Don't be stubborn like those who rebelled."</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<b style="font-style: italic;">* * * * * * *</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Borrowing from Howard Storm's words as taken from Jesus, </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Let us love the person we are with, </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">and help change the world one person at a time."</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span> (Peacefulwife Philippines note: </b><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Beginning with our husbands! :</span><b style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">) </b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0fi2G8OF-ew/U-YyfgIVcEI/AAAAAAAAFvw/QNJlX0tThdQ/s1600/nikkadong2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0fi2G8OF-ew/U-YyfgIVcEI/AAAAAAAAFvw/QNJlX0tThdQ/s1600/nikkadong2.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. I write this while the ongoing monstrosity is happening at Iraq. Join me in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters being persecuted and killed by the ISIS. Let's pray too that the Lord will turn their persecutors' hardened hearts into hearts of flesh. Lord, nothing is impossible with you o Lord. Have mercy on us. We pray for Peace. Amen.</span><br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-10573926511615768452014-08-07T13:09:00.000+08:002014-08-07T22:08:59.119+08:00We Are All Daughters Of Eve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3rHt-DYDnL4/U-Gb0cPwwZI/AAAAAAAAFnM/oRtIx__cHlA/s1600/eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3rHt-DYDnL4/U-Gb0cPwwZI/AAAAAAAAFnM/oRtIx__cHlA/s1600/eve.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #999999;"> -<i> "Forbidden Fruit"</i> by Akiane Kramarik</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">"One morning I woke up earlier than usual and right away I decided to paint, but I could not find any canvas in my studio. My family was still asleep, so quietly, still in my pajamas, I searched my art closets and found one small canvas that I'd worked on a few years ago, but later gessoed it in black.</span></i></span><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After my prayer, I began painting a young woman's portrait next to a branch of fruit. </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Suddenly, I felt God say,</span></b></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> "Blend all the races, because this is </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Eve, the mother of all mankind."</span></b></span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oajQsp63CVw/U-K5sJR88RI/AAAAAAAAFpg/NTfFU_f81TA/s1600/akiane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oajQsp63CVw/U-K5sJR88RI/AAAAAAAAFpg/NTfFU_f81TA/s1600/akiane.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;"><i>Akiane, now a teenager, with her Master and Masterpiece, Jesus, "The Prince of Peace."</i></span></td></tr>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Right then and there I understood the meaning: </span></span></i></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is full of forbidden fruit : </span><span style="color: red;">red for the knowledge of evil, </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">green for the knowledge of good.</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> It was created to be tempting, fragrant, and easy to be picked. Although the fruit resembles grapes, it is not.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At first, Eve thinks that she will gain <b>wisdom</b> by biting into the fruit of knowledge but unexpectedly finds the deception as the red blood of suffering drips from the the green fruit. The knowledge of good and evil is simply too much to understand and experience for a human, and now Eve is looking up to God for forgiveness and help..." -- </i><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiane_Kramarik">Akiane Kramarik</a></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">, child prodigy, artist and poet on her masterpiece, </span><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"FORBIDDEN FRUIT." </span></i></span></blockquote>
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Fresh from my hangover of watching<i><b> '<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/">Heaven is For Real</a></b></i>', I just had to Google this amazing young lady, <b>Akiane Kramarik</b>, who claimed to have seen Jesus with his very kind<i>"sapphire eyes"</i> that were just so full of LOVE. Hers was the portrait that the young <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/kathyschiffer/2014/04/heaven-is-for-real-secrets-colton-burpo-didnt-tell-you-in-the-book-or-the-movie/">Colton Burpo</a> deemed as depictive of the Jesus Christ he himself had seen in heaven. All the pictures that his pastor father, Todd, showed him on Jesus just didn't look like Him, except for Akiane's <b><i>"The Prince of Peace"</i></b> portrait. That was spot on! </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJpvmcXLesM/U-MM48mYLhI/AAAAAAAAFtI/6z2Oenx0Cbk/s1600/heavenreal-cut-635x357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SJpvmcXLesM/U-MM48mYLhI/AAAAAAAAFtI/6z2Oenx0Cbk/s1600/heavenreal-cut-635x357.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Greg Kinnear playing Pastor Todd Burpo, with Connor Corum playing his son, Colton<br />in the true-to-life story-made-into-a-film -- 'Heaven is For Real'</span></td></tr>
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I checked out Akiane's <a href="http://www.akiane.com/store/">Gallery</a><u> </u>to view the Jesus portrait, as well as her other creations, and I found myself blown away with this girl's God-given talent. WOW!!! Simply amazing!!!! My jaw was agape the whole time that I was browsing through her creations. To borrow Oprah's line, <i>"You obviously are gifted!" </i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SqlAJkO_icU/U-LFs6OovnI/AAAAAAAAFp8/y4PkBNHc_uY/s1600/oprahakiane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SqlAJkO_icU/U-LFs6OovnI/AAAAAAAAFp8/y4PkBNHc_uY/s1600/oprahakiane.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Oprah told her, "<i>You obviously are gifted!"</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Though all her masterpieces were breathtaking <i>(She painted the "Prince of Peace", the above painting, at age <b>8</b>! I am still into stick figures at age <b>38</b>!!!),</i> the <i>"Forbidden Fruit"</i> painting <b>"called out"</b> to me. When I read her recollection on how and why she painted Eve, I felt God telling me to write about it, and so here I am writing about Eve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Akiane says, God told her to: <i style="text-align: center;"><b>"Blend all the races, because this is Eve, the mother of all mankind."</b> </i><span style="text-align: center;">If you look closely at her painting, her depiction of Eve looked Asian/Caucasian/Middle Eastern, etc... One cannot just categorize her into <b>one</b> race. She is a <b>mixture</b> of all races. Eve is, after all, the mother of all mankind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;">Let's do a quick recollection of what happened in Genesis.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Genesis 2:15-25</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Gen-2-15" id="en-NIV-46" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>The <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-46V" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-46V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></span> to work it and take care of it.</span> <span class="text Gen-2-16" id="en-NIV-47" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>And the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God commanded the man, </span></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Gen-2-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b>“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-47W" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-47W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></span></b></span><b> </b><span class="text Gen-2-17" id="en-NIV-48" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">17 </span>but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-48X" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-48X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></span>for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”</b><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-48Y" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-48Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></span></span></i></span></div>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: center;"></span></i><br />
<div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-18" id="en-NIV-49" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>The <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God said, </i></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”</span></b><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-49Z" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-49Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Gen-2-19" id="en-NIV-50" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">19 </span>Now the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-50AA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-50AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></span> and all the birds in the sky.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-50AB" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-50AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></span> He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-50AC" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-50AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></span> each living creature,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-50AD" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-50AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></span> that was its name.</span> <span class="text Gen-2-20" id="en-NIV-51" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">20 </span>So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.</span></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Gen-2-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">But for Adam no suitable helper<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-51AE" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-51AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></span> was found.</span> <span class="text Gen-2-21" id="en-NIV-52" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">21 </span>So the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-52AF" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-52AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></span> and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-52g" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-52g" title="See footnote g">g</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2%3A4-3%3A24&version=NIV#fen-NIV-52g" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote g">g</a>]</span> and then closed up the place with flesh.</span> <span class="text Gen-2-22" id="en-NIV-53" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span>Then the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> God made a woman from the rib<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-53h" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-53h" title="See footnote h">h</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2%3A4-3%3A24&version=NIV#fen-NIV-53h" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote h">h</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-53AG" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-53AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></span> he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dU-COcj-9t0/U-L30M6t6jI/AAAAAAAAFqM/RJL108QpdM4/s1600/the_first.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dU-COcj-9t0/U-L30M6t6jI/AAAAAAAAFqM/RJL108QpdM4/s1600/the_first.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Akiane's masterpiece at 15 years old - "The First"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></i></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-23" id="en-NIV-54" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>The man said,</i></span></span></div>
<div class="poetry top-05" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">“This is now bone of my bones</span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-2-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and flesh of my flesh;</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>
<span class="text Gen-2-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"></span></i></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Gen-2-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">she shall be called<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-54AI" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-54AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></span> <b>‘woman,’</b></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Gen-2-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></i></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></span><span class="text Gen-2-23" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">for <b>she was taken out of man.</b></span><b><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-54AJ" style="background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-54AJ" title="See cross-reference AJ">AJ</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">”</span></b></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
</span></i></span>
<br />
<div style="font-size: 14px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="first-line-none top-05" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -0.5em; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-24" id="en-NIV-55" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-55AK" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-55AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></span> to his wife, and they become one flesh.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-55AL" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-55AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)"></span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gen-2-25" id="en-NIV-56" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Adam and his wife were both naked,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-56AM" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-56AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></span> and they felt no shame.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; text-align: center;"><i>* * * * * * * * *</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="text-align: center;"><br /></i></span></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the Genesis story, we see that:</span></span></b></i></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) God gave Adam the full authority and responsibility to:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
a. work in the Garden and </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
b. take care of it.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2) God gave Adam very clear and specific instructions to NOT eat of the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil or else he would experience certain death <i>(particularly spiritual death and separation/independence from God).</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3) God gave Adam authority over and responsibility to name all the animals. <i>(What a chore!)</i></div>
</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IqHwZbj3Dko/U-L5_pSCP9I/AAAAAAAAFqY/HAVHDerYTvk/s1600/Power_Of_Prayer_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IqHwZbj3Dko/U-L5_pSCP9I/AAAAAAAAFqY/HAVHDerYTvk/s1600/Power_Of_Prayer_detail.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;">'The Power of Prayer' by Akiane at age 10</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-py2PXGrgpow/U-L6nUVa1QI/AAAAAAAAFqg/rn9UDjooado/s1600/hourglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-py2PXGrgpow/U-L6nUVa1QI/AAAAAAAAFqg/rn9UDjooado/s1600/hourglass.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">'The Hourglass' by Akiane also at age 10</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>And finding no suitable helper from among the hundreds of animals...</i></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4) God made Adam sleep, took a rib from him and made a woman from that rib, and then brought her to him.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5) Woman means <i>"bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh... taken out of man."</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
6) This was the FIRST MARRIAGE -- <i>"Adam and his wife"</i> -- the ideal marriage. <i>"This is the reason a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become ONE FLESH." (Though Adam and Eve obviously, of course, did not have earthly parents. :)</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7) <b>God's Design for Marriage</b> is between <b>Man and Woman</b>, and the two shall become <b>ONE.</b></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8) Man and Woman were naked but they felt no shame. They were both in their birthday suits!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
* * * * * * *</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, we now know that Adam was IN CHARGE of the Garden. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We also know that it was his duty to protect the Garden and everything that was in it, including his new helper -- his wife, Eve.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>The series of events that led to the Fall of Man could be credited to the devil's cunningness and Adam's inability to protect and lead his wife. <i>(At this time, she still didn't have a name, just <b>"Woman"</b>). </i>The Fall of Man could also be credited to the Woman's selfish desire to move independently of her husband who was tasked to be her protector and head.</span><br />
<div>
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</span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What happened?</span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let's continue with the Bible verses...</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">GENESIS 3:3-13</b></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, <b>“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”</b></i></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”</i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”</b></i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i></i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”</i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”</i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”</i></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>____________________________________________________________________</i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">So we now know that:</span></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
The serpent/devil went straight to the Woman. It did not go to Adam but to his wife, with whom it spewed out questions and statements of deceptions and lies, which the Woman, by nature of her vulnerability, easily lapped up.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Question number 1: (A Trick Question/Deceiving Question)</span></b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> <b>“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from<span style="font-size: large;"> any </span>tree in the garden’?”</b></i></span></blockquote>
Eve answered it correctly though when she said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>“We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden</b>, 3 but God did say, ‘<b>You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”</b></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Statement number 1: (A Flat-Out Lie!!!)</span></b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>4 “You will not certainly die,”</b> the serpent said to the woman. <b>5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”</b></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>And how did the Woman respond?</b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
She was tempted by the promise of eye-opening knowledge, that would make her like God because the fruit of the tree was:</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"></span></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">a. good for food </i></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">
</span></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">b. pleasing to the eye, and </i></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">
</span></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">c. desirable for gaining wisdom...</i></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OE1biaZ3rVo/U-L_gdyWQnI/AAAAAAAAFrU/azfWWb2WuDo/s1600/eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OE1biaZ3rVo/U-L_gdyWQnI/AAAAAAAAFrU/azfWWb2WuDo/s1600/eve.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So... she bit into the forbidden fruit. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">She bit into satan's bait! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And she was not content biting into it alone; she involved her husband as well!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, I do not know where Adam was the whole time, but I am assuming he was not present while the whole conversation with the serpent was going on. However, when his wife offered him a bite, without questioning her or her wrong decision, he bit into it too! Yikes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Knowing what we know that:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1) Adam was in charge of the Garden -- to work in it and to protect it.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2) He was the one given instructions by God Himself regarding that forbidden tree.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3) Woman was made from his own rib to be his helper, and he had the responsibility to tell her about God's Rules, and yet...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4) He followed Woman and defied God...</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_cPEoiV01k/U-MBvB4ECjI/AAAAAAAAFrw/0U2bmtgSk7U/s1600/Tomorrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_cPEoiV01k/U-MBvB4ECjI/AAAAAAAAFrw/0U2bmtgSk7U/s1600/Tomorrow.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">'Tomorrow' by Akiane at age 17</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">They were both in deep trouble.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">They were disobedient! :(</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
They had ALL the fruits their tummies could eat, and yet they still chose to eat of that one fruit that was NOT ALLOWED, and so, by way of Command Responsibility, God asked Adam first <i>(even if it was the Woman who sinned first) --</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”</span></i></div>
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<div style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And when Adam gave God the <i>"we're naked"</i> reason, God knew that they had disobeyed His Commandment! Adam quickly put the blame on the Woman:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>12 “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”</i></span></span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz6rzzBj2E4/U-MAqODV19I/AAAAAAAAFrg/afRUg5kO4QU/s1600/footsteps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qz6rzzBj2E4/U-MAqODV19I/AAAAAAAAFrg/afRUg5kO4QU/s1600/footsteps.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Footsteps of Eternity by Akiane at age 13</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Only then did the Lord God address the Woman:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">13 “What is this you have done?”</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Woman's answer?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: large;">“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We do not hear of God asking the serpent why it did what it did, because it was the devil's nature to lie just as Jesus Christ said in the New Testament: </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpfXg-I0gVc/U-MBNAqlcSI/AAAAAAAAFro/g9oc_As747s/s1600/spiritual+flow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpfXg-I0gVc/U-MBNAqlcSI/AAAAAAAAFro/g9oc_As747s/s1600/spiritual+flow.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">"Spiritual Flow" by Akiane at age 16</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">John 8:44</span></b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"></span></span><span class="text John-8-44" id="en-NIV-26426" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">44 </span>You belong to your father, the devil,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26426A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26426A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> and you want to carry out your father’s desires.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26426B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26426B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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The murder Jesus was referring to was the murder of Abel in the hands of Cain -- Adam and Eve's first children. Their sin of disobedience and pride gave birth to other sins. But that's getting ahead of the story and just an aside...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * *</div>
<br />
After the Woman gave her excuse on why she ate of the fruit, the Holy and Almighty God proceeded with His Curses/Punishments for all involved:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1) THE SERPENT'S CURSE</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Genesis 3:14-15</b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">14 “Because you have done this,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">“Cursed are you above all livestock</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and all wild animals!</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">You will crawl on your belly</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and you will eat dust</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">all the days of your life.15 </span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">And I will put enmity</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">between you and the woman,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and between your offspring and hers;</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">he will crush your head,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and you will strike his heel.”</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b>2) THE WOMAN'S CURSE<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6-9EXejILDs/U-L82bKh2OI/AAAAAAAAFq4/48tF-mU3wbo/s1600/separation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6-9EXejILDs/U-L82bKh2OI/AAAAAAAAFq4/48tF-mU3wbo/s1600/separation.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">'Separation' by Akiane at age 11</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b>Genesis 3:16</b></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">with painful labor you will give birth to children.</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">Your desire will be for your husband,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and he will rule over you.”</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">3) ADAM'S CURSE </span></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJCTVWgpks/U-L74u4UygI/AAAAAAAAFqs/AOWGPkPx0xY/s1600/paint_DivineKnowledge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhJCTVWgpks/U-L74u4UygI/AAAAAAAAFqs/AOWGPkPx0xY/s1600/paint_DivineKnowledge.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: xx-small;">"Divine Knowledge" by Akiane at age 11</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 3:17-19</span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">17 “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">“Cursed is the ground because of you;</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">through painful toil you will eat food from it</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">all the days of your life. 18 </span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">It will produce thorns and thistles for you,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 </span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">By the sweat of your brow</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">you will eat your food</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">until you return to the ground,</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">since from it you were taken;</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">for dust you are</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;">and to dust you will return.”</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-style: italic; text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
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___________________________________________________________________</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">We are all still living under these curses. :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Men/Husbands have to:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1) Work/Toil in order to live or make a living</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(because he listened to his wife (!) and ate the fruit he was commanded by God <b>not </b>to eat!)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Women/Wives have:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1) Pain in labor/childbirth</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2) A desire to control their husbands but the husbands will still rule over them.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>(because she did not follow her husband and went out of his protection/leadership -- it was implied that Adam told the Woman about the Forbidden Fruit being the "manager" of the whole Garden)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>But we do not have to live under the curse, my sisters in Christ!</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>With Jesus, there is no condemnation! :)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzrxRbwh-Tk/U-L-S8QXZ4I/AAAAAAAAFrE/Qn10eDMN478/s1600/prince+of+peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzrxRbwh-Tk/U-L-S8QXZ4I/AAAAAAAAFrE/Qn10eDMN478/s1600/prince+of+peace.jpg" height="400" width="299" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Akiane's most famous Masterpiece, 'The Prince of Peace' - age 8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">John 8:44</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>So that now, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, Jesus, </i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Biblical Submission frees us from the Curse.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus submitted fully to the Father all the way to His Death on the Cross.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We are called to follow His Example and<b> submit ourselves fully </b>too <b>to the Will of the Father. </b>We were <b>not designed to live independently of God,</b> but because our First Parents disobeyed God, we all were born spiritually dead. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But, we don't have to live like <b>zombies</b> or the <b>walking dead</b>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When we accept <b>Jesus Christ</b> as our <b>Lord and Savior </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>(Him Who died for us in our place, in order that we may have eternal life)</i>, we become <b>spiritually alive</b> again!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkdfZ1leRt4/U-L-_rQHAOI/AAAAAAAAFrM/W0D028ZZK6c/s1600/Detail_I_AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkdfZ1leRt4/U-L-_rQHAOI/AAAAAAAAFrM/W0D028ZZK6c/s1600/Detail_I_AM.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">"I AM" by Akiane at age 17</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Galatians 2:20 </span></b></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.</i></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">When we submit to God fully and die to ourselves, paradoxically, we become fully alive!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Col 3:3</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: center;"> * * * * * * * * * * * *</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">CURSES can turn into BLESSINGS, once we accept with all humility that <i>without</i> God, we are NOTHING -- but <i>with </i>Christ, we can do all things! <a href="http://biblehub.com/philippians/4-13.htm">(Phil 4:13)</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">TURNING CURSES INTO BLESSINGS:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">1) <b>Man's Curse:</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VJrnNX0Ddi0/U-MFO438ijI/AAAAAAAAFsY/AkuQe-5RVWA/s1600/Detail_The_Right_Turn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VJrnNX0Ddi0/U-MFO438ijI/AAAAAAAAFsY/AkuQe-5RVWA/s1600/Detail_The_Right_Turn.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'The Right Turn' by Akiane at age 17</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>CURSE: </b> toiling the land or working hard in order to support oneself/one's family </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>BLESSING:</b> a sense of fulfillment as <b>PROVIDER/PROTECTOR.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>1 Timothy 5:8 </b></span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>But those who won't care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">2) <b>Woman's Curse: </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IeJcOVqrcGs/U-MEga6zaSI/AAAAAAAAFsM/UZnDSsbj-lg/s1600/MotherMary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IeJcOVqrcGs/U-MEga6zaSI/AAAAAAAAFsM/UZnDSsbj-lg/s1600/MotherMary.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'Mother's Love' - a painting of Mama Mary with the Child Jesus, <br />by Akiane at age 11</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>CURSE:</b> pain in labor and childbirth </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><b>BLESSING:</b> a sense of fulfillment as <b>NURTURER.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Timothy 2:15</span></b></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i>Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 20px;">
</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">3) <b>Man and Woman's or</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Husband and Wife's Curse:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJjaoc-sBKs/U-MGAa-I_hI/AAAAAAAAFsg/jj2DMYhor_s/s1600/akiane+painting+the+code.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XJjaoc-sBKs/U-MGAa-I_hI/AAAAAAAAFsg/jj2DMYhor_s/s1600/akiane+painting+the+code.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'The Code' by Akiane at age 16</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
The curse of the<b> power struggle</b> or the <b>quest for control</b> is abated once we <b>accept Jesus </b>and <b>follow His Commandments</b> to us (husbands and) wives.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b>CURSE:</b> Woman wants to domineer Man. </div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
But the <b>curse</b> can be '<b>broken' </b>if both (Man and )Woman follow Jesus' Commandments!</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">TO THE MAN/HUSBAND:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1 Peter 3:7</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>...you <b>husbands</b> must give<b> honor</b> to your wives.<b> Treat your wife with understanding</b> as you live together. She may be <b>weaker </b>than you are, but she is your <b>equal partner in God's gift of new life</b>. Treat her as you should so your <b>prayers will not be hindered</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><b>.</b></span></span></blockquote>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #cc0000;">TO THE WOMAN/WIFE:</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 5:22-24</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span><b>Wives</b>,<b> submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b> </b></span><span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the <b>husband is the head of the wife </b>as <b>Christ is the head of the church</b>,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29328C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> </span><span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now <b>as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29329D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in everything</b>.</span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMzbSRnlkbU/U-MEJEKs-vI/AAAAAAAAFsE/KRGeF01VqXQ/s1600/Detail_Love_Is_Never_Alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lMzbSRnlkbU/U-MEJEKs-vI/AAAAAAAAFsE/KRGeF01VqXQ/s1600/Detail_Love_Is_Never_Alone.jpg" height="227" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'Love is Never Alone' by Akiane at age 13</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I believe this is the only 'CURSE' that has <b>no fulfillment</b> in and of itself, unless we go <i><b>against</b> </i>our <b>accursed natures</b>, <b>let go of the desire to CONTROL</b> our husbands, <b>acquiesce to their headship</b>, and <b>let God's Rules rule in our homes</b>. </span></div>
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It was <b>God's Design</b> all along -- that <b>Woman</b> be the <b>helper/supporter/helpmeet of Man</b>, and that <b>Man </b>would be the <b>provider/protector/leader of Woman</b>. Man was really designed to "rule" over his wife --<b> not as a tyrant</b> (!) but as a <b>selfless servant-leader</b> who <b>treasures God's gift </b>to him, the one <b>created to be his helpmeet...</b> his <i>wife.</i></div>
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Man should never dominate or force a Woman into submission. He should be as Christ was to His Church -- loving and willing to die for his beloved. Only then could a marriage reflect the true mystery of a covenantal marriage. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once the wife accepts joyfully her <span style="text-align: center;">God-given roles as supporter, helper, nurturer and encourager AND submits to her husband, t</span><span style="text-align: center;">he </span><b style="text-align: center;">BLESSING</b><span style="text-align: center;"> is a peaceful, joyful and godly marriage (and family life). </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fi6-321qaQ/U-MCkCyQq2I/AAAAAAAAFr4/pCxd7JSTikQ/s1600/family+pic+tita+delia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Fi6-321qaQ/U-MCkCyQq2I/AAAAAAAAFr4/pCxd7JSTikQ/s1600/family+pic+tita+delia.jpg" height="271" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">This is NOT an Akiane painting. Haha!<br />The Alejars - January 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In ending....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Genesis 3:20-21 </b></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>We are all DAUGHTERS OF EVE.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Though our First Mother fell into sin, we need not <i>stay</i> in Sin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">All we need to do is to follow the <b>New Adam </b>--<b> Jesus Christ.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ARxPwFAs05g/U-MHgMlOqdI/AAAAAAAAFss/b5fASARKPVQ/s1600/father+forgive+them.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ARxPwFAs05g/U-MHgMlOqdI/AAAAAAAAFss/b5fASARKPVQ/s1600/father+forgive+them.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'Father, Forgive Them' by Akiane at age 9</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Romans 5:17-18</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;">1</span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7 </span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For if, by the trespass of the one man, death<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28065I" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28065I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28065J" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28065J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span> through the one man, Jesus Christ!</span></i><span class="text Rom-5-18" id="en-NIV-28066" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28066K" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28066K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> so also one righteous act resulted in justification<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28066L" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28066L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span> and life<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28066M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28066M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span> for all people.</span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And just as the Lord God covered our First Parents in their humiliating nakedness with garments of skin, so too shall our Loving Father also cover us in this valley of tears, with His Son's Most Precious Blood. With Jesus, there is no condemnation. With Jesus, there is only love and acceptance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Accept Jesus' Call today!</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxABqxG_Ydc/U-MIZgas5ZI/AAAAAAAAFs0/r25S6WSTDE0/s1600/Dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxABqxG_Ydc/U-MIZgas5ZI/AAAAAAAAFs0/r25S6WSTDE0/s1600/Dreams.jpg" height="311" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">'Dreams' by Akiane at age 10</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">You, my dear sister, are not just the <b>daughter of Eve... </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">You are the <b>daughter of a King --</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>The</i><b> King of Kings</b>!!! :)</span></div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 Corinthians 6:18</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text 2Cor-6-18" id="en-NASB-28917" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">“<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-28917A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-28917A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>And I will be a father to you,</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text 2Cor-6-18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">And you shall be (<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-28917B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NASB-28917B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>sons and) daughters to Me,”</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text 2Cor-6-18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Says the Lord Almighty</span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jPgsiXdgn7c/U-MJI8vHjnI/AAAAAAAAFs8/hb7lv30KjaE/s1600/akiane_gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jPgsiXdgn7c/U-MJI8vHjnI/AAAAAAAAFs8/hb7lv30KjaE/s1600/akiane_gallery.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Akiane at age 12, painting 'Inspiration'.<br />I hope all her paintings here inspired you, as they have inspired me. :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></span></span> May we all be richly blessed! :)<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="text-align: center;"><br /></i></span>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-18882055928652238562014-08-06T13:53:00.001+08:002014-08-07T08:11:52.430+08:00Heaven Is For Real<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PTd-SVo8NKQ/U-GdHaBV9JI/AAAAAAAAFnY/KkXjopPT314/s1600/akiane+heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PTd-SVo8NKQ/U-GdHaBV9JI/AAAAAAAAFnY/KkXjopPT314/s1600/akiane+heaven.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #999999;"><b>"Supreme Sanctuary" -- </b>painted by child prodigy, </span><span style="color: #999999;"><b>Akiane Kramarik. </b>She said that it was impossible for her to capture the colors</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">that existed in Heaven because of their uniqueness. They are not of this world. For the complete Akiane Gallery, please click <a href="http://www.akiane.com/store/">here.</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Matthew 22:30</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;</span></i></span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><i>they will be like the angels in heaven.</i></span></span></span></div>
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Dong, the older kids, and I just finished watching the movie, <b><i>"Heaven Is For Real".</i></b> Though to Dong and I, the film left <b>much to be desired</b> in emphasizing the <i>gospel message,</i> we believe that it would be <b>effective</b> in making non-believers think about the <b>truth</b> of the <b>existence of heaven.</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What really is heaven and what happens in heaven?</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnswHHXhg-I/U-Gp-5UTBpI/AAAAAAAAFn8/zKyDPlGgwbk/s1600/heaven+is+for+real.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnswHHXhg-I/U-Gp-5UTBpI/AAAAAAAAFn8/zKyDPlGgwbk/s1600/heaven+is+for+real.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">The movie is based on Colton's pastor dad, Todd Burpo's recalling </span><span style="color: #999999;">of the </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">supernatural experience his son had as a young 4-year old.</span></td></tr>
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According to <b><a href="http://blog.godreports.com/2011/11/for-the-burpo-family-%E2%80%98heaven-is-for-real%E2%80%99/">Colton Burpo</a></b>, the boy who almost died from a ruptured appendix, and who claimed to have gone to heaven during the difficult ordeal: <span style="color: #0b5394;">"<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Jesus and some angels came and flew me up to heaven....</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I knew that the first person I saw was Jesus. He was wearing white robes with a purple sash and He just came down nicely and gracefully... </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I was in the throne room of God to start with, so I got to see what that looked like. I was upset because I didn’t know what was happening. What God did was He used people or things that I liked to calm me down. From then on I felt better...</span></i>" </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Colton recalled too, that he could always hear people singing in heaven and he always felt God’s love everywhere.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llhTwUcWIjk/U-GqOhIjvfI/AAAAAAAAFoE/ThyWej-DJwY/s1600/colton2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llhTwUcWIjk/U-GqOhIjvfI/AAAAAAAAFoE/ThyWej-DJwY/s1600/colton2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Colton now</span></td></tr>
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Aside from seeing his grandpa in his young-man state, and his elder miscarried sister in her young-girl state, Colton also saw Jesus. None of the pictures his dad showed to him on Jesus looked <b>"right"</b>, though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XLnDcwLyGgE/U-GonnYzTyI/AAAAAAAAFno/9BHG_h8t7G0/s1600/akiane+jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XLnDcwLyGgE/U-GonnYzTyI/AAAAAAAAFno/9BHG_h8t7G0/s1600/akiane+jesus.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Child wonder, Akiane Kramarik, with her portrait </span><span style="color: #999999;">of Jesus. </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">She was just 8 when she made this.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hJrn4yd5d-o/U-GqfqGo0wI/AAAAAAAAFoM/wF34B5mMHjk/s1600/akiane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hJrn4yd5d-o/U-GqfqGo0wI/AAAAAAAAFoM/wF34B5mMHjk/s1600/akiane.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Akiane now, with the "Prince of Peace".</span></td></tr>
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That was until he saw <b><a href="http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/loris-centiments/2012/feb/23/akiane-speaks-heaven-and-paintings-twtc-interview/">Akiane Kramarik</a></b>'s beautiful portrait of our Lord, whom she also claimed to have seen in heaven, from her own visions as a little girl. Colton finally found the accurate image of the Jesus that he himself had seen in heaven.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XT5CTZ96pqE/U-Gymdyh0WI/AAAAAAAAFok/0PwOYzWprao/s1600/polls_paint_forgivethem_4618_955975_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XT5CTZ96pqE/U-Gymdyh0WI/AAAAAAAAFok/0PwOYzWprao/s1600/polls_paint_forgivethem_4618_955975_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"<span style="color: #999999;">Father Forgive Them" - Akiane's parents</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">supposedly converted to Christianity because</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">of their daughter's experiences with the divine.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Both <b>Akiane</b> and <b>Colton</b> were struck by the <b>beauty of Jesus’ eyes</b>. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">It may seem </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">surprising</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"> to some that Colton and Akiane recall Jesus with </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">blue-green eyes</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"> since He was a Jew; and Jews usually have brown eyes, but that was what they saw....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>“All I remember were the eyes,”</i> </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Akiane says,</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <i><span style="color: #38761d;">“and they were like no other colors that were ever created. The closest color I can depict through paints is a </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>sapphire hue.</b>”</span></i><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Colton identified the color of Jesus’ eyes as<b> <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><i>blue-green</i>.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Says Colton: <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Jesus’ eyes are just so pretty."</span></span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNTKWUntrPk/U-LEAEAPNjI/AAAAAAAAFpw/wdPZ8V-2uN8/s1600/akiane+burpo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNTKWUntrPk/U-LEAEAPNjI/AAAAAAAAFpw/wdPZ8V-2uN8/s1600/akiane+burpo.jpg" height="163" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Akiane with Colton -- Both claim to have seen Jesus and Heaven.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Akiane’s discovery of God seems remarkably personal, having grown up in an atheist home. <i><span style="color: #38761d;">“Since nobody told me who God was, I found God myself. He’s been there for me through the years. I don’t belong to any denomination or religion. I belong to God.”</span></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D9S9PwZnDko/U-GyXsCvZZI/AAAAAAAAFoc/TzXM9lOLnHE/s1600/i+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D9S9PwZnDko/U-GyXsCvZZI/AAAAAAAAFoc/TzXM9lOLnHE/s1600/i+am.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With her painting, "I AM."</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">Akiane claims her talent is from God.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To eliminate any confusion, however, Jesus is first in her mind. <i><b style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">“He is the only way to God — the only way to heaven and joy,” </span></b>she states.</i><i style="color: #38761d;"> “My personal views on Jesus have only matured and deepened since age 4. As I grow I see how vast and unlimited His love is.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i style="color: #38761d;">“Jesus remains my highest authority, love, and God,” </i>she adds. <i style="color: #38761d;">“I pray every day that people will one day follow Jesus, His teachings and feel His love.”</i></b></span></div>
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While I cannot know for sure if these two individuals <i>really </i>saw Heaven, <i>(This post was not written to contest them or their claims.)</i> their <b>incredible</b> and <b>amazing statements </b>just make me <b>excited</b> to see and reach Heaven too <i>(although I pray, not yet soon, because I still have four little ones to nurture, and a husband to help and to serve.)</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">But I do believe that there is a heaven, and it is reserved for those who love God and follow His Commandments.</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OkHQm-eUXw/U-G_vaihbyI/AAAAAAAAFpE/o_337qGiwWc/s1600/heaven2-e1379729464516-300x232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OkHQm-eUXw/U-G_vaihbyI/AAAAAAAAFpE/o_337qGiwWc/s1600/heaven2-e1379729464516-300x232.jpg" height="309" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">John 14:2-4</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="versetext" id="joh14-2" style="display: inline; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">2</span> <span class="WordsOfChrist">In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a>to prepare a place for you.</span> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-3" style="display: inline; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">3</span> <span class="WordsOfChrist">And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="2"></a> and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="3"></a></span> </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: start;"></span><span class="versetext" id="joh14-4" style="display: inline; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;">4</span> <span class="WordsOfChrist">You know the way to the place where I am going."</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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Akiane's prayer is my prayer too: </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">That people will one day follow Jesus and His Teachings, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">and feel His Love.</span></b></div>
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Among Jesus' Teachings that I pray women will follow, is the teaching specifically directed towards us Christian wives who want to follow Christ in our marriages, which is found in this verse:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"> <b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 5:22-33</span></b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><b> </b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">New International Version (NIV)</span></b></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: large;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span>Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327B" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29328C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29329D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in everything.</span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: large;">
</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Husbands, love your wives,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330F" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-26" id="en-NIV-29331" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>to make her holy,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> cleansing<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29331a" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29331a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29331a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> her by the washing<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331H" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span> with water through the word,</span><span class="text Eph-5-27" id="en-NIV-29332" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>and to present her to himself<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332I" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332J" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-28" id="en-NIV-29333" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29333K" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29333K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-29" id="en-NIV-29334" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—</span> <span class="text Eph-5-30" id="en-NIV-29335" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">30 </span>for we are members of his body.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29335L" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29335L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">31 </span>“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29336b" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29336b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29336b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: large;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29336M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29336M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Eph-5-32" id="en-NIV-29337" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.</span></span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span><span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: yellow; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, each one of you also must love his wife<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29338N" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29338N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></span> as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">
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While it is a bummer to no longer be married to Dong when we are both in Heaven, as the Bible passage at the top of this post points out; I want to encourage fellow wives out there reading this blog, that <b>we don't need to wait to all go to Heaven</b> in order to <b>experience heaven.</b><br />
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We can make our stay here on earth <b>a little glimpse of heaven </b>by following Christ's Commandment for us wives to<b> submit</b> to the headship of our husbands.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">It is possible! </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">It can be achieved! </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">All it takes is a LOT of dying to self, humility and </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">total submission to the Will of God. </span></b></div>
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We can never experience <b>perfect peace and joy</b> in <b>this side of heaven,</b> that is for sure, but following <b>God's Design for Marriage</b> and <b>His Precepts </b>on what a <b>godly marriage</b> is -- where the <b>husband is the leader</b> and the <b>wife is the follower --</b> and where both the husband and wife are <b>focused on Jesus</b> and <b>fully submitted to God</b>, can surely make any <b>earthly</b> marriage, <b><i>heavenly.</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Heaven is for real... </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and a heavenly marriage is [for real] too. :)</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAuNrSjJpQg/U-HBV-KR9QI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/XkMfAZOkKQk/s1600/dong+nikka+wedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zAuNrSjJpQg/U-HBV-KR9QI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/XkMfAZOkKQk/s1600/dong+nikka+wedding.jpg" height="320" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I never thought I could have this much peace or joy <i>ever.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">It was only when I fully submitted to God, then to my husband, </span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">that I began to experience a godly marriage which</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">has trickled on and permeated all areas of my Christian life.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">My prayer is for every Christian wife to experience what it is</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">to have a heavenly marriage as well. </span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">As the song goes "Heaven is a place on earth." :D</span></td></tr>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-19498676603090548272014-08-03T07:51:00.000+08:002014-08-03T09:23:11.880+08:00Are You the One Wearing the Pants in the Marriage?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sURfrUfRbzQ/U910hi7_rkI/AAAAAAAAFlc/RtWOo3B-R5A/s1600/tahanan+mo+tahanan+natin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sURfrUfRbzQ/U910hi7_rkI/AAAAAAAAFlc/RtWOo3B-R5A/s1600/tahanan+mo+tahanan+natin.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I used to LOVE wearing pants both figuratively and literally.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;">I have since <b>traded </b>them for<b> skirts</b>, figuratively and literally. :)</span></td></tr>
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I don't know about you, but I am <b>SUPER</b> <b>girly!<i> </i>:</b>)</div>
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I love<i> being</i> <b>feminine.</b></div>
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I love <i>looking </i><b>feminine.</b></div>
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I thank God for making me a <b>woman</b>! :)</div>
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But, before the Lord convicted me of my sins of <b>pride</b> and <b>rebellion</b>,</div>
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I was the one<b><span style="font-size: large;"> wearing the pants in the relationship</span></b>, or at least<br />
I <b><i>insisted</i></b> on wearing the pants! </div>
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<i>(Dong still had his pants on though, but I was pulling them off of him all the time during my most controlling years. </i><i>I am talking <b>figuratively</b>, by the way!!!)</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J9gDt0-fSJU/U91lhEHAloI/AAAAAAAAFkY/X3pN96JKGik/s1600/controlling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J9gDt0-fSJU/U91lhEHAloI/AAAAAAAAFkY/X3pN96JKGik/s1600/controlling.jpg" height="320" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">2011</span></td></tr>
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Suffice to say, I felt <b>SO masculated.</b></div>
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I felt <b>SO manly.</b></div>
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I felt <b>SO unfeminine.</b><br />
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And I<b> hated</b> it. :(<br />
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I was <b>SO miserable.</b> :(<br />
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I was a <b>WOMAN,</b> betcha by golly wow.<br />
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Well.. a <b><i>worldly</i></b> woman, that was.<br />
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And I had <b>no desire to be the man</b> in the marriage.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HvO3PGM4ZlI/U91f-m9sdLI/AAAAAAAAFj4/mCG9o33pH9k/s1600/581173_169238889868524_822714006_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HvO3PGM4ZlI/U91f-m9sdLI/AAAAAAAAFj4/mCG9o33pH9k/s1600/581173_169238889868524_822714006_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">2008</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">BUT...</span></b><br />
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I was so<b> headstrong, driven, ambitious, </b>and<b> take-charge </b>before the Lord changed me.</div>
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Not exactly<b> bad character traits,</b> except when one happened to be<b> <i>the wife</i></b><i> </i>in a marriage.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>THEN...</b></span></div>
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That's when those positive character traits which <b>figured so well </b>and were actually <b>assets </b>in the <b>workplace</b>, became negative or created <b>GREAT FRICTION</b> in the <b>homefront.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTp2TiqsreE/U9165F0ATQI/AAAAAAAAFmQ/RtrZXK8SIg8/s1600/SDC18475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTp2TiqsreE/U9165F0ATQI/AAAAAAAAFmQ/RtrZXK8SIg8/s1600/SDC18475.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">My newscaster look. I was<br />extremely career-oriented. - 2011</span></td></tr>
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How was I to know that I was supposed to use that side of my personality only at the office and eat humble pie and take on a submissive and respectful attitude once I stepped within the premises of our home?!? I never saw that in my parents' home. I never saw it in anybody else's home.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">In fact, I grew up in a very matriarchal clan where the <span style="color: #cc0000;">women ruled</span>! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Biblical submission </b>was an <b>alien concept</b> to me! <i>(as I believe it is an alien concept to sooooo many too!)</i></span></div>
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Dong and I were (and still are) the bestest of friends.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9NL_OJa9E8/U91k3RtI-II/AAAAAAAAFkI/eesHuBm6HpE/s1600/dadamama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9NL_OJa9E8/U91k3RtI-II/AAAAAAAAFkI/eesHuBm6HpE/s1600/dadamama.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">2009</span></td></tr>
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I've always enjoyed his company and he's always enjoyed mine.</div>
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Except when I was in one of my deep, dark moods in the past, which usually went on for weeks.</div>
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During those days, all I would be thinking about was:</div>
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<i>- how lucky he was to have me</i></div>
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<i>- how unlucky I was to have him</i></div>
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<i>- how hardworking I was</i></div>
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<i>- how unmotivated he was</i></div>
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<i>- how unappreciated I was</i></div>
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<i>- etc. etc.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubOfkAocqUY/U9141rJqzxI/AAAAAAAAFmA/MiOm1i75eP8/s1600/SDC18675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ubOfkAocqUY/U9141rJqzxI/AAAAAAAAFmA/MiOm1i75eP8/s1600/SDC18675.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I was prone to focusing on my husband's sins and<br />faults while overlooking and glossing over mine. :(<br />2011</span></td></tr>
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In short, I went on a <b>pity party</b> for days. I cherished my feelings of <b>bitterness and resentment</b> against him. During those days, I would just <b>pout and sob</b> in one corner and I would <b>not allow him to touch me.</b> He would look <b>confused, forlorn and helpless</b>. I used to <b>LOVE</b> it when he'd appear <b>concerned </b>towards me after I'd acted<b> hurt</b> for days. It showed that he <b>cared </b>about me, and that he'd better do something about the situation because<b><i> I</i> was affected, <i>I</i> was not happy, and <i>I</i> was not pleased </b>with <b>him</b> or <b>his behavior</b>!!!</div>
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Everything revolved around <b>ME.</b></div>
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I felt that he <b><i>deserved </i></b>my ill treatment.</div>
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I felt that my ill feelings were <b><i>justified.</i></b></div>
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Well, that was what<i> <b>I</b></i> felt.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">But that was not what the Lord <i>saw.</i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">He saw right through my unforgiving heart, </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">and it was full of sins. :(</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>1 Samuel 16:7</b></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b></b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Matthew 15:19</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Eph-1-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.</i></span></span></div>
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I sure had a LOT of evil <i>(prideful, self-righteous, judgmental...)</i> thoughts, alright! I even had <b>ridiculously arrogant</b> thoughts of: <i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"<b>If he cannot provide for me, then I would provide for the family! I could do that much better than him! I "pray" that I don't die earlier, because he cannot support our children! Lord, you better make him die earlier than me!!! The family needs ME!"</b></span></i></div>
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Yikes. :(</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NW1lFYROVak/U911PI1YF2I/AAAAAAAAFlk/bf-8B_4-INI/s1600/gmk+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NW1lFYROVak/U911PI1YF2I/AAAAAAAAFlk/bf-8B_4-INI/s1600/gmk+5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I am a very girly type of woman, but "wore the pants" during my most<br />controlling years. - 2012</span></td></tr>
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It made me <b>cringe</b> now just writing about it. But, dear sister, this is why I <b>blog </b>in the first place. This is why I spend so much time writing for an <b>unknown audience</b> in the <b>worldwide web</b>. This is why I accepted the Lord's prodding of writing about what it is to have a <b>godly marriage</b>... Not to make you think that we have the <i>"perfect marriage" </i>or to <b>brag</b> about my so-called <i>"perfect life"</i>! I certainly do not have claims to both! I am writing in order to <b>"boast"</b> about my <b>faults</b>, in the hope that you may see yourselves in me, be convicted by the Holy Spirit, repent to God, and start a new life in Christ; and thus experience <b>TRUE FREEDOM</b>! If it happened to super prideful, controlling, crazy ME; it can happen to you too! :)</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">2 Corinthians 12:9</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0i2hhOZwGA/U910Qe_WBhI/AAAAAAAAFlU/LG-TfJRGSbo/s1600/P3160919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0i2hhOZwGA/U910Qe_WBhI/AAAAAAAAFlU/LG-TfJRGSbo/s1600/P3160919.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I love my godly womanly role! I love wearing<br />skirts, literally and figuratively! :) - Feb 2014</span></td></tr>
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My husband is a kind and loving man. He is self-employed and he provides for our basic needs. He is selfless and would not mind not buying himself anything, just so the kids and I are happy. He is very helpful, considerate and has no qualms in serving me! Imagine that! He served me, even during that time when I was bitter and prideful and a pain in the @ss to live with! He loved me unconditionally when I disrespected him blatantly. I was thinking back then of <i>"how lucky he was to have me",</i> when all along, it was <i>I</i> who was lucky to be <b>married to him</b>! Yes, he was not perfect, but neither was I! But, in my eyes, it was all HIS fault! I was so <b>spiritually blind</b>!!! :(</div>
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It was only when God opened up my spiritual eyes, in <b>September 1, 2013</b>, that I saw through my sinful and pretentious heart, and appreciated Dong for good. It was then that I decided to let go, let God and gave up on wearing the pants. It really did not fit me. It looked bad on me! Dong wore them far better than I ever could! <i>(We are still talking figuratively here, just to be clear! :)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dear sister, are <b><i>YOU</i></b> wearing the pants in the relationship? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Or, are you unaware if indeed you <b><i>are</i></b>?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #cc0000;">(<b>Note</b>: Things may vary from household to household. These are just some signs that you are already starting to look like or are <i>already</i> <b>"the man of the house"</b>.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here are <b>some signs</b> that you are the pants <i>(and belt and buckle!)</i> wearer in your marriage:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLuvGCtKpnw/U92FYKf-vlI/AAAAAAAAFmk/pxM_vsSO1fU/s1600/310048_10151370407406227_2040925963_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLuvGCtKpnw/U92FYKf-vlI/AAAAAAAAFmk/pxM_vsSO1fU/s1600/310048_10151370407406227_2040925963_n.jpg" height="320" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I acted like the "star" of the household<br />and always "stole" my<br />husband's pants from him,<br />when I was still so spiritually blind<br />to my mountains of sins!!!! - 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. You get to have the first and last say in all family matters.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">2. You are the sole/primary provider for the family. </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. You are the one protecting your husband/children from trials, hardships and problems.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. You are the one who gets to decide with finality on what the family will do, where the family will live, etc. Connected to number 1.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. You are the one handling and holding on to the family's finances. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. You are the one disciplining the children. Kids are more "scared" of you than they are of Daddy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. You dictate to your husband what line of work he should go into, what he can or cannot do, what he can or cannot say, what he can or cannot be.</span></div>
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Here are some Bible verses in a nutshell, compiled by a godly and older mentor, <a href="http://lorialexander.blogspot.com/2014/07/stubborn-obedience-is-disobedience.html">Mrs. Lori Alexander of Always Learning,</a> which talks about our roles as biblical women:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Gen. 3:16.</b>..and he shall rule over thee. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>I Cor. 11:3.</b>..the head of the woman is the man </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Eph. 5:22</b> Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Eph. 5:24</b>...so let the wives be {subject} to their own husbands in every thing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Eph. 5:33</b>..Let the wife see that she reverence her husband. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Col. 3:18</b> Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;">I<b> Tim. 2:11,12</b>..I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>Titus 3:4,5</b> teach young women...to be obedient to their own husbands </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>I Peter 3:1</b>...be in subjection to your own husbands... </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 16.899999618530273px;"><b>I Peter 3:5,6</b> ...being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OMdx33U0fBA/U91zGFjJPqI/AAAAAAAAFk8/acnp4Qa0y7c/s1600/PB013595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OMdx33U0fBA/U91zGFjJPqI/AAAAAAAAFk8/acnp4Qa0y7c/s1600/PB013595.jpg" height="306" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I love being with my man! - October 2013, newly submitted</span></td></tr>
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I don't know about you, but it's no fun being the <b>"man of the house".</b><br />
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The Lord made me a <b>woman</b>.<br />
I want to <i><b>be </b></i>a woman.<br />
I want to <i><b>act</b></i> like a woman.<br />
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And <b>usurping</b> my husband's roles as <b>provider, protector and leader </b>in the past, made me a <b><i>man</i>. </b>Eeek. :(<br />
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Being the "man" of the household <b>emasculates</b> your man. You want him to <b>"man up"</b>? Stop doing his roles. Stop being the <b>"man"</b> of the house.<br />
Start acting like a <b>woman </b>- a <b>gentle, quiet</b> and<b> godly woman.</b><br />
It may <b>take time</b> <i>(looooots of time)</i> for him to start acting like the <b>man that he is and should be</b>, but unless you are willing to <b>allow him</b> to be the <b>man of the house </b>without your <b>interference</b>, he may never be able to <b>step up the plate. </b>He many never get the chance to <b>man up.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Try <b>letting go</b> and <b>letting God</b>, dear sister in Christ.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Try Jesus.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwYRWtOyIs8/U91zn6bwzoI/AAAAAAAAFlE/hNGk-N1tUeM/s1600/P3221010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kwYRWtOyIs8/U91zn6bwzoI/AAAAAAAAFlE/hNGk-N1tUeM/s1600/P3221010.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-small;">Biblically submissive and trying Jesus' Ways! March 2014</span></td></tr>
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Try following His Commandments to us wives, and see your marriage <b>bloom from bad to good,</b> or from <b>good to best</b>. His Ways are not our ways, and His Thoughts are not our thoughts <a href="http://biblehub.com/isaiah/55-8.htm">(Isa 55:8).</a> If you have tried <b>everything</b> the <b>world</b> has to offer and are still are coming up short, why not try God's Design for Marriage, where the husband is the head of his wife and the wife is subjected to her husband?<br />
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Believe me you, it's <b>freeing!</b> It's <b>liberating</b>! I have not felt this <b>womanly</b> nor this <b>feminine</b><i><b> </b>ever. </i>I have not felt this <b>peaceful</b><i> ever. </i>I have not seen my husband this <b>manly</b> or this <b>respectable</b> <i>ever.</i> Truly, God knew what He was doing when He created Man and Woman!!! :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ARE <i>YOU</i> THE ONE <span style="color: #cc0000;">WEARING THE PANTS</span> IN THE RELATIONSHIP?</b></span><br />
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Stop wearing the pants, sister! Hand those jeans/slacks/maong pants over to your husband and start wearing skirts. <i>(I am talking <b>figuratively</b> again, by the way, although I always wear skirts and very rarely wear pants <b>literally,</b> nowadays.) <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aaBteYm6bks/U91z8KadIBI/AAAAAAAAFlM/eUWg4jzi8bs/s1600/pudding+ni+anna+banana2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aaBteYm6bks/U91z8KadIBI/AAAAAAAAFlM/eUWg4jzi8bs/s1600/pudding+ni+anna+banana2.jpg" height="289" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> With the pudding I baked. :) - July 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 Peter 3:7 </span></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the <b>weaker partner </b>and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><br /></i></span>
<b>YOU ARE A WOMAN, THE WEAKER VESSEL. </b><br />
<i>(This is not an insult by the way. God knew what He was doing when He designed you. </i><br />
<i>You are in need of Man's protection. God cares for you that way.)</i><br />
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<b>EMBRACE YOUR GODLY FEMININITY.</b><br />
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<b>IT'S GOD'S GIFT TO YOU AND TO YOUR MAN.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4slKaId6O_Q/U914Z6URmBI/AAAAAAAAFl4/Ymsb2SZkVdA/s1600/dongnikkatitadelia3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4slKaId6O_Q/U914Z6URmBI/AAAAAAAAFl4/Ymsb2SZkVdA/s1600/dongnikkatitadelia3.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dong, my husband: </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>"YOU'RE THE MAN!"</b> </i>;) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;">- 2014</span></td></tr>
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May we all be richly blessed. :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-86922845465361519432014-07-31T09:38:00.000+08:002014-08-01T06:05:37.752+08:00Christian Submission -- A Word Hijacked by the Enemy (Think 50 Shades of Grey)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FF1o7CucLzM/U9mPNbpMYVI/AAAAAAAAFh8/LsMHIU_KhdE/s1600/first-photo-dakota-johnson-and-jamie-dornan-in-character-for-fifty-shades-of-grey-movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FF1o7CucLzM/U9mPNbpMYVI/AAAAAAAAFh8/LsMHIU_KhdE/s1600/first-photo-dakota-johnson-and-jamie-dornan-in-character-for-fifty-shades-of-grey-movie.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">The book is now a movie! Yikes.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
Just a few short weeks after I started submitting to my husband, sometime in September last year (2013), he made this statement which made my heart leap:</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">“I am enjoying </span><span style="color: #990000; font-style: italic;">this</span><span style="color: #990000; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">,</span> <span style="color: #990000; font-style: italic;">whatever it is </span><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">you are doing. </span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">I am reaping all</span><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;"><i>its </i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">benefits. </span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -1px; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">I wish for more married couples to experience </span><span style="color: #990000; font-style: italic;">this.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Well, that "<i>this" </i>is<b> BIBLICAL SUBMISSION.</b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dong had no idea at that time, just what I was <i>doing</i>, but it made a <b>great impact</b> on him, so much so that he encouraged me to start a <b>ministry </b>on it, even when he <i>(or I for that matter!)</i> still did not know <b>what exactly</b> I was up to! He said, </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBsobsYCOQ/U9mPsPkiArI/AAAAAAAAFiE/tvQP54JrGKA/s1600/P3200967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JIBsobsYCOQ/U9mPsPkiArI/AAAAAAAAFiE/tvQP54JrGKA/s1600/P3200967.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"I want you to blog about your journey.</span></i></i></b></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>
</i><i></i></b></span>
</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>
</i><i></i></b></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><i>Write your own version of the <a href="http://peacefulwife.com/">Peacefulwife’s blog </a>for the Philippines.</i></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><i>Our country is in dire need of role models to follow.</i></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><i>I am sick and tired too of hearing about husbands and fathers saying that the worst thing that can happen to a man is to get married and have kids.</i></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><i>Why do most men feel that way?</i></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i><i></i></span></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>
</i></span><i></i></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Shouldn’t we feel happy that we got married and have children?"</span></i></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">* * * * * * *</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sub</span>mission.</span></div>
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In this day and age...</div>
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A <b>scary</b> word for some.</div>
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A <b>stupid </b>word for most.</div>
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<br /></div>
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An <b>exciting and kinky </b>word for others.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Think Christian Grey.</div>
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Think "50 Shades of Grey". <i>(I am hoping you did not get to read it, but for those who did, well... okay, think about it for a moment.)</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
For sure, when I say the word <b>"submission"</b>, the wife who has read this <strike>evil</strike> book will think <b>"Dominant" and "Submissive"</b>, will recall the <b>"Red Room of Pain"</b>, and will remember the "hunky and handsome" lead character, <b>Christian Grey</b>, who was <b>ANYTHING <i>but</i><span style="color: #cc0000;"> Christian.</span></b></div>
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And, there you have it... </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The enemy has hijacked not only the word, '<b>Christian'</b>, but the word, '<b>submission', </b>as well. Two birds with one stone. <b>Satan</b> had single-handedly <b>turned good into evil</b>. He had managed to <b>twist </b>something <b>beautiful </b>into something <b>perverted!</b></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">2 Corinthians 11</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of ligh</span><span style="font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;">t.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iFCLEHgjm6I/U9mP_E__2ZI/AAAAAAAAFiM/AogFk1kiMik/s1600/download+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iFCLEHgjm6I/U9mP_E__2ZI/AAAAAAAAFiM/AogFk1kiMik/s1600/download+(2).jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></span></span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was curious as to why many were raving over this raunchy novel. Some said there were steamy scenes in it, but I never thought it was a <span style="color: #cc0000;">pornographic book</span> <b><i>pretending</i></b> to be a<span style="color: #cc0000;"> novel!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I perused it briefly and sped-read, but disposed of it immediately. I regret having read it. :( </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I would be a hypocrite if I'd say I didn't get affected by it. In fact, it made my face flush and my heart beat faster! It was scandalous. The writing and the content was awful though, in my view. :(</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I honestly got <b>scared out of my wits</b> by the implication of this <b>horrible</b> book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I used to think that <i>"there was nothing wrong"</i> with reading <i>"novels"</i> such as these <i>(romance and the like)</i>, being the kind of woman that needed<b> lots</b> of mental stimulation in order to <i>"get in the mood"</i>. I felt that if I read these kinds of books, that I would be <i>"better"</i> in the marital bed. Sort of like <i>"the end justifies the means."</i> Dong would greatly <i>"benefit"</i> from my feeling <b><i>frisky</i></b>, if I read these kinds of <b>trashy</b> stuff, right?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WRONG.</b></span></div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Galatians 5:19</span></span></h1>
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<span class="text Gal-5-19" id="en-ESV-29165" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">19 </span>Now <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29165A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29165A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>the works of the flesh are evident: </i></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span class="text Gal-5-19" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i>sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
God is a God of Perfect Timing, and the devil is prowling like a roaring lion at all times, waiting for someone to devour <a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/5-8.htm">(1 Pet 5:8)</a>. I got a copy of this book just three days after I had already let go and let God, and submitted to my husband as unto the Lord, in EVERYTHING <i>(Of course, except in sinning! God trumps over Dong on any given day!). </i>And timing of timings, I read about <i>this kind</i> of <strike>evil </strike>submission! <i>(I do not know why I even read it in the first place, but I was just a baby in my respect and submission journey at that time, so I was still prone to being foolish and clueless.) </i>Despite my having given in to temptation by reading this book, the Lord showed me through the error of my ways, what <b>godly (holy) submission</b> really was as opposed to <b>worldly (godless) submission.</b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YoxXvIv8NI/U9mQOs5cnlI/AAAAAAAAFiU/Ydy5FyXj3GE/s1600/selfie8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YoxXvIv8NI/U9mQOs5cnlI/AAAAAAAAFiU/Ydy5FyXj3GE/s1600/selfie8.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A selfie of my selfish self -2011 before God changed me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">I saw</span><span style="color: #999999;"> nothing wrong</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> with dressing immodestly</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">or reading or viewing trashy stuff. :(</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was so bothered by it, that I wrote in my journal this entry:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;">September 4, 2013</span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Christian Grey. Fifty Shades of Grey. A piece of filthy
trash.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s a book on masochism, sadism, kinky sex, dominance and
submission…</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #666666;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">Funny how I am actually just learning on being a submissive
wife, and this book comes along. Truly not </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">submissive
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">in the Christian sense of the word. </span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">Submissive as in, the man is the
Dominant, the woman is the Submissive. </span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">It all pertains to sex, sex, sex. F***,
f***, f***. </span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">I fear for the youth of today who will read this book. It will
create a whole new era of sexually perverted, immoral people.</span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></div>
________________________________________________________________________________<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I consider myself a bit frigid. <i>(Haha! Too much info, but I have to say this!)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dong thinks I should let loose more in this area. <i>(a LOOOOOT more loose)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If I could, I would not engage in the marital act <i>ever, </i>be content with snuggling and holding hands, and still be <b>totally fine</b> with my love for Dong! <i>(Of course, I don't have credibility in this statement, given that I have given birth to four babies -- one baby, every three years since 2004 -- but believe me you, 3 out of the 4 were <b>surprise babies</b> given by God! Only one was "planned.")</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
However, my husband is a man. <i>(Thank God!) </i>And he has a libido and sexual urges far greater than I have. And he needs me, all of me, even and<i> especially</i> in the marital bed. <i>(Men feel loved when we get intimate with them.)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ytgT-SG7qb8/U9mYuKNy_HI/AAAAAAAAFi0/PnBQo9SXwe0/s1600/dongnikka+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ytgT-SG7qb8/U9mYuKNy_HI/AAAAAAAAFi0/PnBQo9SXwe0/s1600/dongnikka+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">We were fooling around with the camera (not with each other!) <br />at this time. - 2010 </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What do I do now? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How do I increase my libido?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">By reading trashy <strike>pornographic</strike> novels such as these?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">NOPE.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I do it by practicing BIBLICAL SUBMISSION.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>How? </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Not by being strapped and chained to the bed, while being spanked! Yikes!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I submit to God in everything, and then, I submit to my husband, Dong, as my leader in the marriage.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
In layman's terms:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_z2B7engtHk/U9mQxp_ilcI/AAAAAAAAFic/AozLGVIcK2Y/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_z2B7engtHk/U9mQxp_ilcI/AAAAAAAAFic/AozLGVIcK2Y/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Biblically submissive<br />wife - Jan 2014</span></td></tr>
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- I treat him with respect.</div>
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- I follow his leadings.</div>
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- I encourage his leadership.</div>
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- I support him in his endeavors.</div>
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- I respect his God-ordained authority over me.</div>
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- I do not nag, criticize, nor dictate to him what to do.</div>
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- I trust that God is leading me through my husband's decisions.</div>
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- I rest in God's Sovereignty, knowing that no matter what Dong's decisions may be, as long as I cover him in prayer and have faith in God, His Will will be manifested through my imperfect and flawed husband.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This is ultimately about trusting in God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In trusting Him and letting go of my desire to control my husband and our lives, I am ultimately saying, <b><i>"Lord, whatever happens, I know that You've got our backs covered. You are in control."</i> </b></span></div>
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This is the commandment the Lord gave to us wives:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b>Ephesians 5:22-24</b></span></span><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-ESV-29310" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29310A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29310A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>Wives, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29310B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29310B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>submit to your own husbands, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29310C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29310C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>as to the Lord.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-ESV-29311" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29311D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span>the husband is the head of the wife even as <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29311E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span>Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29311F" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span>himself its Savior.</span></span></i><span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-ESV-29312" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29312G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29312G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span>in everything to their husbands.</span></i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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and</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-ESV-29312" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Corinthians 11:3</span></b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><br /></span></span><span class="text 1Cor-11-3" id="en-ESV-28587" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>But I want you to understand that <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28587A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>the head of every man is Christ, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28587B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>the head of a wife<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-28587a" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-ESV-28587a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A3&version=ESV#fen-ESV-28587a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> is her husband, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-28587C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28587C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>the head of Christ is God.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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And since I now follow Jesus Christ and all His Teachings <i>(or at least do my very best!)</i>, in my submission to God, then to my husband, I am now following too what Christ said to wives <i>(and husbands too!) </i>regarding marital/sexual relations.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1 Corinthians 7:5</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4Q7ZfukyJQ/U9mZzjH05SI/AAAAAAAAFjA/x5pdjt6-lHY/s1600/BEDROOM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i4Q7ZfukyJQ/U9mZzjH05SI/AAAAAAAAFjA/x5pdjt6-lHY/s1600/BEDROOM.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Our bedroom</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1 Corinthians 7:4</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.</i></span></span></div>
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I am sure that if you interview Dong right now, he will say that I have <i>"improved" </i>in this area, but that I still have a lot of <i><b>yielding </b></i>to do. Haha! God knows though, that since I started biblical submission, I have <i>"leveled up"</i> in this area!<br />
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<b> LOL!</b></div>
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_______________________________________________________________________________</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Biblical Submission is not a new concept, nor is it "just" a <i>human</i> concept. All throughout the Bible, godly people submitted to God, in obedience to His Will. The whole Holy Family submitted themselves to God:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mama Mary submitted <i>(even if she was unmarried and very young at the age 14).</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i14Yp7bTDBY/U9mgR4fdiJI/AAAAAAAAFjo/W4Gs8g-I8ms/s1600/download+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i14Yp7bTDBY/U9mgR4fdiJI/AAAAAAAAFjo/W4Gs8g-I8ms/s1600/download+(3).jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">The Holy Family was submissive to<br />the Father's Holy Will.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Luke 1:38</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Papa Joseph submitted despite the very odd circumstances he found himself in <i>(Mary was impregnated by the power of the Holy Spirit, while they were not yet married!)</i></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Matthew 1:24</b></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.</span><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If Jesus' earthly mother submitted and His earthly father also submitted to God; it is not surprising that Jesus, the Son of God, submitted completely to His Heavenly Father, too. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KG_3M2Xqz0o/U9marBEINKI/AAAAAAAAFjQ/ijUMjIFi_BI/s1600/jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KG_3M2Xqz0o/U9marBEINKI/AAAAAAAAFjQ/ijUMjIFi_BI/s1600/jesus.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></div>
</h1>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="exdous" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Philippians 2:5-9</b></span></span><span style="color: #555555;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="exdous" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fff2cc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="verse" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-image: url(http://knowing-jesus.com/bible/topics/img/arrow.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 3px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #8a7c3c; float: right !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: -18px !important; outline: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 20px !important; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="read-more-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fff2cc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,</span></i></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">_____________________________________________________</span></h1>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus submitted <b>COMPLETELY</b> to His Father's Will, even if He was <i>already </i><b>God.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Is it too much to ask that <b>we,</b> who are but <b>humans</b>, submit too, to the Father's Will within our <b>marriages</b>?</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do we profess to be <b>Christians</b>? </span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, let's stop making excuses anymore. Let go and let God! </span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Biblical Submission</b> is beautiful. </span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is freeing. </span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is liberating. </span></span></div>
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is God's Design for Marriage. :)</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ws0nW6ncBA/U9mdYeME3rI/AAAAAAAAFjc/pPaGmyVhIQI/s1600/dong+nikka+delia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ws0nW6ncBA/U9mdYeME3rI/AAAAAAAAFjc/pPaGmyVhIQI/s1600/dong+nikka+delia.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the enemy has hijacked the godly words of '<b>Christian'</b> and '<b>Submission'</b>, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">let's<b> reclaim</b> them in <b>Jesus' Name</b>! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">God's Will is always<b> GOOD</b> and <b>PERFECT</b>. There are no <b>gray</b> <i>(or Grey)</i> areas about it. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, and sex is sacred. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's not desecrate the act. It was designed by God to be done <b>ONLY within the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony </b><i>(not before it, and not outside of it -- </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>We waited till our wedding night to do "it".).</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Hebrews 13:4 </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i>Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">May we all be richly blessed! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. I am realizing how unpopular I am becoming by posting such unpopular thoughts, teachings and doctrines. But, I write not for myself but for God, so <i>"bato-bato sa langit, tamaan ay wag magalit." </i>It is far easier to shut up, but I long for every wife to be able to surrender their all to God, and so if I need to discuss and tackle contrary-to-the-world topics, then so be it. Don't just get mad at me, get convicted by the Spirit. God loves you, dear sister in Christ. He is calling you NOW. If today you hear His Voice, harden not your heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Read also: <a href="http://lorialexander.blogspot.no/2012/04/50-shades-of-evil.html#idc-cover">Fifty Shades of Evil</a></span></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-85587206805502351422014-07-29T08:13:00.000+08:002014-07-30T04:29:27.897+08:00Husband-Bashing -- Wives' Favorite Pastime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LFv20vh_A6E/U9bmn9r3sII/AAAAAAAAFg4/ZqdNQKnHuZ8/s1600/kuya+jo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LFv20vh_A6E/U9bmn9r3sII/AAAAAAAAFg4/ZqdNQKnHuZ8/s1600/kuya+jo.jpg" height="401" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With my brother in law, Jojo A. Even if he is already talkative for a man, being a talk show host; by virtue of<br />my being a woman, I can out-talk him on any single day, if I want to! ;)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Researchers say that the average person has about <b>50,000 THOUGHTS</b> per day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Researchers say too, that <b>women</b> speak at an average of <b>20,000 words</b> daily compared to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">only <b>7,000 words </b>for <b>men. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This means, that on the average, </span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">women talk nearly three times as much as men!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This means that out of the <b>50,000 thoughts people have </b>in their minds per day, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">women speak out <b>20,000 words (30,000 +/- thoughts remain unspoken)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">while men speak out only <b>7,000 words (43,000 +/- thoughts remain unspoken).</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This means, by far, women out-talk men on any given day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>We are BIG talkers!!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But what do we <b>talk about</b>, <i>really</i>?!?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WL10oBcnrqA/U9boChu2iiI/AAAAAAAAFhE/DIhbi06wxwY/s1600/nika+(25).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WL10oBcnrqA/U9boChu2iiI/AAAAAAAAFhE/DIhbi06wxwY/s1600/nika+(25).JPG" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dong loves talking to me about sports!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 15.360000610351563px;">I am a woman and I can out-talk Dong on any given day. Most of the time, we talk about God, the Bible and my Theology classes. Oftentimes, we talk about the children. Sometimes, we talk about movies, video games, sports, news and other people... On the rare occasions in the past, when I was a rebellious and unsubmissive wife, we talked about our hurts and pains towards each other. Now, that kind of talk was painful and emotionally charged!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 15.360000610351563px;">He is my best friend, so I find myself wanting to talk to Dong more than any other human being! I can talk to him forever! I can also just be silent with him, while holding hands, forever!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15.360000610351563px;"><span style="color: #222222;">But, I enjoy talking too with my girl friends!!! </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CCPeTKFZh-w/U9bi4bZyWhI/AAAAAAAAFgA/yxOKwHXuo1M/s1600/friends+talking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CCPeTKFZh-w/U9bi4bZyWhI/AAAAAAAAFgA/yxOKwHXuo1M/s1600/friends+talking.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">I enjoy listening to my friends talk about their lives. - Jan 2014</span></td></tr>
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Being a woman, nobody understands the female psyche more than a fellow woman.<br />
It takes one to know one.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so I<i> know</i>, that women can be chatty, catty, and nasty. </b></span></div>
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Aside from talking about <b>other women</b>, we usually find ourselves talking about <b>our husbands</b>. In most occasions, the talk can get <b>downright disrespectful,</b> and what is <b>surprising</b> is that we women actually seem to <b><i>enjoy</i></b> this kind of <b>berating talk</b>! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know, because before the Lord convicted me of my sins, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I joined in the "fun."<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-euHa3REq5Ag/U9bi_3NB35I/AAAAAAAAFgI/8c30n350GgA/s1600/friends+talking4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-euHa3REq5Ag/U9bi_3NB35I/AAAAAAAAFgI/8c30n350GgA/s1600/friends+talking4.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A lunch date with my Filipina Homebakers Online friends - May 2014</span></td></tr>
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Sure, I never talked badly about Dong behind his back <i>(not because I had nothing to say, but because I was putting up a front that all was well, when in fact I too was very self-righteous and condescending towards him, before the Lord showed me my monumental sins!)</i>, but I<b> laughed</b> with my friends and<b> sided</b> with them, and<b> joined</b> them in <i><b>their</b></i> husband-bashing. It was <i><b>"</b></i><b><i>enjoyable"</i></b> then, before I realized how totally <b>sinful</b> and <b>pathetic</b> it really was. :(</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sad to say, husband-bashing is the favorite pastime of wives. And what is even sadder is that we see nothing wrong with it! </span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">But what did the Lord say regarding this matter?</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Ephesians 4:29</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1pEDXhr4bQ4/U9bSI-FYdlI/AAAAAAAAFfc/oHLywrjCS9c/s1600/a-wise-woman-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1pEDXhr4bQ4/U9bSI-FYdlI/AAAAAAAAFfc/oHLywrjCS9c/s1600/a-wise-woman-copy.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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While it may be true that one's husband is <b>errant, irresponsible </b>or<b> unfaithful</b>, for such is the sad state of affairs in this <b>fallen world</b>; it does not solve anything by <b>tearing him down</b> in front of others. It is one thing to want to seek advice to <b>heal </b>the marriage, and in that desire, one has to divulge a <b>not so flattering</b> picture of one's husband; but it's another thing to just <b>tear him down to pieces </b>in front of one's girl friends where he will surely be pronounced: <b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Guilty as Charged"</span></b>! He is not there to defend himself, and we are only hearing one side of the story!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Really, ladies, what do we gain by tearing down our men?</span></b></div>
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<i>Do we feel more righteous, more holy, more entitled to our hurts and disappointments, than our husbands?</i></div>
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<i>Do we feel that telling people about our husbands' faults makes us appear better and wiser in their eyes?</i></div>
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<i>Do we feel that maligning our husbands' names somehow alleviates us of our pains?</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>What do we want to achieve, really, with all this </i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>husband-bashing? :(</i></span></b></div>
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While it is wonderful to have <b>ready ears</b> to listen to us while we rant, we should also be wary of putting down our husbands, our God-ordained leaders,<b> in front of friends</b> who will be <b>looking down on them with great disrespect </b>or <b>mock our husbands in their minds</b>, once we are done with our<b> oh-so-juicy stories.</b></div>
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I am not asking that we lie about our husbands <i>(or pretend like I did that nothing was wrong!)</i>, but I am asking that <i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>we hold every one of those 50,000 thoughts captive and make all of them obedient to Christ, in order for our tongue to utter</b> <b>ONLY</b></span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> (20,000) <span style="color: #cc0000;">kind</span> words about not just our husbands, but others as well.</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2 Corinthians 10:5</span></b></span></span></span></blockquote>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28977A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28977A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> and we take captive every thought to make it obedient<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28977B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28977B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> to Christ.</i><br />
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<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text 2Cor-10-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Matthew 12:36</span></b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span class="text Matt-12-36" id="en-ESV-23526" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">36 </span>I tell you, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23526A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23526A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>on the day of judgment <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23526B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23526B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>people will give account for <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-23526C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-23526C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>every careless word they speak,</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Matt-12-36" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">James 1:26</span></b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span class="text Jas-1-26" id="en-ESV-30276" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>If anyone thinks he is religious <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30276A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30276A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-30276B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30276B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>religion is worthless.</i></span></span></span><span class="text 2Cor-10-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"> We are all sinners. Men and women alike. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Romans 3:10</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous--not even one.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Men are not "more" sinful than us. In God's eyes, sin is sin, and we ALL fall short.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Were it not for God's Grace and Mercy, we would ALL be rotting in hell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But, God loves us SO very MUCH!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCnLEuVGrFc/U9bjx4eAjGI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/5zgiZNYVL6k/s1600/with+yenggot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCnLEuVGrFc/U9bjx4eAjGI/AAAAAAAAFgQ/5zgiZNYVL6k/s1600/with+yenggot.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With my closest college buddy, Yeng - July 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Romans 5:8</span></b></span></blockquote>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were ALL bought for a price. That's why we are so precious in God's Eyes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1 Cor 6:20</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.</span><span class="p" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Za3I_fNuJKc/U9bkywAzdRI/AAAAAAAAFgY/P8dlH5l2P74/s1600/ex-untv4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Za3I_fNuJKc/U9bkywAzdRI/AAAAAAAAFgY/P8dlH5l2P74/s1600/ex-untv4.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Conversation over coffee - Feb 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus died for ALL of us - men and women alike. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jesus<b> ALSO </b>died for that lazy, irresponsible and philandering husband of yours too </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(whether you believe it or not)!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The way to lead your husband back to God and to make him repent of his sins is not by looking down on him or nagging him; but by <b>encouraging </b>him, <b>loving</b> him, and <b><i><span style="font-size: large;">respecting</span></i></b> him --- <b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>starting with what comes out of your mouth, in the company of other women.</i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tell God about your husband's faults and failures. Then let God do His Work. We can never change another human being. It's the Holy Spirit's Job to convict and to change people. Last time I checked, we are all still but humans, and God is still God. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We can never achieve a great and godly marriage if we continue with this demeaning and totally unChristian pastime of husband-bashing (or <i>any</i> kind of<b> bashing</b> for that matter!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It is offensive to God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It is sinful in His Eyes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead, let us do what the olden women of times past did in order to save their errant spouses, that is:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiBDzf8Hvao/U9blVLko3xI/AAAAAAAAFgo/v8sn_Zhv-mU/s1600/381218_10150348306208020_538343019_8328629_965578167_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiBDzf8Hvao/U9blVLko3xI/AAAAAAAAFgo/v8sn_Zhv-mU/s1600/381218_10150348306208020_538343019_8328629_965578167_n.jpg" height="175" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With my closest friends from my baking group - 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">1 Peter 3:1-5</span></b></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text 1Pet-3-1" id="en-NIV-30426" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="chapternum" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">3 </span>Wives, in the same way submit yourselves<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30426A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30426A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30426B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30426B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> so that, if any of them do not believe the word, <span style="font-size: large;">they may be won over<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30426C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30426C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> <b>without words</b> by the behavior of their wives,</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <span class="text 1Pet-3-2" id="en-NIV-30427" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.</span> </span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are called to <b><i>win over</i></b> our husbands without the <b>20,000 words</b> we are wont to spurt out daily. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Z-zA5mVRM/U9blq-qJEtI/AAAAAAAAFgw/IoF-Dly6DZM/s1600/SDC11909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Z-zA5mVRM/U9blq-qJEtI/AAAAAAAAFgw/IoF-Dly6DZM/s1600/SDC11909.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stop the bashing, start respecting!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We are called to <b><i>win them over</i></b> by our <b>pure</b> and <b>reverent behavior (without a word). </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a clear case of when "<b>TALK IS CHEAP"</b> and "<b>SILENCE IS GOLDEN"</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> </b><i>(but not stony or icy silence!!!).</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Wives, let's stop the husband-bashing!!!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's start focusing on our own sins and how we can repent of them, instead of always pointing an accusing finger towards our spouses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
<br />
Remember, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;"> "JUST BECAUSE WE CAN POINT OUT ALL THEIR FAULTS DOES NOT MAKE US SAINTS." </b></span></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, it's the opposite. It makes us <b>judges</b> and <b>jurors. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the Lord clearly opposes this, for those roles are His and His alone.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Luke 6:37</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">May we all be richly blessed! :)</span></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-7215987366395237222014-07-28T08:40:00.003+08:002014-07-30T16:01:43.901+08:00"Biblical Submission in this Day and Age is STUPID."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5UhaoXT_pm0/U9WhtuRmo8I/AAAAAAAAFe4/PgzHLbT_NLw/s1600/dong+nikka+stjames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5UhaoXT_pm0/U9WhtuRmo8I/AAAAAAAAFe4/PgzHLbT_NLw/s1600/dong+nikka+stjames.jpg" height="372" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>"<b>Biblical submission</b> in this day and age is <b>STUPID</b> to the <b>modern</b> (feminist) <b>woman </b>because the <b>present setup </b>says that men and women are <b>"equal" </b>in all things; or <b>worse</b> than that, that women are "<b>better"</b> than men, but they don't know the <b>Wisdom</b> behind <b>God's Plan</b> for <b>men</b> and <b>women, </b>especially within <b>marriage</b>."</i>, </span></blockquote>
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is the complete thought that my husband Dong shared with me, over a cup of coffee, while waiting to pick up the kids from school. Gotcha on that one, huh? ;)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g3JYphe8jjE/U9WZICng5mI/AAAAAAAAFdE/LAIlJ2jxaok/s1600/dong+nikka+shkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g3JYphe8jjE/U9WZICng5mI/AAAAAAAAFdE/LAIlJ2jxaok/s1600/dong+nikka+shkeys.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a>Let me reiterate that I have been on my respect and submission journey since <b>September 1, 2013</b>, and ever since the Lord opened up my spiritual eyes to my sins, I have repented and changed my life 180 degrees. My former world views and concepts, I have disposed of; and in its place, I have embraced and am living out a spiritual and godly world view, wherein I follow and obey God's Order of things.</div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Colossians 3:18</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."</i></span></h4>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></i></span>
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What Dong meant by "<b>modern women</b> thinking they are '<i><b>equal'</b></i> to men", is <b><span style="font-size: large;">not </span></b>about their <b>essence</b>, for we both know and believe that <span style="color: #990000;"><i>"men and women were created by God into His Image and Likeness"</i> <a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/1-27.htm">(Gen 1:27)</a>, </span>and are therefore EQUAL in standing before God's Eyes.<span style="color: #990000;"> </span>My husband is not a<b> sexist </b>and would be the <b>first</b> to <b>denounce inequality in dignity!</b> The 'equality' he was referring to, was about the God-ordained roles and our God-given <b>masculinity </b>and <b>femininity</b>. Women <i>(and even men) </i>have bought into the <b>lies of the evil</b> one through <b>feminism</b>, that both sexes are <b>interchangeable</b> or <b>androgynous;</b> that it <b>does not matter</b> whether you are <b>male </b>or <b>female;</b> and that you can do everything in spite of <i>(or sometimes to spite!)</i> your God-given sex/gender. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrJNH-8izWs/U9WZYfbSQyI/AAAAAAAAFdM/XU4Seg8DDdA/s1600/anniv+bday+family+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrJNH-8izWs/U9WZYfbSQyI/AAAAAAAAFdM/XU4Seg8DDdA/s1600/anniv+bday+family+pic.jpg" height="320" width="318" /></a></div>
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Maybe this <a href="http://lifeteen.com/why-are-you-so-different-when-god-made-man-and-woman/">article</a> can explain it far clearer than I could. :)</div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: purple;">'The differences in the characters of man and woman have their <b>roots in creation. </b>Man is made by God; woman is made by God from man.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: purple;">As God is present at the creation of the world, so man is present, though in ecstasy, at the creation of the woman. The immediacy and the mediacy of the origin of the two sexes are mirrored forth in their differences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>Man, coming directly from God, has initiative, power and origin. Woman, coming from God through the ecstasy of man, has intuition, response, acceptance, submission, and cooperation.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">Man lives more in the external world, because made from the earth and closest to it; it is his mission to rule over it and subject it. Woman lives more in the internal world, because she was created from an inner, human life.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: purple;">Man is more interested in the outer world; woman in the inner world. Man talks about things; woman more about persons. Man fashions products of the earth; woman fashions life, having come from life, both Divine and human. Man, more related to the earth, makes sacrifices for things that are in the future and are abstract; woman, more related to the human, is more inclined to make sacrifices for persons and for that which is immediate.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: purple;">Because more objective, man is inclined to give reasons for what he loves and for what he does; woman, being more subjective and having been issued from the human, is more inclined to love just for love's sake. Man's reasons for loving are because of the qualities and attributes of the beloved. Man builds, invents, conquers; woman tends, devotes, interiorizes.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><b>The man gives; the woman is a gift.'</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-An excerpt from <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Three to Get Married</i>, by Archbishop Fulton Sheen</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8t7cNC5pc4/U9WZ94JSuZI/AAAAAAAAFdk/SADcszN9H4E/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s8t7cNC5pc4/U9WZ94JSuZI/AAAAAAAAFdk/SADcszN9H4E/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1998 boyfriend-girlfriend days</span></td></tr>
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As my boyfriend of seven years and husband of ten years, Dong knows fully well that I am:<br />
very independent, very self-sufficient, very self-reliant, very take-charge and very capable of fulfilling "my" dreams, without his help, his approval or say. </div>
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So, a statement like the one I mentioned above, coming from him is HUGE.<br />
I cannot overemphasize this fact.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am, and have been, since God changed me, a biblically submissive wife.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JjuV_XNQCic/U9WZwpHfp8I/AAAAAAAAFdc/CjstgeItnnc/s1600/holy+communion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JjuV_XNQCic/U9WZwpHfp8I/AAAAAAAAFdc/CjstgeItnnc/s1600/holy+communion.jpg" height="320" width="278" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
But I used to be a <b>"modern woman"</b> who thought that she was better than her husband and that she could take on the leadership role in the family. I believed in the lies of the devil about the "equality" of men and women and ended up bitter, angry and depressed. I felt so unfeminine and so masculated!!! I hated it! I was so miserable!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dong shared with me just two months back during one of our many discussions on this topic and on God, that his <b>dream wife</b> <i>was</i> actually a </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>submissive wife.</b></span></div>
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HUWAT?!?</div>
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Why did I never hear about this "dream" of his at the start of our marriage?</div>
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He said that he felt that it was the "ideal", but it was not in his personality nor morals to impose it on me. He was a big follower of the Golden Rule. He did not want for me to impose on him, how he should act/be <i>(although I came pretty close to nearly emasculating him with my condescending and controlling behavior back then :( )</i>, so why should he do that towards me? Also, if he told me about it, would I have followed, given my controlling and hyper personality?!?</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt864_ku7Ok/U9WZvOQSFwI/AAAAAAAAFdU/dLccWVswBP8/s1600/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt864_ku7Ok/U9WZvOQSFwI/AAAAAAAAFdU/dLccWVswBP8/s1600/kids.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></div>
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I guess, if he said that it was his kind of "dream girl", I would have given it <b><i>a bit </i></b>of thought. Just a<b><i> bit, </i></b>because back in the day, even with three kids, I was really so bent on making a name for myself in order to "matter" to the world. I was so blind to the fact that I mattered simply because I was a child of God and that I mattered simply because I was my husband's wife and our children's mother.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-La1nvshZnsU/U9WkZ2jWyEI/AAAAAAAAFfE/C2kVRD7Ndas/s1600/260109_227247760734303_1033028274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-La1nvshZnsU/U9WkZ2jWyEI/AAAAAAAAFfE/C2kVRD7Ndas/s1600/260109_227247760734303_1033028274_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A collage made by a fan depicting my uber busy career life! - 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, going back to the "stupid" comment, he further said,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"To the <b>modern woman</b>, being submissive is likening herself to a <b>slave</b>. I mean, why would she put herself under her <b>husband's authority</b>? Why would she <b>not pursue her career</b>? Why would she <b>"just" be a wife and mother</b>? It <b>does not make sense</b> and it is <b>not practical</b> (at least from the world's point of view)...."</i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/---JmzbsnT0Y/U9WaSGivz2I/AAAAAAAAFds/X8s_OFyMbb8/s1600/nikka+bandana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/---JmzbsnT0Y/U9WaSGivz2I/AAAAAAAAFds/X8s_OFyMbb8/s1600/nikka+bandana.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
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I have often been told ever since I gave up my career to follow God's Calling for me to stay at home, that I was <i><b>"sayang."</b></i> In English, that my many talents were <b><i>"wasted" </i></b>by "just" being a wife and mother.</div>
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I usually took offense to this, but Dong lovingly pointed out to me that what others usually meant by this was that people just <i>"highly looked up to me and my capabilities"</i>, which didn't appease me one bit. :P</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">But, I ask you, are any of my God-given gifts really <i><b>"wasted"</b></i> in my home or in my new life with Christ?</span></div>
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<b>SINGING/NEWSCASTING</b> - I sing with the kids. I teach them songs. I tutor them in their studies. I use my voice to tell stories that interest them. I talk to them about God all the time.</div>
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- I sing songs for God as part of the Music Ministry in our adopted parish church.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXxeihIhiYc/U9WaaBgfdII/AAAAAAAAFd0/eqH1k-zL39I/s1600/nikka+bandana2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXxeihIhiYc/U9WaaBgfdII/AAAAAAAAFd0/eqH1k-zL39I/s1600/nikka+bandana2.jpg" height="320" width="276" /></a></div>
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<b>RADIO ANNOUNCING </b>- Instead of listening to the news which I was a big fan of before, I no longer listen to the news, while still trying to keep abreast with current events, lest I become too apathetic. However, majority of my time is spent reading God's Word and spreading His Word via this blog and through my ministry of helping wives who have troubles in their marriages. I announce God to them. Unlike the world's news, the Good News is ALWAYS GOOD! :)</blockquote>
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I can go on and on, but it feels like self-aggrandizement, so I will stop right here. You do get my drift. ;)<br />
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* * * * * * * *</div>
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Nothing is ever WASTED in God's Eyes, especially if His children live their lives according to His Purposes for them. Much is WASTED when we live our lives, independent of God, seeking only "our" wills, "our" self-fulfillment, "our" glories.</div>
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I do not judge or condemn wives who are working. Let me be very clear on that. In this day and age, times are hard, and more often than not, it really is a <b>necessity</b>, especially in a third world country such as the Philippines. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5mlpXXZxew/U9WasqmhWrI/AAAAAAAAFeA/6CivPgEW2Fg/s1600/teledyaryo+business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5mlpXXZxew/U9WasqmhWrI/AAAAAAAAFeA/6CivPgEW2Fg/s1600/teledyaryo+business.jpg" height="316" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">My former career woman life - 2011</span></td></tr>
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BUT...</div>
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If you are working to have a "career" and to "have it all", dear sister, believe me you, you will never have it all, nor will you ever be happy. Juggling all those responsibilities atop being a wife and mother, is exhausting.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbYJz5QXelM/U9WaslLW2SI/AAAAAAAAFd8/mPo8ks-zzTE/s1600/daddymommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HbYJz5QXelM/U9WaslLW2SI/AAAAAAAAFd8/mPo8ks-zzTE/s1600/daddymommy.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">And I speak from a place of experience, when I say that most often than not, it is your home life that will suffer, and not your job.</span></b></blockquote>
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You will be giving the best of yourself to your boss and to your career and to pleasing everyone but your husband. You will be giving your best energies to the workplace and to projects, while leaving no time nor patience for the little ones.</div>
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I challenge you, fellow wives, with the same career-orientedness I used to possess. Think about your life right now. Are you really, truly happy? Are your priorities set aright? Is all the time away from home worth it? Is not seeing the kids grow up right before your very eyes worth it? Is being physically and sometimes emotionally, sexually and spiritually disconnected from your husband worth it?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We only have a very limited time on this side of heaven.</span></div>
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Spend it with those who matter the most. Your capabilities won't be "wasted" on attending to your husband as his help meet, or to your children as their nurturer. Be the most supportive helper to your husband. He needs all of you! Mold the children's impressionable minds and teach them about God this early. They need their mother. All of her! Not some leftover version of her, from being too tired and spread too thin. Remember, the children grow up too fast! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TdITd7q_cYQ/U9WbCCsaZ9I/AAAAAAAAFeM/U_fQTtHjMCA/s1600/jenefe+with+isabelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TdITd7q_cYQ/U9WbCCsaZ9I/AAAAAAAAFeM/U_fQTtHjMCA/s1600/jenefe+with+isabelle.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Nannies are there to help, not replace you!!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3MepYhZzioE/U9imINZ6-FI/AAAAAAAAFhs/rfUitflv20Y/s1600/isabelle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3MepYhZzioE/U9imINZ6-FI/AAAAAAAAFhs/rfUitflv20Y/s1600/isabelle3.jpg" height="320" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Nobody can replace Mommy!<br />Prioritize your kids over your career.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">And Filipina mommies, <b><i>no,</i></b> it's<b><i> not okay</i></b> if they are closer to their <i>yayas</i> (nannies) than they are to you! That's the <b>greatest insult</b> to a mother!</span></div>
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<i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Biblical submission in this day and age may seem STUPID. Staying at home to attend to the children may seem a WASTE of time.... but God, our Creator does not think so. In fact, there is no greater calling than to be a wife and a mother. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I urge you, dear sister in Christ, from one wife </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">and mother to the next...</span></div>
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<i style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Come home, wives and mothers. Please, come home!</b></span></i></i><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Proverbs 31:10-30 (parts of it) </span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span></b><b style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. ..</span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks...</i></span></b></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land...</i></span></b></span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. </span></i></span></b></blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eG1SyQI6Ipg/U9WbxZCgNYI/AAAAAAAAFec/S9b5khw759Q/s1600/family+pic+loyola2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eG1SyQI6Ipg/U9WbxZCgNYI/AAAAAAAAFec/S9b5khw759Q/s1600/family+pic+loyola2.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: </span></i></span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.</span><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"> </span></i></span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Biblical submission is NOT stupid.</b> </span><br />
It's the wisest decision I have ever done in my entire life. God's Designs are the BEST! I wish that the same joy and peace I am experiencing, be your own joy and peace, dear sister in Christ.<br />
Submit to God.<br />
Submit to your husband.<br />
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Experience freedom and unity in marriage. :)<br />
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May we all be richly blessed!:)<br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-75883880128677321392014-07-22T09:36:00.000+08:002014-07-30T04:29:53.706+08:00What? Me? "Just" A Housewife and Mother?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhosBT3cX3g/U83D__G_GaI/AAAAAAAAFcM/guo1bKmf4n8/s1600/Alejars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhosBT3cX3g/U83D__G_GaI/AAAAAAAAFcM/guo1bKmf4n8/s1600/Alejars.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A housewife and mother to 4 kids -- my fulltime career now. :) </span></td></tr>
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If anybody told me 10 or 15 years ago, that I would become <i>"just'</i> a housewife and mother in 2014, </div>
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I would have done any one of the following:</div>
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- taken <b>offense </b>for thinking of me so <b>"lowly"</b></div>
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- argued with that person saying, <i>"These are not the ancient times, you know!</i></div>
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<i> Women are empowered and can take on <b>any</b> job and career!"</i></div>
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- opened my mouth in <b>"horror"</b> over the thought of "<b>not achieving" </b>anything in my life</div>
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- gotten disappointed with the <b>"waste"</b> of my talents and capabilities</div>
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- and so much more...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Why, you say?</i></span></div>
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Allow me to explain by giving you a brief history of how I was raised. Most of the time, how we think and behave are molded right in the comfort of our own homes as children, in the presence of two people we hold in high esteem: our parents.<br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Before I begin, allow me to say that in sharing some 'negative' aspects about my deceased parents, I mean no harm and no foul. I do not desire to malign them. They raised me and my sister in the best way they knew how, and judging from how we turned out : as God-fearing and responsible individuals, their parenting was not in vain. However, to arrive at a complete picture of why I was the way I was, or why I thought the way I did, I do need to share about some aspects in their parenting, that left much room for growth. Mama and Papa were kind and generous people and I am grateful for their love; and I love them both. May they rest in peace.</span></div>
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For starters...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfoGIyK8Gmw/U829ZM6axoI/AAAAAAAAFbA/gUpbpPF6-Ms/s1600/mamapapa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfoGIyK8Gmw/U829ZM6axoI/AAAAAAAAFbA/gUpbpPF6-Ms/s1600/mamapapa.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Thea and Reuben Cleofe</span></td></tr>
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<b>Mama </b>told me:</div>
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- that she stepped on Papa's toes <b>literally</b>, after they got married, while still at the altar, as part of her superstitious beliefs <i>(Mama was extremely superstitious and always consulted fortune tellers. :( )</i> that if she did that, she would never be "under" my father. In short, she did not want to be controlled or be under the <strike>rightful </strike>leadership of her husband. She also tried to outwalk Papa by moving faster than him, for the same reason previously mentioned -- She didn't want to submit to anybody!</div>
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- to NEVER trust anybody.</div>
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- to NEVER tell my parents if my future husband and I ever got into an argument, because my parents would side with me and hate my spouse way after I have forgiven him. <i>(Weird, I know. She was<b> my</b> parent!)</i><br />
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<i>- </i>to NEVER compete with my husband in career <i>(This was not applicable to my marriage. I was actually frustrated by Dong's being left behind and not being able to keep up with me!)</i></div>
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* * * * * * * *</div>
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<b>Papa </b>was a man of few words, but growing up he told me that:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2Pqq3Li2LU/U829bQxCpJI/AAAAAAAAFbI/SQw66pxgXDs/s1600/Mama+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2Pqq3Li2LU/U829bQxCpJI/AAAAAAAAFbI/SQw66pxgXDs/s1600/Mama+002.jpg" height="320" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">It was always awkward when I was with both of them.<br />We were used to just being with Mama, but I cherished<br />it when we were all together. - March 1992</span></td></tr>
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- I was fat and grumpy and that if I continued to be such, no man would ever marry me. <i>(At the age of 12, I became a borderline anorexic. I also suffered from an eating disorder for more than a decade.)</i></div>
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- If I were to marry, I had to marry somebody <b>intelligent,</b> because if I didn't, my gene pool would suffer. <i>(Papa gave high regard to intelligence and usually judged/respected people based on their intelligence.)</i></div>
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- I should stop singing songs that had high notes because I would not be able to reach them. </div>
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- My cooking was not good, and if he could not "name" it, he would not eat it.</div>
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- To always aim for the best. If I did not study and still got a so-so mark, what more if I studied? I would get a perfect score!</div>
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* * * * * * * * * * </div>
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Seeing their relationship too which was:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DlaJt5AIdY/U82-BnSBcPI/AAAAAAAAFbg/OAGRuMEBEy0/s1600/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DlaJt5AIdY/U82-BnSBcPI/AAAAAAAAFbg/OAGRuMEBEy0/s1600/001.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">April 1975</span></td></tr>
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- not touchy</div>
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- not prone to sweet gestures, with nary a kiss on the cheek!</div>
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- not conversant with each other</div>
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- super serious at home but super jolly with their separate friends/office mates</div>
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- strained and seemingly unhappy</div>
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...add to that, their extreme career-orientedness <i>(We were left to nearly be raised alone by our live-in yaya/nanny, Sepa while they went about their own lives and busy careers -- Hers, as a TV executive. His, as a corporate legal counsel.)...</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnDhQM-1b-U/U83EdBDxVPI/AAAAAAAAFcY/1t6tY1OWEC8/s1600/sepa+w+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnDhQM-1b-U/U83EdBDxVPI/AAAAAAAAFcY/1t6tY1OWEC8/s1600/sepa+w+cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Our nanny, Josefa or "Sepa" took care of us from 1973 to 1993.</span></td></tr>
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.... I was pretty much led to believe that once I got married:</div>
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- I should be my own woman and not have any need for a man. (Mama)</div>
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- I should live my life independently of my husband, and to each his/her own. (Mama and Papa)</div>
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- I should focus on my career and just hire a nanny who can look after my children. (Mama and Papa)</div>
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- I should try to do my best in everything because if I did, I would matter and be worthy of love and attention <i>(distorted understanding of the teachings of Papa -- He was a great provider but I was always hungry for his attention and love. Much was to be desired with regards to his emotional availability.)</i></div>
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- I could have it all and should not stop till I had it all (distorted understanding of the teachings of Mama)</div>
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- pursue all my dreams <i>(Mama -- She was a great traveler and would leave us months on end, which traumatized me as a child. :( )</i></div>
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- etc. etc.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Newscast January 2013, a week before I resigned for good and</span><span style="color: #999999;">left broadcasting.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Understand, that </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">what they taught me </b><span style="font-size: large;">and how I may have </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">accepted </b><span style="font-size: large;">or </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">absorbed </b><span style="font-size: large;">their teachings, may be </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">two different things</b><span style="font-size: large;">. But, to a young, impressionable girl, that was how </span><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I </span></b></i><span style="font-size: large;">took their teachings to heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">___________________________________________________</span></div>
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I also suffered from:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">14 years old and depressed</span></td></tr>
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- very low self-esteem which "I" raised by overachieving, overcompensating for my flaws and trying to be 'perfect'<br />
- suicidal tendencies from feeling so worthless every.single.day.<br />
- an eating disorder that ate up <i>(pun intended)</i> all of my thinking moments <i>("Am I fat?", "I should not eat this! It will make me gain pounds!", "I am so fat and ugly. I deserve to die!")</i><br />
- a constant need for reassurance that I was okay, that I was pretty, that I was sexy...<br />
- a deep desire to make a name for myself and be famous <i>(and when I did not get jobs I applied for which I felt would make me achieve my goal of becoming a household name, I got depressed and blamed God.)</i><br />
- debilitating depression which could last for months on end, with thoughts of gloom, death and despair 24/7<br />
- the tiring habit of always comparing myself with others and finding myself always coming up short when compared to them, which started the cycle of depression all over again! :(<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">But, deep down inside... I knew that I wanted to come out of those <span style="color: #cc0000;">bondages</span>. I knew that there was a <b style="background-color: yellow;">light </b>at the end of the tunnel. I just did not know how to get out of my cage or when I would ever see that <b style="background-color: yellow;">light</b>! I felt so forsaken and hopeless! I created this cage for myself with the <b>key </b>thrown out! How or when would I ever be <b>saved</b>?!?!</span></div>
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But, God does show His Mercy to a repentant sinner...<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Ps-51-17" id="en-NIV-14709" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">17 </span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">My sacrifice,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-14709A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-14709A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> O God, is<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-14709a" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-14709a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2051:17#fen-NIV-14709a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> a broken spirit;</span></i></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #990000; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-51-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">a broken and contrite heart</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-51-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">you, God, will not despise.</span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-51-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">GOD HAD THE KEY!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Ps-51-17" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">JESUS CHRIST <i>WAS</i> THE KEY!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">JESUS IS MY LORD AND <i>SAVIOR</i>!!!! </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-olZzV2dBkLI/U82_UhtIVPI/AAAAAAAAFb4/q0TodMUK7vQ/s1600/nikka+with+babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-olZzV2dBkLI/U82_UhtIVPI/AAAAAAAAFb4/q0TodMUK7vQ/s1600/nikka+with+babies.jpg" height="320" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Isabelle, our "unwanted" child. How could I ever not want her?!? :(</span></td></tr>
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And so when I was at the end of my rope in 2013...</div>
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- from having a fourth (<i>initially </i>"<i>unwanted</i>") child</div>
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- resigning from my job</div>
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- being chastised for my Catholic faith</div>
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- getting into a rift with a close family member</div>
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- selling the only property left by my deceased parents</div>
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- being tired of the constant worries and fears...</div>
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<b>God FOUND me. I FOUND Him.</b></div>
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And life has never been the same! :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If anybody told me that at this time of my life, I would be:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wZzmvQWunDE/U827uqPVWRI/AAAAAAAAFaU/rbhq3ppGA30/s1600/2f83e-nikkanow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wZzmvQWunDE/U827uqPVWRI/AAAAAAAAFaU/rbhq3ppGA30/s1600/2f83e-nikkanow.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Already biblically submissive - Nov 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- career-less</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- a stay at home mother; and</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- a full-time housewife</span></div>
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I would have said 10 to 15 years ago, <i><b>"NO WAY! How could that make me matter in anybody's eyes? That's waaaaaaay boring!"</b></i></blockquote>
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Which reminds me....<br />
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I remember telling Dong during one of my lowest moments in 2011 <i>(when I was still leading the family and being so controlling towards my husband -- my lowest year, I believe)</i>, that I felt that I did not matter, he said: <span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">"You matter... To me. To us. To your kids."</span></i> </span>I remember looking at him oddly, and not appreciating the wisdom in those words, I said: <span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><i>"Okay. But I need to MATTER to the world!"</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was so spiritually blind then. :(</span></div>
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But the Lord had opened my eyes and my heart now. I am no longer blind! Halleluiah! I can now see!!! I now know that I have been deceived by the enemy for so long. That I have turned to the world to assure me of my worth, when I should have just turned to Jesus, to know that I am worthy... not for anything I have done or still need to do, but simply because He died for me. I am the daughter of a King!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_4xCr-OkH4/U82-mNumjuI/AAAAAAAAFbw/PABpH0dulQY/s1600/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5_4xCr-OkH4/U82-mNumjuI/AAAAAAAAFbw/PABpH0dulQY/s1600/kids.jpg" height="320" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Pregnant with our 4th - Jan 2013</span></td></tr>
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Satan can taunt me all he wants now but I have won the battle against depression, feelings of worthlessness, obsession with career, people-pleasing tendencies, my eating disorder, my desire to control my life and my husband, and so much more.... because Christ has strengthened me, and continues to strengthen me!!! Not only that, He has also released me from all my bondages, when I decided on <b>September 1, 2013</b> to let go and let God and put at the foot of Jesus' Cross, ALL my:</div>
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-worries</div>
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-fears</div>
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-anxieties</div>
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-dreams</div>
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-goals</div>
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-ambitions and</div>
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-selfish desires </div>
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I now rest in God's Sovereignty. He is God; I am not. He is already in the future; I can only be here in the present. He is in control; I am not, but I can practice self-control. All He requires of me is to trust in Him, have faith in Him and leave it all in His Hands, because He loves me. He holds my life in His Hands. I am protected. I am safe. I am free. :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And now, as my husband's helper and the full-time mother to our four children, I can honestly say, from the top of my lungs, that I am not <i>just</i> a housewife and mother. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r56vlVsV50U/U8270uHOBRI/AAAAAAAAFac/JvTqG7NxcLI/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r56vlVsV50U/U8270uHOBRI/AAAAAAAAFac/JvTqG7NxcLI/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">My loving husband to whom I have submitted<br />in everything, as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22- 33)</span>-- <span style="color: #999999;">Dong</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">March 2014 </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I am a housewife and a mother -- the greatest calling God can give to a woman like me! :)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Titus 2:3-5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Titus-2-3" id="en-NIV-29912" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29912A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29912A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> or addicted to much wine,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29912B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29912B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> but to teach what is good.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Titus-2-4" id="en-NIV-29913" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span><span style="background-color: white;">Then they can urge the younger women</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29913C" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29913C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><b><i style="background-color: yellow;">to love their husbands and children,</i></b></span><b><i style="background-color: yellow;"> <span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-NIV-29914" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>to be self-controlled<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> and pure, to be busy at home,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914E" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914F" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> so that no one will malign the word of God.</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
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If anybody told me I would be the Nikka that I am now -- peaceful, free of worries, joyful, enjoying obscurity, loving modesty, and being gentle and quiet-- I would not believe that person!!! No freaking way! Nikka?!? Are we talking about the go-getter, spread-too-thin, fashionable, vain, eternally worried <i>(of the future and of cancer),</i> and talkative Nikka?!? That doesn't sound like her at all!<br />
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But, God has<b> changed</b> <i>me.</i> And I would rather die than to go back to my former worldly self again.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/2-Corinthians-5-17/" style="text-decoration: none;" title="2 Corinthians 5:17">2 Corinthians 5:17</a></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.</span></span></div>
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A sister in Christ quoted this beautiful line which says,</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">"The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home."</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DZKZ0Bs-C4/U8281cyRiwI/AAAAAAAAFaw/4t5FdujuC6c/s1600/family+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_DZKZ0Bs-C4/U8281cyRiwI/AAAAAAAAFaw/4t5FdujuC6c/s1600/family+pic.jpg" height="335" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">In our new home - August 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What? Me? A housewife and a stay-at-home mother?!? </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yes<i>. </i>I am<i>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Do you have a problem with that? </i>I don't<i>. </i>:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Praise be to God! His Wisdom is truly glorious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love Him so. :)</span></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-34899130767535929472014-07-19T07:54:00.002+08:002014-08-08T13:52:28.364+08:00A Closer Look at Sarah as Abraham's Wife -- Imperfect and Feisty, but also Submissive and Godly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWy7sxC1g6U/U8mX3LjVrbI/AAAAAAAAFXE/RZDSnj9O2Ow/s1600/Sarah_Abraham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWy7sxC1g6U/U8mX3LjVrbI/AAAAAAAAFXE/RZDSnj9O2Ow/s1600/Sarah_Abraham.jpg" height="400" width="325" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">The beautiful and feisty yet submissive and meek Sarah. </span><span style="color: #999999;">(I thought she was putting </span><span style="color: #999999;">up her fingers in the 'PEACE' sign! Ha!)</span></td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">1 Peter 3:5-6</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text 1Pet-3-5" id="en-NIV-30430" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30430G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30430G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> used to adorn themselves.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30430H" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30430H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span> They submitted themselves to their own husbands,</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text 1Pet-3-6" id="en-NIV-30431" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-30431I" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-30431I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.</span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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I begin this post with this Bible verse that shows Saint Peter praising Sarah, <i>"who obeyed Abraham and called him lord"</i>, in her submission to him.<br />
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Lord here is not LORD, as in LORD GOD. Lord is the one with a small letter <b><i>"l"</i></b> that in present times roughly translated, just means <i><b>"my dear husband"</b>. </i>This title of respect also meant that she considered Abraham as her head or "master", to whom she must submit. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5BP5sKdQQA/U8muZvElBVI/AAAAAAAAFY0/7Wv_O3lvM6c/s1600/P3200969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L5BP5sKdQQA/U8muZvElBVI/AAAAAAAAFY0/7Wv_O3lvM6c/s1600/P3200969.jpg" height="192" width="200" /></a>Let me reiterate for those reading the <b>Peaceful Wife Philippines blog</b> for the first time, that I am a <b>Catholic Christian,</b> who only very recently was converted by our Lord after I let go and let God on <b>September 1, 2013.</b> By conversion I do not mean, I changed religions. The Lord called me and found me as a Catholic, and He made me <i>"born again" </i><i>("The old has gone, the new is here!" - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5:17">2 Cor 5:17</a>),</i> while still remaining as one. The difference is that, I am now a real <b>Christian. :) </b>I am a true <b>follower of Christ,</b> not just a <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cultural+catholic">Cultural Catholic</a>. Roman Catholicism aside, I have accepted <b>Jesus</b> as my <b>Lord</b> and <b>Savior</b>, and as such, I long to obey His Commandments and want to be more and more conformed to Him, day after day. Since then, the Lord has instilled in my heart and soul an urgent and deep desire to read His Word. I have been devouring the Bible with a hunger and thirst I have never experienced, before my conviction and conversion. I now spend hours studying and reading It every day. Not by my own 'goodness' and 'piety', though! Only by God's Grace. I have in my heart a yearning that is God-inspired. Just very recently, after months of studying the New Testament and after highlighting important and pertinent passages in it, the Lord led me into reading the Old Testament... </blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V-fZkoZDEOY/U8mn2KmFvjI/AAAAAAAAFX0/OEiftR6gJfQ/s1600/OldTestamentMontage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V-fZkoZDEOY/U8mn2KmFvjI/AAAAAAAAFX0/OEiftR6gJfQ/s1600/OldTestamentMontage.jpg" height="215" width="400" /></a></div>
The characters in the Old Testament were larger than life and awe-inspiring! Yahweh seemed to be always speaking to His People through prophets, dreams and angels, and on some wonderful occasions, even "appeared" personally to talk to them! How jealous I felt about the people of old! God was really <b>speaking</b> <i>to</i> them, in the Flesh! As in, through <b>conversations</b> and all that. Wow! But then, I remembered that Jesus was God Incarnate, and that He Himself said, <i><b>"Blessed are they who believe, but do not see", (John 20:29),</b> </i>and immediately, I felt that there was no need to be jealous. I do <b><i>believe</i></b> even if I <i>haven't seen </i>God Himself, and so I am <b>most blessed</b>! :)</div>
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I am getting off-topic here. :)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1h9wfHq32Zg/U8moHCVVeVI/AAAAAAAAFX8/tCvfIOV3t5s/s1600/n957_img1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1h9wfHq32Zg/U8moHCVVeVI/AAAAAAAAFX8/tCvfIOV3t5s/s1600/n957_img1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>The Lord inspired me to write today about Sarai or Sarah, the barren wife of Abraham, who was considered a <b>model of submission</b>, as per Saint Peter. Reading about her, I was expecting to read about all meekness and servitude and quietude. I was surprised that though she did exhibit those traits, she was not all that meek or quiet, at all! She was in fact, a bit feisty, when one got on her nerves! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">It just goes to show that SUBMISSIVENESS does NOT mean losing one's voice or one's character.</span></div>
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We know as early as <a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/11-30.htm">Genesis 11:30</a> that <i>"...<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Sarai was barren; she had no children."</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> </span></i></div>
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This <b>barrenness</b> brought out <b>despair</b> and <b>impatience</b> in Sarai, which is quite understandable. She was already 65 years old, and still childless! But Yahweh did promise Abraham that he would be the Father of many nations, which made her situation even more pathetic. They were not producing any offspring! How could her husband <b>father many nations</b>, if they <b>cannot</b> even<b> produce one child</b>?!?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On two separate occasions, Sarah even seemed to have <b><i>'ordered'</i> </b>Abraham around!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>'Bossy' Sarai Incident Number 1:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Sarai got impatient waiting for the Lord to make her pregnant.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f2rhYipw0tY/U8mt73_wSHI/AAAAAAAAFYs/LWHqrSbWupo/s1600/hagar_and_sarah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f2rhYipw0tY/U8mt73_wSHI/AAAAAAAAFYs/LWHqrSbWupo/s1600/hagar_and_sarah.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Sarah told Abraham to impregnate her maidservant, Hagar, since they were not<br />becoming pregnant. She resented her decision though.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Genesis 16:2</span></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Gen-16-2" id="en-NIV-384" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #eeeeee; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>so she said to Abram, “The <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> has kept me from having children.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-384A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-384A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Gen-16-2" id="en-NIV-384" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Gen-16-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 24px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Abram agreed to what Sarai said</span><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></span></i></div>
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">'Bossy' Sarah Incident Number 2:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sarah got irritated with her maidservant (Hagar) and </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(Abraham's son with her ) Ishmael.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DQTJlDyiEO8/U8mtaHitRFI/AAAAAAAAFYk/7pBo5-VKU_U/s1600/hagar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DQTJlDyiEO8/U8mtaHitRFI/AAAAAAAAFYk/7pBo5-VKU_U/s1600/hagar.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Hagar, (Sarah's maidservant) with Ishmael, (Abraham's son with Hagar).<br />Sarah wanted them both out of her sight!</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Genesis 21:8-13</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-8.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>8</b></a></span>The child (Isaac) grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. <span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-9.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>9</b></a></span>But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was <b>mocking</b>, <span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-10.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>10</b></a></span>and she said to Abraham, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">“</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Get rid of that slave woman and her son, </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">for </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” </span></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-11.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>11</b></a></span>The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. <span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-12.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>12</b></a></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Listen to whatever Sarah tells you,</span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">because it is through Isaac that your offspring<span class="nivfootnote" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px;"><sup><a href="http://biblehub.com/niv/genesis/21.htm#footnotes" style="text-decoration: none;" title="Or seed">b</a></sup></span> will be reckoned. <span class="reftext" style="line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/21-13.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>13</b></a></span>I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”</span></span></i></blockquote>
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In the first instance, it was Sarai herself who thought of the idea to give her slave, Hagar, to Abraham as his concubine, because she was already too impatient from being childless for too long. Abraham agreed. No contentions. No ifs, no buts. He did as Sarai told him to, and that union did bring him an offspring: Ishmael.</div>
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In the second instance, Sarah <i>(God changed her name in <a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/17-15.htm">Genesis 17:15</a> from Sarai to Sarah.)</i> told Abraham to get rid of the slave woman and her son. The same woman, whom she 'gave' to Abraham to impregnate because she herself could not conceive a descendant at that time! She was acting a bit feisty and too touchy, don't you think? But not only did Abraham<i> obey</i> her order, God also told Abraham to <i><b>"listen to whatever Sarah tells you."</b></i></div>
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Sarai/Sarah's actions <i>(no matter how rough they may seem)</i> were done with God's Will for them, still in her mind -- that of having a son from Abraham's seed and God's Promise in making Abraham the 'Father of Many Nations'. She wanted this to come to fulfillment. Her means of making it happen though was a bit faulty. For sure, God purified her intentions despite her frailties and errors in judgment, for she was truly seeking the Lord's Will in their lives. <b>This "bossy" attitude was however the exception, rather than the rule.</b> Remember, Abraham uprooted Sarai/Sarah from her family and brought her along to a wild goose chase, following God to wherever he was led. As his wife, Sarai/Sarah followed him wherever their journey and adventure went, without so much as a complaint!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This totally puts biblical submission in a totally different light!</span></b> </div>
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Our ultimate peg/role model of biblical submission, whom Peter rightly singled out even saying that if we followed her example, we would be "<i>her daughters"</i>, was <b>not a mindless doormat!</b> She had a voice and she used it when she felt the need to be heard!</div>
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Sarah was also not a sinless and perfect woman. She too had her "crazy" moments. There were times when from being <b>jealous/envious</b> or <b>offended,</b> she was also prone to being <b>overly dramatic. </b>When she got <b>too envious,</b> she even became<b> abusive </b>towards Hagar! Yikes!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Genesis 16:3-6</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><span class="text Gen-16-3" id="en-NIV-385" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>So after Abram had been living in Canaan<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-385G" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-385G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> ten years, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-385H" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-385H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span>Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.</span> <span class="text Gen-16-4" id="en-NIV-386" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>He slept with Hagar,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-386I" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-386I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> and she conceived.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="text Gen-16-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">When she knew she was pregnant, she began to </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">despise</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">her mistress.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-386J" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-386J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> </span></span><span class="text Gen-16-5" id="en-NIV-387" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> judge between you and me.”</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Gen-16-5" id="en-NIV-387" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #eeeeee; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-387K" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-387K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span></span></i></span><span class="text Gen-16-6" id="en-NIV-388" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>“Your slave is in your hands,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-388L" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-388L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span>” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Then Sarai </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">mistreated<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-388M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-388M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span> </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Hagar; so she fled from her.</span></span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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My eyes got bigger and I had to read these passages several times, to see if I was understanding it correctly... </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Sarah, our role model of biblical submission seemed a bit of a shrew<b>!</b> Haha!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">After pondering over it though, I realized that this woman, whom Peter highly thought of, enough to warrant being name-dropped in his epistle, was wholly human too -- just like you and me. She had her many moments of weakness too -- just like you and me! With Sarai/Sarah, her <b>sore spot </b>was really her infertility. Then, when she had finally conceived a son at the super ripe old age of 90 (!), what pushed her buttons, was having Ishmael <i>(the son of her slave, Hagar)</i>, possibly getting a share of Father Abraham's inheritance! She was very protective of Isaac's personal interests! There was no messing with Mama Sarah!</span></div>
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After reading about her<strike> turn-off </strike>qualities that depicted her in a negative light, let me now share with you just how much of a <b>great helpmeet Sarah was to her husband, Abraham. </b>From having lived 127 years on this earth <i>(Her death was recorded in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2023">Genesis 23.</a>)</i>, an emotional outburst <i>(or two or three or more!), </i>was just normal and expected of a mere human being, like she obviously was. For most of her life though, she lived it with godly, wifely submission to Abraham, otherwise God would not have appointed her as the <b>FIRST MATRIARCH</b> <i><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+17:15-16">(Genesis 17:15-16)</a></i>. God also dispensed certain unfortunate incidents in the households where Sarai/Sarah was housed, in order to protect her from harm. See the TWO Bible passages with <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">red asterisks <span style="font-size: x-large;">*</span></span> </b>below. God clearly watched over His Servant's wife.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some instances recorded in the Bible that showed how much of a <b>supportive help meet </b>Sarah was to Abraham:</span></div>
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On two separate occasions, one when she was 65, another when she was nearing 90, Abraham had to pass her off as his sister, just so that Pharaoh <i>(1st instance) </i>and later on, Abimelech <i>(2nd instance)</i>, would not kill him off to possess her. She was very attractive in their eyes and both wanted her even in her old age! In Filipino, <i style="font-weight: bold;">"Ang haba ng hair ni lola!!!" :) </i><i>(She was really beautiful!)</i></div>
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In both occasions, <b>Sarah did not object to being passed off as her husband's sister</b> even if she risked being violated by these powerful men!!! <i>(<b>Note:</b> The two Bible passages with <span style="color: #cc0000;">red asterisks </span>I mentioned above, could be found below. These showed how Yahweh protected Sarai/Sarah.)</i><br />
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* * * </div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><i>"She is my sister"</i> Incident Number 1:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Genesis 12:10-20 </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yPGFP9S_qQw/U8mbAYTPp9I/AAAAAAAAFXQ/_RxH_A4Kk4I/s1600/abraham_pharaoh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yPGFP9S_qQw/U8mbAYTPp9I/AAAAAAAAFXQ/_RxH_A4Kk4I/s1600/abraham_pharaoh.jpg" height="266" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white;">Abraham asked Sarai to tell Pharaoh that she was his sister, so they would not</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;">kill him in order to get her.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span class="text Gen-12-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br />10 </span>Now there was a famine in the land,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-309AD" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-309AD" title="See cross-reference AD">AD</a>)"></span> and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-309AE" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-309AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="text Gen-12-11" id="en-NIV-310" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-310AF" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-310AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></span> <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">“I know what a beautiful woman<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-310AG" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-310AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></span> you are.</span></b></i></span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="text Gen-12-12" id="en-NIV-311" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="text Gen-12-13" id="en-NIV-312" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>Say you are my sister,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-312AH" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-312AH" title="See cross-reference AH">AH</a>)"></span> so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”</span></span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-12-14" id="en-NIV-313" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-313AI" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-313AI" title="See cross-reference AI">AI</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Gen-12-15" id="en-NIV-314" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.</span> <span class="text Gen-12-16" id="en-NIV-315" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-12-16" id="en-NIV-315" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Gen-12-17" id="en-NIV-316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-12-16" id="en-NIV-315" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #d9ead3; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Gen-12-17" id="en-NIV-316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">*</span><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;">17</span></span><b style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>But the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> inflicted<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-316AK" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-316AK" title="See cross-reference AK">AK</a>)"></span> serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-316AL" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-316AL" title="See cross-reference AL">AL</a>)"></span> because of Abram’s wife Sarai.</span></b></span> <span class="text Gen-12-18" id="en-NIV-317" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?”<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-317AM" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-317AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></span> he said. <i>“Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-317AN" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-317AN" title="See cross-reference AN">AN</a>)"></span></i></span><i style="font-size: 16px;"> <span class="text Gen-12-19" id="en-NIV-318" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">19 </span>Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-318AO" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-318AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></span>so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”</span> </i><span class="text Gen-12-20" id="en-NIV-319" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><i>2</i>0 </span>Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"She is my sister" Incident </b><b>Number 2:</b></span></i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; line-height: 24px;">Genesis 20:1-18</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WIYIrXljOnY/U8mc3Gs7vbI/AAAAAAAAFXc/SjKVMH69fds/s1600/abimelech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WIYIrXljOnY/U8mc3Gs7vbI/AAAAAAAAFXc/SjKVMH69fds/s1600/abimelech.jpg" height="505" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;">Sarah with Abimelech <i>(She was supposed to be 90 here!!! <br />I wish I will look like that at 90! :)</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Now Abraham moved on from there<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> into the region of the Negev<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> and lived between Kadesh<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> and Shur.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497E" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> For a while<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497F" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> he stayed in Gerar,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-497G" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-497G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Gen-20-2" id="en-NIV-498" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, <i><b>“She is my sister.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-498H" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-498H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span>”</b> </i>Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.<br /><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-498J" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-498J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Gen-20-3" id="en-NIV-499" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-3" id="en-NIV-499" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>But God came to Abimelech<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-499K" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-499K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> in a dream<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-499L" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-499L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span> one night and said to him, <i>“You are as good as dead<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-499M" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-499M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span> because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”</i></span><span class="text Gen-20-4" id="en-NIV-500" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-4" id="en-NIV-500" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, <i>“Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-500O" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-500O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></span></i></span><i> <span class="text Gen-20-5" id="en-NIV-501" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-501P" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-501P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></span>’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-501Q" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-501Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></span> and clean hands.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-501R" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-501R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></span>”</span></i><span class="text Gen-20-6" id="en-NIV-502" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-6" id="en-NIV-502" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>Then God said to him in the dream, <i>“Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-502S" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-502S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></span> you from sinning against me.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-502T" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-502T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></span> That is why I did not let you touch her.</i></span><i> </i><span class="text Gen-20-7" id="en-NIV-503" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-503U" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-503U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></span> and he will pray for you<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-503V" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-503V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></span> and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”</i><br /><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-503W" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-503W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Gen-20-8" id="en-NIV-504" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-8" id="en-NIV-504" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>Early the next morning Abimelech summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid.</span> <span class="text Gen-20-9" id="en-NIV-505" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>Then Abimelech called Abraham in and said, <i>“What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-505X" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-505X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></span>”</i></span> <span class="text Gen-20-10" id="en-NIV-506" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>And Abimelech asked Abraham, <i>“What was your reason for doing this?”</i></span><span class="text Gen-20-11" id="en-NIV-507" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zqPiUV3h2qw/U8mx90UBhhI/AAAAAAAAFZA/m0ufLhreTSU/s1600/images+(65).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zqPiUV3h2qw/U8mx90UBhhI/AAAAAAAAFZA/m0ufLhreTSU/s1600/images+(65).jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
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<blockquote style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-11" id="en-NIV-507" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>Abraham replied, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">“I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-507Y" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-507Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></span> in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-507Z" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-507Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></span></span></b></i></span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"> <span class="text Gen-20-12" id="en-NIV-508" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>Besides, she really is my sister,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-508AA" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-508AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></span> the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.</span> <span class="text Gen-20-13" id="en-NIV-509" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>And when God had me wander<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-509AB" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-509AB" title="See cross-reference AB">AB</a>)"></span> from my father’s household,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-509AC" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-509AC" title="See cross-reference AC">AC</a>)"></span> I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”</span></span></b></i><span class="text Gen-20-14" id="en-NIV-510" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-14" id="en-NIV-510" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-510AE" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-510AE" title="See cross-reference AE">AE</a>)"></span> and he returned Sarah his wife to him.</span> <span class="text Gen-20-15" id="en-NIV-511" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>And Abimelech said, <i>“My land is before you; live wherever you like.”</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-15" id="en-NIV-511" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-511AF" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-511AF" title="See cross-reference AF">AF</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Gen-20-16" id="en-NIV-512" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>To Sarah he said,<i> “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-512a" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-512a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+20#fen-NIV-512a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #b34b2c; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”</i></span><span class="text Gen-20-17" id="en-NIV-513" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-20-17" id="en-NIV-513" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">*</span><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;">17 </span></span><b style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Then Abraham prayed to God,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-513AG" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-513AG" title="See cross-reference AG">AG</a>)"></span> and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again,</span></b></span><b style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span class="text Gen-20-18" id="en-NIV-514" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">18 </span>for the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.</span></span></b></span><span class="text Gen-12-20" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"><br /></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">If that was <i>not</i> submission, I don't know what is!!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah cooperated with her husband to carry out his wise and sensible plan to protect their lives and their inheritance <i>(even if it appears odd or foolish to us!)</i>, so that God could fulfill His purposes in them. She was, in fact, being a godly wife—doing good and acting with pure conduct. As Abraham’s partner and helper, she was showing her love and respect for him. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Abraham in so few words asked that she's gotta <i>"trust him on this"</i>, and that he's <i>"got her covered"</i>, in this passage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 22px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Genesis 20:13</span></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And when God had me wander from my father's household, I said to her, </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">'This is how you can show your </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">love</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"</span></b></span></i></span></blockquote>
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Another notable incident where Sarah shows her submission and respect for Abraham was when the three unexpected visitors suddenly appeared in their home <i>(unknown to them, it was the Lord God and two angels)</i>, and Abraham quickly went to Sarah's tent to tell her to fix them some nourishment pronto!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Genesis 18:6</span></b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs</span><span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-431b" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-431b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+18#fen-NIV-431b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was not written that she complained, got irritated by the unexpected guests, or pouted away, because they arrived right <i>"in the heat of the day" </i>when she could have very well been resting. <i>(v.1) </i>She chose to be hospitable instead, and did just what Abraham asked her to do immediately. That takes selflessness and obedience to her beloved!</div>
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The whole Abraham-Sarah love affair had only one verse wherein she called him her <b><i>'lord'</i></b> and it was during that time when she overheard the divine visitors telling Abraham that she was to conceive a child and the child would be born at the same time, next year. She <b>laughed </b>at the fearless forecast, both in joy <i>(kilig)</i> and in incredulity <i>(ows?)</i> !</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Genesis 18:10-15<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmnD_ydonnk/U8mq4RA5kWI/AAAAAAAAFYM/97a227nlex8/s1600/abraham_angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmnD_ydonnk/U8mq4RA5kWI/AAAAAAAAFYM/97a227nlex8/s1600/abraham_angels.jpg" height="320" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #999999;">The three unexpected visitors of Abraham. It is believed<br />that one of them is the Lord God Himself.</span></span></td></tr>
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</b></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-18-10" id="en-NIV-435" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fce5cd; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-435R" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-435R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></span> and Sarah your wife will have a son.”</span></span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-18-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;">Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.</span> <span class="text Gen-18-11" id="en-NIV-436" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>Abraham and Sarah were already very old,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-436T" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-436T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></span> and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-436U" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-436U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Gen-18-12" id="en-NIV-437" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>So Sarah laughed<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-437V" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-437V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></span> to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>my lord</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-437W" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-437W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></span> is old, will I now have this pleasure?”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OecxJ9afEEg/U8mrOn3nKtI/AAAAAAAAFYU/wFNY5WzCrrA/s1600/download+(28).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OecxJ9afEEg/U8mrOn3nKtI/AAAAAAAAFYU/wFNY5WzCrrA/s1600/download+(28).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Sarah laughed inside.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-18-13" id="en-NIV-438" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fce5cd; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">13 </span>Then the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span class="text Gen-18-14" id="en-NIV-439" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>Is anything too hard for the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>?<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-439Y" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-439Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></span> </span></span></span></i></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Gen-18-14" id="en-NIV-439" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">I will return to you at the appointed time next year,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-439Z" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-439Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></span> and Sarah will have a son.”<br /><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-439AA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-439AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Gen-18-15" id="en-NIV-440" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">15 </span>Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”</span><span class="text Gen-18-15" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;">But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKpBAY2z0iI/U8msR8Y6ifI/AAAAAAAAFYc/aETHv6FurLs/s1600/Sarah+laughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKpBAY2z0iI/U8msR8Y6ifI/AAAAAAAAFYc/aETHv6FurLs/s1600/Sarah+laughs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Baby Isaac with Mama Sarah. In Hebrew, Isaac<br /> means "laughter".</span></td></tr>
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Sarah and Abraham did have a child (Isaac), as promised by the Lord, when Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100! <i>Lola at lolo na!</i> (Grandparents already by their ages!) because as the Lord Himself had said,<i> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"Is anything impossible with the Lord?"</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Of course the answer to that would be a resounding <b>"NO"!!!!</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">So what happened? Abraham believed the promise, but Sarah was dubious. She could not wrap her head around the idea that at this stage of her life she could “have pleasure.” She knew she would never experience the joy of having her own baby, and she probably doubted she could even have pleasure with her husband. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hadn’t had sex in years—her periods had stopped, she was well beyond the age of childbearing, they were both old and worn out, so why bother?</span></span></div>
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<img alt="" class="imgPhoto" src="http://images.christianpost.com/blog/full/24806/abraham-and-sarah-2-impdfilipinas-blogspot-com.jpg?w=189&h=143" height="143" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; display: block; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;" title="abraham-and-sarah-2-impdfilipinas-blogspot-com" width="189" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">impdfilipinas.blogspot.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">But Abraham laid hold of the promise by faith. I picture him coming to Sarah and saying, <i>“Honey, the Lord Himself promised us a baby. Let’s get it on tonight!”</i> She may have been skeptical, but the fact was <i style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">she did it</i>—and the rest is history. She honored her husband and expressed her faith in God, however shaky, by <i style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">doing</i> what it took to conceive the promised child. The idea that Peter may have had Genesis 18 in mind is also supported by the fact that Hebrews commends Sarah’s faith to receive power to conceive:</span></div>
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<i style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #990000;">By faith Sarah herself <span style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">received power to conceive</span>, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised”</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;">(Heb. 11:11).</span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">If it is true that Peter has in mind the events of Genesis 18, then Sarah is being commended not for going along with her husband in some 'shady' scheme, as a common interpretation of the <a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-6.htm">Peter passage</a> would have us believe, but for </span><span style="font-size: large;">submitting to Abraham and doing her part in God’s plan for their lives out of <i style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease 0s; vertical-align: baseline;">respect for her husband and faith in God.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: large;"> This is a model that we can whole-heartedly emulate.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">" </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.christianpost.com/ambassador-of-reconciliation/sarah-obeyed-abraham-calling-him-lord-20818/" style="font-size: 14px;"><b style="font-size: 14px;">(Source:</b><span style="font-size: 14px;"> Christian Post, Diane Castro)</span></a></div>
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* * * * * * * * * </div>
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Let us all be daughters of Sarah. Let us do what is right and let us not give way to fear.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-64514083120497926382014-07-15T19:35:00.000+08:002014-07-15T22:04:24.978+08:00The Two 'Contradictory' Creation Stories in Genesis -- Are We Equal To Men or Are We Subordinate?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yAudRTkSo8I/U8URduwq1mI/AAAAAAAAFW0/n1xX0mauKdk/s1600/img-Michelangelo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yAudRTkSo8I/U8URduwq1mI/AAAAAAAAFW0/n1xX0mauKdk/s1600/img-Michelangelo2.jpg" height="245" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">Sistine Chapel Ceiling: Creation of Adam - Michelangelo</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you aware that there are <b>TWO stories of creation</b>?!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If not, then, this would be a shocker to you (as it was to me)! </span></div>
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<b>Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a </b><i>(or first part of verse 4)</i><br />
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AND</div>
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<b>Genesis 2:4b</b> <i>(or second part of verse 4) </i>to <b>Genesis 3:24</b></div>
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give <b><span style="font-size: large;">TWO </span>different versions of CREATION.</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CQqNNTtPiU8/U8R6Yw9FmHI/AAAAAAAAFUM/hXb3LV7unGY/s1600/creation+stories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CQqNNTtPiU8/U8R6Yw9FmHI/AAAAAAAAFUM/hXb3LV7unGY/s1600/creation+stories.jpg" height="409" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVCnZzRHuIM/U8UEKMoKVBI/AAAAAAAAFVE/esAQWK6MYj8/s1600/adam-and-eve.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YVCnZzRHuIM/U8UEKMoKVBI/AAAAAAAAFVE/esAQWK6MYj8/s1600/adam-and-eve.jpeg" height="320" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">1st Story of Creation - Man and Woman </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">were</span><span style="color: #999999;"> created at the same time.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRN4pzwunhU/U8UEy5tjb2I/AAAAAAAAFVQ/aJhsLSBVQ_Y/s1600/adam+ressurection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRN4pzwunhU/U8UEy5tjb2I/AAAAAAAAFVQ/aJhsLSBVQ_Y/s1600/adam+ressurection.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">2nd Story of Creation - Adam was created first.</span></td></tr>
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Catholic Bible scholars believe that Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 were written by different authors, at different eras, for different purposes. <i>(<b>Peacefulwife Philippines Note:</b> I am currently studying General Theology and Liturgical Theology & History, at St. Vincent's School of Theology and this was part of our discussion.)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Creation Story #1 was supposedly written by Priestly authors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Creation Story # 2 was supposedly written by Yahwist authors.</span></div>
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Let me state that it is <i>my</i> <b>conviction </b>that:</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">"<b>The Bible is the WORD OF GOD.</b> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">That is the commonly accepted phrase that expresses belief in <b>inspiration</b>. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">And by "<b>inspiration"</b> is meant that God, or the Spirit of God, was at work in the community of Israel and in the early Christian community to produce, through a number of human authors, a series of books that <b>witness to God's revelation of Himself through history. </b>That <b>Divine Self-Revelation reached its climax in Jesus Christ </b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1:1-2">(Heb 1:1-2)</a>. The New Testament is the <b>Final Witness </b>to the <b>revelation from God </b>which focused on <b>Christ."</b> </span></i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">(The New American Bible, Eugene H. Maly)</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7_AMtBDQy0/U8UMUBGhTZI/AAAAAAAAFVg/0o6AGsO-LHg/s1600/nikkabible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l7_AMtBDQy0/U8UMUBGhTZI/AAAAAAAAFVg/0o6AGsO-LHg/s1600/nikkabible.jpg" height="320" width="307" /></a></div>
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Non-Christians or atheists usually use these first two chapters to refute the validity of the Bible.<i> <b><span style="color: #990000;">"It's just the beginning of the 'Book' and already it is contradicting itself!!!",</span></b></i> or so they say.</div>
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However, despite the seeming <b>'contradiction'</b>, it is actually <b>NOT contradictory.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Theologically, there is NO contradiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Historically, there is. </span><br />
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However, we should always read the Holy Book by the <b>spirit </b>and not by the <b>letter</b>, and so we shouldn't take things <b>too literally. </b></div>
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If we read the Bible by the letter, and not by the spirit, we risk running into these seeming 'errors' because:<br />
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The time line <i>seems </i>wrong.</div>
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The order of creation <i>seems</i> wrong.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>If they do not jibe, does it mean, the Bible is <b>not telling the Truth</b>?!?</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">OF COURSE NOT!</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; text-align: start;">"God </span><i style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">never</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; text-align: start;"> contradicts Himself. He’s omniscient! He knows the end from the beginning; how could He possibly contradict Himself? When we’re confronted with an alleged contradiction, the problem isn’t with the Word of God; rather, it’s with </span><i style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">our</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; text-align: start;"> understanding of the Scriptures."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 32px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 32px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.bereanbiblesociety.org/does-the-word-of-god-contradict-itself/">(The Berean Bible Society)</a></span></span><br />
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Though there are TWO creation stories, there is still only ONE God.<br />
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Though there are TWO different stories of creation, it is undeniable that God really made Man (and Woman) and created him/them according to His Own Image and Likeness.<br />
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Though there are TWO creation stories, one does not negate the other.<b> </b><br />
<b>Both are theologically TRUE.</b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">The first creation story wants us to know that God created everything to be GOOD, and that He was pleased with His Creation. He even rested on the 7th day to "watch" His beautiful creation!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #b45f06;">The second creation story wants us to know that God created everything, including Man and Woman, but because of their sin of disobedience, our first parents lost their standing with the Lord.</span></i></div>
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But, although they lost standing with God, <i>(and although we too lost standing with God - </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: start;"> (</span><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" - Romans 3:23)</span></i></span>, <i>God loved us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son that Whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life!!!</i> <i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-small;">(John 3:16)</span></i> Jesus was sent to earth, thousands of years after our first parents were banished from the Garden of Eden, in order to save not only Adam and Eve, but the WHOLE of <strike>damned</strike> mankind by His Death and Resurrection.</div>
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This blog is not for biblical hermeneutics and complicated theology, so I will leave it to the Bible scholars to dissect, point by point, the topic on Creation. :)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What I want to discuss is the 'dilemma' that seems to appear for us women/wives, from having two seemingly <b>contradictory</b> creation stories.</span></div>
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The questions one can pose are:</div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">1. Were we created <b>AT THE SAME TIME</b>? (1st Creation Story) </span></i></div>
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<i>or</i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #bf9000;">Was <b>Woman made for Man </b>as his helpmeet? (2nd Creation Story)</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">AND</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">2. Are we really<b> EQUAL</b> in standing? (1st Creation Story)</span></i></div>
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<i>or</i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #b45f06;">Are we <b>SUBORDINATE</b> to Man? (2nd Creation Story)</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WL71vqEYZzM/U8UQITVBVNI/AAAAAAAAFWY/ndhzehoskLw/s1600/wedding1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WL71vqEYZzM/U8UQITVBVNI/AAAAAAAAFWY/ndhzehoskLw/s1600/wedding1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">April 17, 2004 -- Alejar-Cleofe Nuptials</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Where does BIBLICAL SUBMISSION fit in? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Should we even be submitting, <i>at all, </i>to our husbands?!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Actually, there is <b>NO CONTRADICTION</b>. :) It just reiterates what we have known all along. They are <b>complementary</b> to each other.</span></div>
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We know that:</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">1) Man and Woman are equal in God's Eyes. Man and Woman are equal in dignity. Nobody is superior to the other in terms of essence. Both were created by God in His Image and Likeness. Both reflect the wholeness of God by each person's uniqueness.</span></blockquote>
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AND </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">2) Woman was made for Man to be his helper. Though equal in dignity, Man and Woman do not have the same roles. Woman's Purpose on earth is to help Man fulfill his own God-given purpose, while also finding her own God-given purpose through marriage (if married). In Holy Matrimony, Man and Woman are no longer one, but become ONE person or ONE flesh.</span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q70TvhmmI18/U8UNy4nN7kI/AAAAAAAAFV4/xsJ26wCtSms/s1600/i+do.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q70TvhmmI18/U8UNy4nN7kI/AAAAAAAAFV4/xsJ26wCtSms/s1600/i+do.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fast-track to the New Testament...</span></div>
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Saint Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians gives this instruction for Christian Households:<br />
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>Ephesians 5:21-33</i></span></span></h1>
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<span class="text Eph-5-21" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">21 </span>Submit to one another<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29326B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29326B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> out of reverence for Christ.</span></b></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-21" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span>Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29328E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29329F" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> in everything.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yD8kPF4t72c/U8UOYTo3aPI/AAAAAAAAFWA/qSWY_PWpJQs/s1600/dada+mama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yD8kPF4t72c/U8UOYTo3aPI/AAAAAAAAFWA/qSWY_PWpJQs/s1600/dada+mama.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Husbands, love your wives,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330H" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-26" id="en-NIV-29331" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>to make her holy,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331I" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> cleansing<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29331a" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29331a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5:21-33#fen-NIV-29331a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> her by the washing<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331J" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span> with water through the word,</span><span class="text Eph-5-27" id="en-NIV-29332" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>and to present her to himself<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332K" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332L" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-28" id="en-NIV-29333" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29333M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29333M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span> as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-29" id="en-NIV-29334" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—</span> <span class="text Eph-5-30" id="en-NIV-29335" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">30 </span>for we are members of his body.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29335N" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29335N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></span></span> </span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">31 </span>“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29336b" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29336b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5:21-33#fen-NIV-29336b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29336O" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29336O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Eph-5-32" id="en-NIV-29337" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.</span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, each one of you also must love his wife<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29338P" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29338P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></span> as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Saint Paul</b> used both the Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 versions of the <b>Story of Creation</b>, and merged the two to come up with Christ's Commandment for husbands and wives.</span></div>
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He says that:</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">1. Both husband and wife must submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Meaning, both are of equal standing before God. Nobody is superior or inferior. They both submit to Jesus Christ. <i>(1st Story of Creation)</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #b45f06;">2. The wife must submit to the husband in everything, because the husband is the head of the wife <i>(2nd Story of Creation),</i> as Christ is the Head of the Church.</span></blockquote>
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He goes on to quote in its entirety what was written in the <b>Book of Genesis</b>, on the FIRST MARRIAGE ever, in the history of mankind -- that of Adam and Eve's:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #444444;">“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:31)</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b77ar7yfPi8/U8UPVzoAX4I/AAAAAAAAFWQ/_IeMWhukXHE/s1600/dong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b77ar7yfPi8/U8UPVzoAX4I/AAAAAAAAFWQ/_IeMWhukXHE/s1600/dong.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I first found out about this a few days ago in <b>Theology Class</b>, I was afraid that <span style="font-size: large;"><b>all</b></span> that I have been teaching on God's Design For Marriage, were <b>wrong</b>! :( I thought <b>initially</b> that the <b>'contradiction'</b> was <b>solid basis</b> for <b>refuting biblical submission, </b>and that I should perhaps <b>stop blogging, </b>since I was<b> misleading </b>my dear sisters in Christ!!! :(</div>
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I was very <b>joyful</b> then, realizing for myself after the class ended, that there were <b>NO contradictions</b>. I even talked to my teacher who was a priest, after class, just to appease my confused thoughts. Both Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 were<b> theologically true</b> and <b>one did not negate the other</b>. :)</div>
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In fact, it <b>cemented</b> for me what I have been believing in, all along: <b>that Man and Woman were equal in God's Eyes, but that our roles were different.</b> Subordination does not mean being a second-class citizen. Biblically submitting to my husband does not make me any less of a human being. It just is how God designed women and marriage to be. We were created to be the <b><i>helpers</i></b> of our husbands <i>(just as they were created to be our heads or leaders).</i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9QWHjo9wrI/U8UQ6Jg-MqI/AAAAAAAAFWs/1010eSoPE4Y/s1600/father.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9QWHjo9wrI/U8UQ6Jg-MqI/AAAAAAAAFWs/1010eSoPE4Y/s1600/father.jpg" /></a></div>
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Just as <b>Christ submitted to the Father</b>, Who was in Essence, equal to Him in every way, <i>for the Father and He were one</i> <a href="http://biblehub.com/john/10-30.htm">(John 10:30).</a>.. so too, must a wife<b> not be ashamed </b>to submit to her husband, who is both <b>her equal</b> and <b>one with her</b>, through the <b>sacrament of Marriage</b>, because <span style="font-size: large;"><b>subordination does not mean inferiority</b>.</span> A wife submitting to one's God-ordained authority (her husband) is an <b>act of true humility and bridled strength.</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNfHggzGKB0/U8UQ5T9m_XI/AAAAAAAAFWk/5fNk4fxtn0U/s1600/jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eNfHggzGKB0/U8UQ5T9m_XI/AAAAAAAAFWk/5fNk4fxtn0U/s1600/jesus.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Jesus was obedient to the Will of the Father, </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">all the way </span><span style="color: #999999;">to His Death on the Cross.</span></td></tr>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-13153733748739790942014-07-11T20:21:00.000+08:002014-07-13T05:38:19.653+08:00Beautiful Role Models Inside and Out -- Stories of Conversion (When God Called, They Answered)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apqYPFNz3MI/U7_f58MxdhI/AAAAAAAAFTs/KBEgo6k0lSU/s1600/beautiful+women2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apqYPFNz3MI/U7_f58MxdhI/AAAAAAAAFTs/KBEgo6k0lSU/s1600/beautiful+women2.jpg" height="216" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Beautiful already by "worldly" standards...</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I guess you have to<i> experience it,</i></span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">to <i>believe it.</i></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some women experience it <b>almost instantly.</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Others experience it in <b>stages</b>, trickling in <b>little by little</b>, then <b>suddenly,</b> and <b>all at once.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">What am I talking about?!? :)</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am talking about deciding to live a life for God. 100%. Total. Complete. A full and final decision to truly let go and let God.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Today, I felt led to write about </span><b style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">four women</b><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"> who decided to leave <b>fame, fortune and worldly glory</b>, to <b>serve and glorify God.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">I will share about their conversion experiences, that can attributed to <b>no one else but God. </b></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>When He called, they said <i>"Yes!"</i></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGVkpvF4r4U/U7_WWE3T-2I/AAAAAAAAFTc/8A85pbpucXk/s1600/nikka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zGVkpvF4r4U/U7_WWE3T-2I/AAAAAAAAFTc/8A85pbpucXk/s1600/nikka.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><i>(</i><b>Peacefulwife Philippines note</b>: <i>I could very much relate to them. I too gave up my career and my desire to be an established broadcaster when I found God, or when God found me -- broken and repentant. Having experienced in a small scale what it felt like to <b>"have it all"</b> at one point in my life, I constantly wondered: "Is this all there is to life? Why do I still feel empty? Why don't I feel that I matter, despite all this? :( " On <b>September 1, 2013</b>, God changed me and made me into a new creation. The <b>"old was gone, the new has come", </b>blessed be the Name of the Lord! (<a href="http://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-17.htm">2 Cor 5:17</a>) That was also the time when I decided to submit fully unto God, and then submit totally too to my husband. I was tired of rebelling. I was ready to be freed from the bondage that was (my desire to) control. And I haven't looked back since. :) I would rather DIE than go back to my former life and my former self!!!!</i>)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUP9vp9H3Sc/U79lnZPk1VI/AAAAAAAAFRU/WA0CB2X5-xY/s1600/nikka+then+now.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUP9vp9H3Sc/U79lnZPk1VI/AAAAAAAAFRU/WA0CB2X5-xY/s1600/nikka+then+now.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #999999;"><b>Then 2012 (Pre-Conversion)</b> and <b>Now 2014 (Full Submission to God)</b></span></td></tr>
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These fellow sisters in Christ also<b> got tired of the world.</b> They <b>got tired too of always feeling empty. </b>They gave up the world and all that it could offer them <i>(worldly beauty, prestige, riches and worldly glory)</i>, and in exchange for it, gained something much more <b>precious and priceless</b> --<b><i> lives lived for God, lives hidden in Christ Jesus, and lives filled with the Spirit!</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Read on... :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Beautiful Woman # 1:</span></b><span style="letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 38px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Olalla Oliveros </span></b>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ltOn-oQ9P4c/U79QncXHSEI/AAAAAAAAFQA/ct5TnenC4VU/s1600/olalla1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ltOn-oQ9P4c/U79QncXHSEI/AAAAAAAAFQA/ct5TnenC4VU/s1600/olalla1.jpg" height="305" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Olalla was "unceasingly unhappy despite her worldly success before becoming a nun."</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former Life in the World: </b>Spanish<b> </b>Model and Actress</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Present Life in Christ:</b> A nun in the Order of Saint Michael. She now goes by her religious name, <span style="line-height: 25px;">Sister Olalla del Sí de María.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Her Story:</b> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She told <a href="http://www.eldiariodecarlospaz.com/mundo/2014/5/12/modelo-monja-dios-hizo-casting-eligio-pude-decir-1296.html">El Diario de Carlos Paz</a> that she decided to change lifestyles after visiting The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima in Portugal, where she felt an <i>"internal earthquake."</i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YaHgL7-bOfg/U7_Ktge4rMI/AAAAAAAAFSo/zF0vssHcGYs/s1600/140358849079452014062413333312_10833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YaHgL7-bOfg/U7_Ktge4rMI/AAAAAAAAFSo/zF0vssHcGYs/s1600/140358849079452014062413333312_10833.jpg" height="200" width="165" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;">She also said she was increasingly unhappy despite her worldly success, before becoming a nun.</span></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After visiting the famous shrine, she imagined herself dressed as a nun. Although she initially found the idea <i>"absurd," </i>she couldn't shake the vision, according to the <a href="http://www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/beautiful-model-gives-up-flourishing-career-to-become-nun#ixzz350Ua1yvt">National Catholic Register</a>. She then consulted with a priest in Madrid and realized God was calling her.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lzDlNTTf8g0/U79Qua-LxBI/AAAAAAAAFQI/zVc8bgI7APg/s1600/olalla2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lzDlNTTf8g0/U79Qua-LxBI/AAAAAAAAFQI/zVc8bgI7APg/s1600/olalla2.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Look at that smile and that glow on her face!!! Jesus radiates from within! :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her agent, Mirella Melero, says Oliveros' choice was not due to career struggles -- she had just landed a movie role.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <a href="http://www.latinpost.com/articles/15480/20140623/spanish-model-olalla-oliveros-trades-career-to-become-a-nun.htm">Source: Latin Post </a></span><br />
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<b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beautiful Woman #2: </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Amada Rosa Pérez</span><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DcSWKQoyPlo/U79Q23Ue35I/AAAAAAAAFQQ/pI71jo8gWAE/s1600/amada+rosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DcSWKQoyPlo/U79Q23Ue35I/AAAAAAAAFQQ/pI71jo8gWAE/s1600/amada+rosa.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Amada grew tired of a world of lies. Now, the world does not appeal to her anymore. She enjoys<br />every moment the Lord gives her. She has found true peace. :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">Former Life in the World: </b>Columbian Model</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b>Present Life in Christ: </b>Tireless servant of a Marian religious community in Columbia</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b>Her Story: </b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: left;">Amada explained to the Colombian newspaper “El Tiempo,” that she had been diagnosed with a disease that left her with only 60 percent of her hearing in her left ear. The news caused her to question her lifestyle. <i>“</i></span><b style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: left;"><i>I felt disappointed, unsatisfied, directionless, submerged in fleeting pleasures …” </i>she said. </b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">“I always sought answers and the world never gave them to me."</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i>“Before I was always in a hurry, stressed out, and got upset easily,” she continued. </i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Now I live in peace, the world doesn’t appeal to me, I enjoy every moment the Lord gives me. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i>I go to Mass, I pray the Holy Rosary daily, as well as the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m. </i></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I go to confession frequently,” she added.</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<i style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"The Lord is never wrong. He asked if I [would] follow him, and I could not refuse,"</span></i><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Oliveros said according to NCR.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Amada now works tirelessly with a <b>Marian religious community in Colombia.</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i></i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0YdsZb1eDs/U7_KCWTf-JI/AAAAAAAAFSg/1t-OhMqap3s/s1600/Amada+Rosa+P%C3%A9rez+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0YdsZb1eDs/U7_KCWTf-JI/AAAAAAAAFSg/1t-OhMqap3s/s1600/Amada+Rosa+P%C3%A9rez+3.JPG" height="249" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i>“Being a model means being a benchmark, someone whose beliefs are worthy of being imitated, and I grew tired of being a model of superficiality. </i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<i><b style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: large;">I grew tired of a world of lies, appearances, falsity, hypocrisy and deception, a society full of anti-values that exalts violence, adultery, drugs, alcohol, fighting, and a world that exalts riches, pleasure, sexual immorality and fraud. </span></b></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3_fsqFGaAo/U79RGIDGHiI/AAAAAAAAFQY/iPesp1C3Lt4/s1600/amada+rosa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3_fsqFGaAo/U79RGIDGHiI/AAAAAAAAFQY/iPesp1C3Lt4/s1600/amada+rosa2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">She resurfaced after five years, to be a witness to the saving grace of the Lord.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><i>I want to be a model that promotes the true dignity of women and not their being used for commercial purposes,”</i> Amada said.</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/former-colombian-model-shares-conversion-story/">Source: Catholic News Agency </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />(<b>Peacefulwife Philippines Note:</b> <i>It is unclear to me whether she has become a nun (it looks like she does not wear a habit) or "just" a full-time apostolic worker affiliated with a Marian congregation, but what I am sure about, is she has left her former life in order to follow Christ.</i>)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Beautiful Woman #3 : Kylie Bisutti</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uSMqu_fTaY/U79WSGRSzCI/AAAAAAAAFQs/79KCV17XWQs/s1600/images+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uSMqu_fTaY/U79WSGRSzCI/AAAAAAAAFQs/79KCV17XWQs/s1600/images+(2).jpg" height="232" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Kylie won the Victoria's Secret model search, only to give up her crown when she </span><span style="color: #999999;">realized the worldly values she was teaching impressionable women, especially young girls.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former Life in the World:</b> Victoria's Secret model</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Present Life in Christ</b>: Model mom and wife, owner of a <a href="http://www.kyliebisutti.com/">Christian clothing company, </a>author of <i>'I'm No Angel - From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model</i>'</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her Story:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.899999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In her own words, from her blog, <a href="http://www.imnoangel.org/">I'm No Angel</a>:</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i style="background-color: #eeeeee;">"I'm Kylie Bisutti. Former Victoria's Secret Model turned Role Model by the grace of God. <b>My life used to revolve around fame, fortune, & my selfish heart.</b> It now revolves around helping others and glorifying the amazing love who changed my heart: Jesus." </i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd9ryLjQM20/U79WY4Jn3_I/AAAAAAAAFQ0/dp45KTEpWq4/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd9ryLjQM20/U79WY4Jn3_I/AAAAAAAAFQ0/dp45KTEpWq4/s1600/images+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">She further says in her blog post on <b><a href="http://www.imnoangel.org/2013/03/me-insecure-how-did-you-know.html">"Me? Insecure? How Did You Know?!" :</a></b> </span></blockquote>
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<i> "</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px; text-align: center;"><i>God doesn't focus on our outward appearance. It is what's on the inside that matters most to Him. The Bible tells us that God's focus is on developing the qualities of our hearts, so that it can be reflected in everythi</i>ng we <i>do. <b>Qualities like: love, kindness, integrity, honesty, humility, meekness...</b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">1 Samuel 16:7 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">- "</span><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NIV)</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;" /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RhP9LfSVhZw/U79WwS-u12I/AAAAAAAAFRE/EqqxMZcd-FI/s1600/blogger-image--131282702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RhP9LfSVhZw/U79WwS-u12I/AAAAAAAAFRE/EqqxMZcd-FI/s1600/blogger-image--131282702.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Kylie's book</span></td></tr>
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<i style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Once I realized, by God's grace, that I will never find confidence or happiness when I am focusing so much on my outward appearance and that it could only be found in working on my inner qualities and focusing on honoring God with my life, I finally found true confidence.</i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">When I used to wear hair extensions all the time and had to have a spray tan on and clothes that got me attention, I was focused on the wrong things. It was consuming my heart and taking my eyes off of the Lord. I was so self consumed with posting pictures of myself on Facebook to try and get likes and for people to think that I looked good. I had to take a real close look at my priorities and cut some things out of my life."</span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWuJZEDR5lA/U79WpT3tRhI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/3gMgveXWlXY/s1600/kylie3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWuJZEDR5lA/U79WpT3tRhI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/3gMgveXWlXY/s1600/kylie3.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With her husband and newborn. Kylie is a picture of beauty in its simplicity now. :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000;">P<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">roverbs 31:30 -<i> </i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><i>"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."(NIV)</i></span></span></blockquote>
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Source: <a href="http://www.imnoangel.org/"> I'm No Angel blog</a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmNq77JFPDU/UTgo1rJcseI/AAAAAAAAAWo/26-WPbGYIdE/s1600/142285669448699402_AYSAowkK_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #2e2222; float: left; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a>________________________________________________________________________________ <b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Beautiful Woman #4 : Chin Chin Gutierrez</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8qWRQJh2Go/U7-4rlT26BI/AAAAAAAAFRg/zJbhO9W19Q8/s1600/chinchin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8qWRQJh2Go/U7-4rlT26BI/AAAAAAAAFRg/zJbhO9W19Q8/s1600/chinchin.jpg" height="251" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Chin-Chin's mother used to be a nun before leaving the convent and getting married. </span><span style="color: #999999;">With both parents now with our Creator, it is believed that the lovely Filipina actress is now </span><span style="color: #999999;">following her mom's footsteps</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">and fulfilling her own desire to serve God by becoming a nun.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Former Life in the World:</b> Filipina Actress and Commercial Model</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Present Life in Christ</b>: Nun-in-Training with the Carmelite sisters in Tagaytay</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her Story:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chin-Chin is one of the loveliest faces in Philippine television and cinema. I am sure most Filipinos/Filipinas are wondering where she is at the moment. Her last much-publicized <i>tele-serye </i>(soap opera), '<i>Dahil May Isang Ikaw'</i> (Because There is You) was in <b>2009</b>. After that TV show, she just disappeared! <b>(Peacefulwife Philippines note: </b><i>It is worth mentioning that both Olalla and Amada disappeared too from the face of the earth, only to resurface four to five years after to witness to their new vocations.</i>) It won't be surprising then, if despite some <a href="https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/news/chin-chin-gutierrez-now-a-nun--014514389.html">denials on the part of her former manager</a>, that she is just an <i>"ecological lay worker and not a religious nun"</i>, that in the very near future <i>(It has been five years since she went "missing in action")</i>, she will resurface as <b>"Sister </b></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12.133334159851074px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Lourdes" -</b> her real name in real life. :)</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F2s03EUqK_I/U7-_gHPIkJI/AAAAAAAAFSA/G7HJ-yWmi5c/s1600/images+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F2s03EUqK_I/U7-_gHPIkJI/AAAAAAAAFSA/G7HJ-yWmi5c/s1600/images+(3).jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are reports and sightings of her being in a Carmelite convent in Tagaytay, where she is training to become a nun. People who have seen her say that she looks very modest as a religious, with nary powder on her face, and with her once glamorous hair, tied in a simple ponytail. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: x-large;">But, in her simplicity, her beauty is still very evident. She looks even more beautiful because they say, her face is glowing with peace and holiness.</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHtKN3CW21w/U7-_ooYPUSI/AAAAAAAAFSI/rl3in1CE_1Q/s1600/chinchin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YHtKN3CW21w/U7-_ooYPUSI/AAAAAAAAFSI/rl3in1CE_1Q/s1600/chinchin2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Chin Chin has always been prayerful. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">Chin Chin is currently busy with helping the poor and the needy, as part of her Carmelite congregation. I have had a chance to interview her as a reporter in the past after her house got burned down in 2006, and she struck me as </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">unusual </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">and </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">other-worldly</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">, in a </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">good way</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">.<b> Her love for nature, for all things that God had created, and for God Himself, was evident throughout our interview. </b>Her eyes were always set towards what was unseen and what was eternal. I have interviewed many celebrities and she was in a class on her own -- so strikingly beautiful yet so profound and deep. </span></blockquote>
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<i> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">I pray that Chin Chin or "Sister Lourdes", will one day come out of hiding, and witness to the beauty and glory of living a life solely for God! :)</span></b></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: right;"> Sources:</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/news/chin-chin-gutierrez-now-a-nun--014514389.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yahoo! Celebrity Philippines</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.philstar.com/pang-movies/2013/12/28/1272713/chin-chin-gutierrez-natuloy-na-ang-pagmamadre"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Philippine Star.com</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pinoystop.com/news/celebrity/891/chin-chin-gutierrez-enters-carmelite-convent-to-become-a-nun"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pinoy Stop</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Since <b>three out of four in this list <i>became</i> </b>or is <i><b>about to become a nun</b></i>, I would like to take this time to divulge that being a nun had passed my mind many times as a young teenager and then as a young adult. It is notable to share too that <b>at least </b>three priests have told me that I <i>"have the aura of a nun", </i>including Father Gerry Orbos, SVD. :) I did not believe them back then and did not know what to think of the comments, because I was in deep bondage, due to my insecurities and the drama that always seemed to surround me and my life, when the Lord still hadn't freed me from the snares brought about by my selfish flesh, the tempting world and the father of lies - satan. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIzQL1BB8jk/U7_LoTTkvOI/AAAAAAAAFSw/GzpfzFYOk94/s1600/SDC11673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIzQL1BB8jk/U7_LoTTkvOI/AAAAAAAAFSw/GzpfzFYOk94/s1600/SDC11673.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am the one with an X. This was a school presentation. At the back are the real nuns from SSpS. I was just 13 here, I think! :) <br />I studied in the School of the Holy Spirit, in Quezon City from Prep to High School. I have been a Holy Spirit Associate (Third Order of the SSpSA sisters) since 1998. And currently, I am a member of the Charismatic group of the Christ the King Parish, which is very active in Catholic Life in the Spirit seminars, that are very Spirit-led and Spirit-filled. Holy Spirit, rain down! :) </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I now know that my vocation is not meant for the religious life though, but that I am called to be a godly mother to our four children - Therese, Andre, Reuben and Isabelle; and a godly wife to Dong. :)</span> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PjPsCkzu0yo/U7_TtFmg-dI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/hjoCmSBRf1o/s1600/family+pic+loyola2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PjPsCkzu0yo/U7_TtFmg-dI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/hjoCmSBRf1o/s1600/family+pic+loyola2.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">With my husband, Dong and our 4 angels :) - Mar 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Motherhood</b> and being my<b> husband's helpmeet </b>are<i> </i><b><i>my </i>God-ordained<i> </i>ways</b> of <b>honoring my Heavenly Father</b> and <b>showing Christ to the world</b>! It is through biblical submission, that in my own little way, I will be able to glorify God. It is through living a godly life as a married woman, that I will be able to witness to Christ! It is by living<i> in </i><b>the world,</b> and not <b>in a cloister,</b> that I will be able to spread word on God's design for marriage, in Whatever Way the Spirit leads me. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">2006</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I used to obsess about being <b>worldly beautiful. </b>You know -- thin, fair and flawless. But since God opened up my spiritual eyes in <b>September last year, </b>the Lord<b> </b>had instilled in my heart a deep desire to be <b>godly beautiful </b>-- <i><span style="font-size: large;">meek, humble, gentle and kind,</span> </i>and no longer to be just <b>worldly beautiful</b>.<i> </i>The former, would be impossible<b> to attain </b>and <b>to maintain</b>, for the world is <b>fickle</b> and <b>cruel,</b> and I would <b>always come up short</b> <i>(pun intended!).</i> But the latter is <b>achievable </b>because it is no longer I who lives, but Christ in me. <b>And with God, everything is possible!</b> I long for <b>beauty that God alone can see</b> - the beauty of a woman whose life revolves around Him and who desires <b>nothing</b> except to follow His Will -- "<i>submitting to my husband as unto the Lord in everything",<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5:22-24"> </a></i><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5:22-24">(Ephesians 5:22-24)</a> included.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">How truly wonderful these women are -- Sister Olalla, Sister Amada, Kylie and Sister Lourdes -- in their <b>submission to God's Will </b>for them, in their lives!!! In this era where women are so <b>independent-minded</b> and so<b> rebellious </b>against God Himself, it is <b>refreshing</b> and <b>inspiring</b> to hear of beautiful women <i>(by the world's standards), </i>who are<i> </i>willing to <b>let go</b> of all that other women would die for just to attain -- <b>fame, fortune, beauty and adulation</b> -- to <b>let God rule. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Now, THAT is true godly beauty! :)</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZmbtmCtSwg/U7_Qgp0M1uI/AAAAAAAAFTE/G0afRpeq1vY/s1600/holy+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gZmbtmCtSwg/U7_Qgp0M1uI/AAAAAAAAFTE/G0afRpeq1vY/s1600/holy+women.jpg" height="216" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">...More beautiful now by godly standards. Beautiful role models inside and out. May the Lord's Name be praised!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> 1 Peter 3:3-5</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-3.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b></b></a></span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><b style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-3.htm" style="text-decoration: none;">3</a>"</b></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. </span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-4.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>4</b></a></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.</span><span style="font-size: 15px;"> </span></span><span class="reftext" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-5.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>5</b></a></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God use</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-indent: 25px;">d to adorn themselves. [*They submitted themselves to their own husbands..]" </span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>* For the married women, of course. For those in the religious life, Jesus Christ is their Spouse.</i></span></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-53459868925964389642014-07-08T06:00:00.000+08:002014-07-09T07:09:00.811+08:00Does Age Matter in Marriage? How Does An Older Wife Submit to and Respect a Younger Husband?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vG74mf_EOMc/U7piE2qRs6I/AAAAAAAAFMo/WHdE2ncK3vk/s1600/nikka+dong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vG74mf_EOMc/U7piE2qRs6I/AAAAAAAAFMo/WHdE2ncK3vk/s1600/nikka+dong.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999;"> Nikka at 38 (2014) Dong at 30 (2000) <span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #999999;">What if I was older than Dong? Would it matter?<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They say, "Age is but a number." <i>(At 38, I am led to believe this saying! I feel like 27!)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They also say, "Love knows no age." <i>(Dong is seven years older than me. So, I believe this too!)</i></span></div>
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In this respect and submission journey, it is relatively <i>"easier"</i> to respect and submit to an older man, than it is to submit to a younger one. The age factor makes it a bit more <i>"natural" </i>to do so <i>(although one still has to <b>decide</b> to biblically submit -- the real "natural" or carnal desire is for the wife to control her husband as part of Eve's curse for disobeying God, regardless of age - <a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/3-16.htm">Genesis 3:16</a>) .</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-559nFbL525g/U7pi_t9SWYI/AAAAAAAAFMw/cjNHmrAZ7AE/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-559nFbL525g/U7pi_t9SWYI/AAAAAAAAFMw/cjNHmrAZ7AE/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">We were so young here. 21 and 28 - 1998</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I say this, based on my own life experience as a rebellious and unsubmissive wife to Dong, considering that he was <i>already</i> <b>older</b> than me. Although <b>seven years younger</b>, I still felt that <i>I </i>was more mature than him, and that <i>I</i> had to take charge and lead the family because he was <i>(to my mind)</i> clueless and lacking in direction. I could only thank God that Dong was not my age or was much younger than me! I would have <b><i>totally </i></b>emasculated him, nagged him to death, and driven him nuts! His being older by seven years was a <b>great deterrent</b> for me <b>NEVER to go overboard.</b> I was "disrespectful", but only in so far as always wanting to be in charge, but never as far as dishing out orders, being overbearing, or mothering him. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tr6ENiXcx9A/U7x5Nlmm0II/AAAAAAAAFPg/g3gKClWtJWk/s1600/Talk-to-the-hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tr6ENiXcx9A/U7x5Nlmm0II/AAAAAAAAFPg/g3gKClWtJWk/s1600/Talk-to-the-hand.jpg" height="142" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrU5Bu7tcPw/U7pjfeFHIMI/AAAAAAAAFM4/mP98W5Vrth8/s1600/DONGPIC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KrU5Bu7tcPw/U7pjfeFHIMI/AAAAAAAAFM4/mP98W5Vrth8/s1600/DONGPIC.JPG" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"> Dong rarely gets mad at me, so when he does, I take notice! </span></td></tr>
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It also helped that though my husband was passive and soft-spoken, <b>he was never a wimp.</b> I remember one instance when I was very disrespectful towards him early in our marriage, pre-children. I was hormonal and the weather was soooo hot that time. I was not in the best of moods, and I gave him the <b><i>"talk to the hand" gesture,</i></b> because I did not feel like talking to him while he was asking me a question. <b>I got a good earful from him to <i>not </i>treat him that way!</b> His voice was loud and his face was really angry<i>(and he rarely raised his voice nor got angry)</i>! <b>That memory stayed with me.</b> I did not want Dong <i>that</i> mad at me <i>ever </i>again! Since I was generally respectful of people older than me <i>(It's the Filipina in me. We are taught to respect our elders.)</i>, I was very wary NEVER to cross that fine line between just being stubborn to being "<i>bastos"</i> or rude towards him.</div>
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In the Bible, the normal marriage was that of a younger woman married to an older or MUCH older man. This was the norm. It still <i>is</i> in all parts of the world.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1) Adam and Eve </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw0da3nyFBw/U7o10b421MI/AAAAAAAAFL8/YNOk-6-3huE/s1600/adam+and+eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qw0da3nyFBw/U7o10b421MI/AAAAAAAAFL8/YNOk-6-3huE/s1600/adam+and+eve.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;"> Source: Bible-Library.com</span></b></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><b>Genesis 1:27 </b>indicates that God created man and woman within the span of the "sixth day" <b>(Genesis 1:31</b>), along with the other land-based creatures. The <b>Genesis 2 </b>account seems to expand upon that with all the various potential helpers for the man, Adam. There wasn't one that was just right, though, for Adam, so Eve was created. Now, if Adam was created before all the beasts, and Eve was created after, and it all happened on the sixth day of creation, <b>the maximum amount of time involved would be about 12 hours </b>-- sunrise to sunset, at least by today's standards.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #373a3e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><i>This all assumes, of course, that the days in Genesis 1 are literal, 24-hour days, with an "hour" and a "day" being of roughly equal length to what we now consider an "hour" and a "day." </i><a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_was_Adam_alone_before_God_created_Eve">(Galilee Dawn - Wiki Answers)</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">AGE DIFFERENCE:</span></b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> Adam older </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">than Eve </span><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">by </span><b style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">a few hours</b><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"> </span><span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #373a3e; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #373a3e; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: #373a3e;">2) Abraham and Sarah</span></b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALNeGNpnDgU/U7o2fh8U35I/AAAAAAAAFME/whyOCUp033w/s1600/6_abraham-sarah-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ALNeGNpnDgU/U7o2fh8U35I/AAAAAAAAFME/whyOCUp033w/s1600/6_abraham-sarah-baby.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With God, everything is possible!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Based on <b>Genesis 18:</b> "<i>Three days later, three men approached Abraham’s tent. He invited them in and Sarah went to prepare food for them. She was listening from the opening of the tent, however, when one of the "men," who were really messengers from God, predicted that she would have a child. She laughed; after all, she was 90 years old and Abraham nearly 100! Yet God predicted that in one year, she would give birth. One year later, when Abraham was 100, Sarah’s son, Isaac, was born." </i></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Sarah.html">(Jewish Virtual Library)</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Sarah.html"></a></span><b style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"> AGE DIFFERENCE:</span></b><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"> Abraham older than Sarah </span><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: center;">by</span><b style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: center;"> ten years</b><span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><b></b></span></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<b style="color: #373a3e; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">3) Mary and Joseph </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zE3v45L-qV4/U7o3dN0LcQI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/mwGeci5eKHQ/s1600/Baby-Jesus-Picture-Sitting-On-Mary-With-Joseph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zE3v45L-qV4/U7o3dN0LcQI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/mwGeci5eKHQ/s1600/Baby-Jesus-Picture-Sitting-On-Mary-With-Joseph.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.testimoniesofheavenandhell.com/Pictures-Of-Jesus/2013/04/08/baby-jesus-picture-sitting-mary-joseph/">Source: Jesus Pictures</a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"How old Saint Joseph was at the time he married Mary is a question of great interest to the modern mind because of the <b>conflicting ideas</b> expressed on this subject. For many centuries the idea prevailed that Joseph was an old man of <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Joseph_the_Carpenter">eighty years</a></b> when he married. Even today in some of our churches there are still statues and pictures that would appear to corroborate this view.</i><i>It is interesting to note that the earliest known paintings or pieces of sculpture in the catacombs show Joseph as a young man, probably <b>no more than twenty-five years old</b>. This trend continued until the fourth century. But from that time almost to modern times, Mary's husband is pictured as a man of advanced years."</i><a href="http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/THEOINTR.HTM" style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">(EWTN.com</a><span style="color: #373a3e; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">)</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #373a3e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">Most sources say that Mary was around </span><b style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">14 years old to 14 and a half </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">when she got married to Joseph.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #373a3e;"><span style="line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"><b>AGE DIFFERENCE:</b> </span></span>Depending on the source, Joseph could be older than Mary by <b>11 years </b>or <b>66 years, or even more</b>!!! What an age gap!</span></blockquote>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfQxeP0NJ4k/U7o4MyhsrWI/AAAAAAAAFMY/oYE9TfI_tAo/s1600/esther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfQxeP0NJ4k/U7o4MyhsrWI/AAAAAAAAFMY/oYE9TfI_tAo/s1600/esther.jpg" height="320" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><a href="http://reuvera.hubpages.com/hub/Jewish-Holiday-Purim-and-why-it-is-special--also-the-recipe-of-Purim-cookies--hamentashes--Hamans-ears">Esther and the King</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There is also the marriage of Ruth to the much older Boaz, Rachel to the older Jacob, Rebekah to the older Abraham, young Jewish Esther to the much older King.... </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Their common denominator was that they were all younger women married to older <i>(or much older)</i> men.</span></div>
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* * * * * * *</div>
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The Bible does not prohibit against marriages wherein the woman is older than the man, but I am assuming that <b>there is a bit of a challenge</b> with this type of setup, given that women under the curse of Eve really have it in their sinful nature to want to rule over their men -- and a younger husband, if he is not godly or mature, will really be ruled over, <b>almost definitely</b> by his older, unsubmissive wife!</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><i>My theory may have some tinge of truth in it, because according to a very recent study....</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 26px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">"Researchers found that </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">men</span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> mature 11 years later</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> than their female counterparts at the </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">ripe age of 43</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Researchers looking into the differences in maturity between genders revealed that both men and women believe that males remain "immature" well into their late 30s and early 40s, according to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2338978/Men-dont-mature-hit-43---ELEVEN-years-women.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490" rel="nofollow" style="color: #dd0000; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">On the other hand, the study found that </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">women mature completely at the age of <b>32</b></span><span style="background-color: yellow;">.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JpEa2xF1SIw/U7ox_EDIODI/AAAAAAAAFLw/89OxVQRN45E/s1600/immature+men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JpEa2xF1SIw/U7ox_EDIODI/AAAAAAAAFLw/89OxVQRN45E/s1600/immature+men.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left;">Grow up! Will Ferrell and John C. Reily played immature men who still lived with their parents in the comedy, 'Step Brothers'.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The poll revealed that eight out of ten women believe that men <i>"never stop being childish"</i> about passing gas, burping, eating fast food late at night and playing videogames.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQp-dcvnQAc/U7qErDpdDJI/AAAAAAAAFNY/d3WyoAncqyE/s1600/P7071399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vQp-dcvnQAc/U7qErDpdDJI/AAAAAAAAFNY/d3WyoAncqyE/s1600/P7071399.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dong has always been a gamer waaaaay before he met me. I have made peace with it. Hehe:) He plays to unwind and to think. I used to think he was addicted to it! To bond with him, I sometimes play video games too like the zombie game he got me, which I surprisingly enjoyed and finished! :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Other signs of immaturity include staying silent during arguments, not being able to cook a simple meal, and repeating the same old jokes and stories when they're with the guys.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">It's not just women who think men are childish. Men themselves were nearly twice as likely to describe themselves a immature than women, with one in four men admitting that they are actively immature.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5tvsSXrf7t8/U7qG6-EGClI/AAAAAAAAFNk/TGOEOdPY5WU/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5tvsSXrf7t8/U7qG6-EGClI/AAAAAAAAFNk/TGOEOdPY5WU/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 26px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">However, being immature isn't just fun and games. The survey found that three in ten women have ended a relationship because </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000;">they lost patience with their partner for being too immature.</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> Nearly half of women have been in a relationship in which </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">they felt they had to </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">"mother"</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> their partner</span></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">, according to the UK survey. In fact, the survey found that the average female respondent had to </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000;">tell her partner to </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #cc0000;">"act his age"</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000;"> more than once a month and at least 14 times a year.</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">The poll found that </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">women were twice as likely as men to feel that they were the </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">"adult"</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> in their current relationship</span></span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">, and </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000;">one in four women felt they were the ones who </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #cc0000;">made all the important decisions</span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">in the relationships. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Researchers note that there are some benefits to being immature. The survey revealed that four in ten people say immaturity is sometimes important because it ensures that the relationship stays fun and fresh, and one in three people believe immaturity helps in bonding with children.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"> <a href="http://www.counselheal.com/articles/5709/20130611/men-mature-11-years-later-women-study.htm">Source: Counsel & Heal - Mental Health</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, there will always be exceptions to the rule, wherein the younger husbands are more mature than their older wives (and I have witnessed this firsthand), but generally, I think most would agree with me that the situation of a younger man married to an older woman is ripe and fertile ground for much DISRESPECT -- especially if the wife does not believe in biblical submission.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #373a3e; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;"> <span style="font-size: large;">The Bible however, <b>did not make distinctions</b> between older and younger women when it came to respecting one's husband and submitting to him as God's ordained authority in marriage.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--jb9nfZ3ISE/U7sW0lYWXxI/AAAAAAAAFOw/QYlGZk3vjIA/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--jb9nfZ3ISE/U7sW0lYWXxI/AAAAAAAAFOw/QYlGZk3vjIA/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>So.... </i></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">HOW DOES AN <span style="color: #cc0000;">OLDER WIFE </span>SUBMIT TO AND RESPECT A <span style="color: #3d85c6;">YOUNGER HUSBAND</span>?</span></b></div>
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<i style="font-size: xx-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Submit to God first, then to your husband second.</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTO69T1pAAo/U7sJklZBDzI/AAAAAAAAFN0/_2tV7TBTzgY/s1600/submit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTO69T1pAAo/U7sJklZBDzI/AAAAAAAAFN0/_2tV7TBTzgY/s1600/submit.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: x-large;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc0000; display: inline; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b>Ephesians 5:22-33</b></span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc0000; display: inline; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px;"> (NIV)</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do 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.</span></i></blockquote>
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There is much peace and freedom to be gained when we follow what God commands. Submitting unto God means stopping our rebellion and our independent streaks which make us want to pursue <i>our</i> plans, <i>our</i> ambitions, <i>our</i> lives, separate from Him. Submitting unto God means desiring what <b><i>God </i></b>wants, pursuing what<b><i> God</i></b> pursues, and doing only what <b><i>God</i></b> has planned for us. It takes <b>great maturity </b>and an <b>intimate relationship with God</b> to know just what He wills for each person.</div>
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After <b>submitting unto God</b>, if <b>married,</b> one has to then <b>submit fully </b>to one's husband. It takes great faith to submit ourselves under God-ordained authority! Submitting unto our husbands means trusting that God will manifest His Will in our lives and lead us through our imperfect spouses, Whom He had appointed as heads of our homes. It <b>doesn't matter if he is younger</b>, he still was appointed by God as <i>your</i> leader. You follow your Heavenly Leader by following your earthly leader, and leave it to God to lead you through His established line of authority, your husband. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>2. Respect the "uniform" or the position, if you cannot respect the person (yet).</b></i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3a1jQpJ0fJQ/U7sKWghqKwI/AAAAAAAAFN8/fwPZ6ZXK7Wk/s1600/dc18849bb3b6a8638b440e7f5709e5a0-getty-box-phi-pacquiao-military-500x323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3a1jQpJ0fJQ/U7sKWghqKwI/AAAAAAAAFN8/fwPZ6ZXK7Wk/s1600/dc18849bb3b6a8638b440e7f5709e5a0-getty-box-phi-pacquiao-military-500x323.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;"> Manny Pacquio (3rd from left), our world-class boxing champ is </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">a reservist master sergeant in </span><span style="color: #999999;">the Philippine Army. </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">Even without the uniform though, he is most respected! :)</span></td></tr>
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<b style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"> 1 Peter 3: 1-2 </span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;">(WE)</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<span class="text 1Pet-3-1" id="en-WE-7183" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="chapternum" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: large; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;"></span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span class="text 1Pet-3-1" id="en-WE-7183" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="chapternum" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">3 </span>Wives, respect and obey your husbands in the same way. Then the husbands who do not obey the word of God will want to know God. They will want to know God because their wives live good lives, even though they say nothing about God. </i></span></span><span class="text 1Pet-3-2" id="en-WE-7184" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>They will see that you live holy lives and respect your husbands.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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If all he does is play Nintendo the whole day, or does not have a livelihood, or drinks himself silly with his buddies whenever he feels like it, it really would be difficult to respect such a man! In such case, pray to God to show you your husband's good qualities, those worthy of respect:<i> Is he good at his job? Is he kind towards the children? Does he help you with the chores even when you don't ask him to? Does he treat his mother well?</i> For sure, there is something admirable about him, or else you wouldn't have married him!</div>
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Pray to God to stop and change your bitter and condescending spirit, in order that you can truly respect your husband, even when he is at the moment, not respectable from your perspective. <i><b>"Respect the uniform" </b>or<b> respect his position,</b></i> even if he is younger. He may be acting like a slob or a mama's boy at the moment, but he <b><i>still is</i> </b>your <b>God-ordained authority. </b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> God hasn't changed His mind on this one. </span></b></span></b></div>
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However, you, dear sister, could start asking God to <i>change</i> how<i> you </i>view your husband and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any sin you may be knowingly or unknowingly cherishing in your heart, which may include pride, self-righteousness or being judgmental.</div>
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Eventually, with God's Help, the frustrated wife, with much prayer and humility, will eventually be able to respect not just the "uniform", but<b><i> the man</i></b> wearing the "uniform". It begins with a change in attitude regarding one's husband and his God-ordained role in the family.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>3. Resist the urge to mother him or control him.</b></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5h1T7EHxP-8/U7sLW43yTfI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/cnRFe3cvOtg/s1600/art.mom.hubby.lw.gi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5h1T7EHxP-8/U7sLW43yTfI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/cnRFe3cvOtg/s1600/art.mom.hubby.lw.gi.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">Genesis 2:18</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.</i></span></div>
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Remember we are <b>not </b>the Holy Spirit! It is not in our job description to <b>convict</b> and <b>change</b> our husbands into the men God wants them to become. That is God's Job. <b>Stop acting like God needs <span style="color: #cc0000;">you </span>to do <i>His </i>Job</b>. In all honesty, God doesn't <i>"need"</i> us. <b><span style="font-size: large;">We need Him.</span></b> So, let us focus on our <b>own roles</b> and <b>learn to control ourselves </b>instead of controlling others, especially our husbands.</div>
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When we <b>act like their mothers</b>, <b>talk like their mothers</b> and want to <b>"train" them to be the mature men </b>we want them to be,<b> like their mothers</b>... we are creating <b>disorder</b> in the home by becoming the <b>wrong kind of authority</b> over our husbands <i><span style="color: #e06666;">(parental/maternal)</span></i>. <b>If you married your young husband to gain a son, yikes! :(</b></div>
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Let your words be helpful without being <b>patronizing.</b> Let your actions be helpful without <b>infantilizing. </b>Let your thoughts be helpful without <b>judging. </b>You are his wife. You may be motherly and nurturing, and yes, he may be younger than you are, but <b>you were not created to be his mother</b>! You were <b>created to be his help meet</b>! <b><span style="font-size: large;">You did not give birth to him!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>4. Allow him to be his own man and to mature in his own time.</b></i></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2IIk1s09W0/U7sXPJQE0CI/AAAAAAAAFO4/eRLTTDZ2WzI/s1600/andres-de-saya-375x245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2IIk1s09W0/U7sXPJQE0CI/AAAAAAAAFO4/eRLTTDZ2WzI/s1600/andres-de-saya-375x245.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A defunct Philippine TV show of a man who is under the dominion of his wife.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Sirach 25 (GNT)</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22 When a man is supported by his wife, there is sure to be anger, arrogance, and humiliation. 23 A bad wife will make her husband gloomy and depressed, and break his heart. Show me a timid man who can never make up his mind, and I will show you a wife who doesn't make her husband happy.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2 Peter 1:6 </b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,</i></span></span></blockquote>
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If you married a younger man, I am assuming you knew what you were getting into when you did so. If you knew him to be a little immature, a little indecisive, a little too wild for your taste, well... face it, dear sister. That was the man you married!</div>
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Like all things and people, we all mature/grow older eventually. Leaves dry up. New gadgets get old. Immature people eventually learn -- <i>either through their own experiences or from just living long enough to observe other people's lives</i> -- to act their age. It takes longer for others to do so... but we all get there<i> eventually.</i></div>
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If we are to believe the new study I mentioned above, take heed, don't despair, by age 43, he will eventually mature! :)</div>
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Seriously, regardless of the age of our husbands, we have to learn to focus on changing <i>ourselves</i> and deepening<i> our</i> faith in God, and to always be wary of not looking down our noses at our husbands. Yes, we are their<b> helpers</b>. Yes, we are one with them by virtue of marriage, but we still have our own separate walks with Christ. We can only encourage and support them, but we cannot and should never <i>live</i> their lives for them.</div>
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Just because they are <b>younger </b>does not mean the <b>older wives</b>, being the more <b>"mature" ones</b>, have to <b>save </b>them from hurt, from disappointment, from pain, from LIFE in general. Let the younger husband have his <b>own </b>thoughts, dreams, ambitions, plans of action. They may not appear viable or practical from an older person's point of view at times, but instead of countering him, pray for him in order for God to bless and direct Him in all areas of his life.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Let your boy turn into a man, without interfering.</span></b></div>
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Let God do the honing and training. <b>Your only job is to help your husband fulfill God's plans for him, but <i>not</i> by impatiently <span style="font-size: large;">forcing</span> him to <span style="font-size: large;">man up</span>! You do this by<span style="font-size: large;"> truly respecting your man.</span></b> If you truly respect your man, even if he is younger than you, eventually, he will<i> act</i> like a man and <i>be</i> a man... thanks to his supportive and loving woman! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b> 5. Be a "Titus woman".</b></i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmN66ctrb2I/U7sVhdfdZaI/AAAAAAAAFOk/pex40qXUXFQ/s1600/4a6bc860762b97f49bbe913e8e07359a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmN66ctrb2I/U7sVhdfdZaI/AAAAAAAAFOk/pex40qXUXFQ/s1600/4a6bc860762b97f49bbe913e8e07359a.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Titus 2:3-5</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;">(ESV)</span></span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Titus-2-3" id="en-ESV-29895" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29895A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29895A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29895B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29895B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>not slanderers <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29895C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29895C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,</span> <span class="text Titus-2-4" id="en-ESV-29896" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,</span> <span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-ESV-29897" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>to be self-controlled, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29897D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span>pure, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29897E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span>working at home, kind, and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29897F" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span>submissive to their own husbands, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29897G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29897G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span>that the word of God may not be reviled.</span></span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #373a3e; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large; line-height: 19.600000381469727px;">This is the perfect verse for the older woman. :) </span></span></blockquote>
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If the older wife wants to please God, she should be submissive to her own younger husband in order for God's Word to not be maligned. Nothing badmouths God's Word more than a controlling and overbearing wife! This is just not God's design for marriage at all! NO, it <b>doesn't mean not having a say </b>in anything. NO, it <b>doesn't mean being </b> <b>doormat</b> or a mindless <b>Stepford wife</b>. What it does mean is a LOT of <b>self-control </b>and <b>bridled strength, </b>where the wife gives way to let her husband <b><i>be</i> the head of the family</b>, because that is <b>God's design for marriage</b>. The man is the head and the woman submits to her head. In my previous<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/07/playing-abuse-card.html"> post</a>, I wrote that the <b>husband is the head</b> and the <b>wife is the neck.</b> She supports the head. :)</div>
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As a Titus 2 elder woman, one should control one's tongue <i>(not be a slanderer)</i> and one's habits <i>(not be a slave to much wine)</i>. She should also teach what is good by training younger women to love their husbands and children. She should be kind and keep a tidy home. It doesn't mean that she should never hold a job, but in the event she does work outside of home, she should still make her husband and children a priority. And most of all, as was already mentioned above and so many times in this blog, she should be <b>submissive to her husband in order for the Word of God to NOT be blasphemed.</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Let me end this by saying that what is true for the <b>younger women</b> with<b> older husbands </b>holds true too for the <b>older women</b> with <b>younger husbands.</b></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Age is really but a number and love really knows no age, even in biblical submission.</span></b> </div>
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What is important is that we live up to fulfilling our God-ordained roles. As long as we focus on Jesus and on His Commandments for us husbands and wives, I believe that regardless of age, we will be able to experience much peace and joy in our marriages. :) </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There will come a time when the young husbands won't be young anymore...</span></div>
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<span class="exdous" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fff2cc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Job 12:12</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">"Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding.</i></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubJxNXe5N7E/U7sX8tGXkHI/AAAAAAAAFPA/_eMHH3iZljg/s1600/59308-52509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubJxNXe5N7E/U7sX8tGXkHI/AAAAAAAAFPA/_eMHH3iZljg/s1600/59308-52509.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And there will come a time when, by God's Grace, the "immature" husbands will become aged and godly "Titus men".</span></div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Titus 2:2</span></span></h1>
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<span class="text Titus-2-2" id="en-NIV-29911" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>Older men<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29911A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29911A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> are to be temperate,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29911B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29911B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> worthy of respect, self-controlled,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29911C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29911C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Titus-2-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>and sound in faith,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29911D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29911D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in love and in endurance.</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JG-i90q_uk8/U7suuBlR2_I/AAAAAAAAFPQ/RCbGSojQ3_Y/s1600/download+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JG-i90q_uk8/U7suuBlR2_I/AAAAAAAAFPQ/RCbGSojQ3_Y/s1600/download+(2).jpg" height="384" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"></span>Be the (older) godly wife who would stand by her (younger) spouse as God transforms him into the man/husband/father God wants him to be! :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Don't stand in God's Way! </span></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :) </div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-12627521394389847602014-07-05T06:48:00.002+08:002014-07-06T11:55:08.313+08:00My Male Boss vs. My Husband -- To Whom Should I Submit?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFixr5fhjpc/U7cmoqW8KkI/AAAAAAAAFJU/iVx4cThlplA/s1600/pcso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFixr5fhjpc/U7cmoqW8KkI/AAAAAAAAFJU/iVx4cThlplA/s1600/pcso.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I am with police authorities here for a PCSO TV show, with Kuya Jojo A - 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ALL authority comes from God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Romans 13:1-5</span></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="chapternum" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">13 </span><b>Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28268A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28268A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> for there is no authority except that which God has established.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28268B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28268B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> </b></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The authorities that exist have been established by God.</span> <span class="text Rom-13-2" id="en-NIV-28269" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span><b>Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28269C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28269C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.</b></span> <span class="text Rom-13-3" id="en-NIV-28270" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">3 </span>For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28270D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28270D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Rom-13-4" id="en-NIV-28271" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">4 </span>For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28271E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28271E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Rom-13-5" id="en-NIV-28272" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5</span><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.</b></span></span></i></div>
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Saint Paul further stresses in his letter to the Romans that:<br />
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<b style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Romans 13:6-7</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Rom-13-6" id="en-NIV-28273" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">6 </span>This is also why you pay taxes,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28273G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28273G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> for the <b>authorities are God’s servants</b>, who give their full time to governing.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Rom-13-7" id="en-NIV-28274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">7 </span>Give to everyone what you owe them: <b>If you owe taxes, pay taxes;<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28274H" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28274H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span> if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.</b></span><b> </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kgc6F2IDoWA/U7clstY2N7I/AAAAAAAAFJM/qRYIZQ5dqD8/s1600/authority2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kgc6F2IDoWA/U7clstY2N7I/AAAAAAAAFJM/qRYIZQ5dqD8/s1600/authority2.jpg" height="264" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In short, <b>we are all under God-ordained authority</b>, and we are asked to <b>submit to them</b> <i>despite </i>and <i>in spite of</i> their many flaws and imperfections. We do this in obedience to the Lord. If our leaders are ungodly and evil, and abuse their authority, that is<i> their</i> sin and <i>their </i>problem. They would be answerable to God for that. But as far as we, Christians, are concerned, we are asked to submit to ALL authority. We will be answerable to God for <i>that</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. We are under the authority of the government/</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bureau of Internal Revenue (for Filipinos) - <i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" id="en-NIV-28274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;"><i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">"If you owe taxes, pay taxes; </span></i><i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" id="en-NIV-28274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">if revenue, then revenue...</span></i><i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">"</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mark 12:17</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Then Jesus told them, "Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him. </i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAZMi6t0-Fw/U7cS3PUy1aI/AAAAAAAAFIE/6tbq-IIR9io/s1600/kim+henares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAZMi6t0-Fw/U7cS3PUy1aI/AAAAAAAAFIE/6tbq-IIR9io/s1600/kim+henares.jpg" height="196" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Kim Jacinto Henares is the Philippines' Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Wives are under the authority of their husbands - <i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" id="en-NIV-28274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: yellow; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">"...if respect, then respect..."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b>Ephesians 5:33</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Eph-5-33" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-ESV-29321" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29321A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29321A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>let each one of you love his wife as himself, </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Eph-5-33" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>and let the wife see that she <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29321B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29321B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>respects her husband.</i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RpLGh6C41FQ/U7cTa_lJkyI/AAAAAAAAFIM/N6veeLiCsas/s1600/P6163201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RpLGh6C41FQ/U7cTa_lJkyI/AAAAAAAAFIM/N6veeLiCsas/s1600/P6163201.jpg" height="320" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">My husband is <i>my</i> authority in marriage.</span></td></tr>
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<i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></i>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Children are under the authority of their parents -</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="text Rom-13-7" id="en-NIV-28274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: yellow; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">"...if honor, then honor..."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Deuteronomy 5:16</span></span></h1>
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<span class="text Deut-5-16" id="en-ESV-5070" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">16 </span>“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God commanded you, </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Deut-5-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-5070A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5070A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Deut-5-16" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> that the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God is giving you.</i></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bZZ_zxGso18/U7cTunSstrI/AAAAAAAAFIU/sup_tY5BXUo/s1600/baptism+isabelle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bZZ_zxGso18/U7cTunSstrI/AAAAAAAAFIU/sup_tY5BXUo/s1600/baptism+isabelle1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">As parents, we have authority over our children.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Authority would also encompass that of the Church, one's <b>bosses, </b>and all relationships where there is a superior/leader and there is a subordinate/follower.</span></div>
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* * * * * * *<br />
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I will not be talking about the first. God knows the Philippines is under a government whose leaders are <b>questionable </b>in character, and whose motives for<i> "serving the country"</i> are <b>dubious </b>at best and <b>contemptible</b> at worst.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bfmcS9SORVw/U7cUNo3hxxI/AAAAAAAAFIc/XZzpPXSfdNU/s1600/three+senators.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bfmcS9SORVw/U7cUNo3hxxI/AAAAAAAAFIc/XZzpPXSfdNU/s1600/three+senators.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">The sad state of affairs in our country</span></td></tr>
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</div>
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I will also not be talking about the last. It goes without saying that to <b>honor our parents </b>is truly <b>admirable </b>and <b>expected </b>of us children, and expected too from our <i>own</i> children. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p0cBUwd2ivk/U7cUdxMCA6I/AAAAAAAAFIk/0Bh55zVr7jo/s1600/reuben+theo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p0cBUwd2ivk/U7cUdxMCA6I/AAAAAAAAFIk/0Bh55zVr7jo/s1600/reuben+theo+3.jpg" height="284" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Our 3rd child, Reuben - 2012</span></td></tr>
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<div>
I will talk about the one at the middle, in line with the Peaceful Wife Philippines' ministry of <b>spreading God's Design for marriage. :)</b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3CUM56hPgY/U7cUxKRfnZI/AAAAAAAAFIs/WgIukWhHpnA/s1600/papa+with+ek2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3CUM56hPgY/U7cUxKRfnZI/AAAAAAAAFIs/WgIukWhHpnA/s1600/papa+with+ek2.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With my sister Erica and my late father, Ruben - April 17, 2004</span></td></tr>
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As per what was written in St. Paul's epistle to Ephesians, a <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">"wife must see to it that she respects her husband" </span></i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">(Eph 5:33)</span></b> because "<i style="color: #990000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">the husband is the head of the wife even as <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29311B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29311C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29311C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>himself its Savior." </i><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>(Eph 5:23)</b></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Christ </b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">calls us wives to </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">RESPECT</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> our husbands </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">UNCONDITIONALLY</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">regardless if they are to our mind,<i> respectable</i> or NOT </b><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">("Respect the uniform" or "Respect the God-ordained position.").</i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> In the same way, husbands are called to </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">LOVE</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> us wives </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">UNCONDITIONALLY</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> too, regardless </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">if we are<i> lovable or loving</i>, or NOT.</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> It's a tall order, I know, but that is what is written in the Bible:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OvpC6mml8kg/U7cn4QMWpII/AAAAAAAAFJk/Vb8-3Yniif0/s1600/486233_10151114886696227_1737405285_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OvpC6mml8kg/U7cn4QMWpII/AAAAAAAAFJk/Vb8-3Yniif0/s1600/486233_10151114886696227_1737405285_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Ephesians 5:25</span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.1;">English Standard Version (ESV)</span></h1>
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<span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-ESV-29313" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29313A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29313A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>Husbands, <b>love </b>your wives, as Christ loved the church and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29313B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29313B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>gave himself up for her,</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"></span></span></div>
<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><br /></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: large; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">1 Peter 3 </span></span></h1>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 14px;">Worldwide English Version (WE)</span></span></h1>
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<span class="text 1Pet-3-1" id="en-WE-7183" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="chapternum" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; bottom: -0.1em; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c27ba0; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">3 </span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Wives, </span><span style="color: #a64d79;"><b>respect</b> </span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">and obey your husbands in the same way. Then the husbands who do</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="text 1Pet-3-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #c27ba0;"> not obey the word of God will want to know God. They will want to know God because </span></i></span></span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #c27ba0;">their wives live good lives, </span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #c27ba0;">even though they say nothing about God. </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #c27ba0; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">2 </span><span style="color: #c27ba0;">They will see that you live holy lives and </span><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">respect</span></b><span style="color: #c27ba0;"> your husbands.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></b></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">_________________________________________________________________________________</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">In this day and age where women, <i>(thanks, but no thanks too to the Feminist Movement),</i> have believed the deception and have fed into the lies of the evil one that <b>'A CAREER OUTSIDE THE HOME IS MORE VALUABLE AND FULFILLING THAN BEING A WIFE AND MOTHER' </b><i>(this blog writer included before the Lord opened up her spiritual eyes!)</i>; more and more women are finding themselves spread too thin, and perpetually tired from being overly busy at juggling too many roles <i>(that are not necessarily God-given).</i></span></div>
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In her book, <b>"Lies Women Believe And the Truth that Sets Them Free", Nancy Leigh De Moss </b>says:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Half a century ago, a handful of determined women set out to achieve a philosophical and cultural revolution. Convinced that women needed to throw off the shackles of male oppression, they wrote books, published articles, taught college courses, marched in streets, lobbied Congress and in myriad ways succeeded in capturing the hearts and minds of millions of women.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="background-color: #eeeeee; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4P45Y8h74U/U7cpgw2tgcI/AAAAAAAAFKA/kc9jpgs372g/s1600/feminism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w4P45Y8h74U/U7cpgw2tgcI/AAAAAAAAFKA/kc9jpgs372g/s1600/feminism.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Voting for women was one of the great things the feminist movement has achieved. Sadly, it has gone way out of hand, usurping now God-ordained roles that brought <b>true freedom</b> for us as biblical women.</span></td></tr>
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</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">They redefined what it means to be a woman and tossed out widely-held views of a woman's priorities and mission in life. Concepts such as <b><i>virtue, chastity, discretion, domesticity, submission </i>and <i>modesty </i></b>were largely eliminated from the vocabulary, and replaced with <b><i>choice, divorce, infidelity, </i>and <i>unisex </i>lifestyles</b>. The daughters and granddaughters of this "new" view of womanhood have <b>never known any other way of thinking.</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZQAc7-eXT8/U7cnsWAJDJI/AAAAAAAAFJc/t5V6Dyj5mNA/s1600/feminism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #eeeeee; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZQAc7-eXT8/U7cnsWAJDJI/AAAAAAAAFJc/t5V6Dyj5mNA/s1600/feminism.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">One of the most devastating objectives of the this "new" view of womanhood has been to <b>demean marriage and motherhood</b> and to move women -- both physically and emotionally -- out of their homes and into the workforce.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Statistics indicate that the gender gap has narrowed dramatically in matters of hiring practices, pay scales and educational opportunities -- results that activists have worked long and hard to achieve. But what about the unintended consequences of this newfound freedom? Whoever expected we would have to live with such things as...</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- pressure placed on women by their peers to "do more" than be "just a wife and mother"</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- the status of a "homemaker" being devalued to something less than that of a serf</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4n1TY-JLAyA/U7corSoORgI/AAAAAAAAFJs/PFFRwtDEiDo/s1600/women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4n1TY-JLAyA/U7corSoORgI/AAAAAAAAFJs/PFFRwtDEiDo/s1600/women.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">There is no higher calling than to be a wife and mother.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- millions of children coming home from school to empty houses</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- families that seldom sit down and have a meal together</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- women gaining enough financial independence to free them to leave their husbands</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">- women who don't have the time or energy to cultivate a close relationship with their children and who end up permanently estranged from their grown children</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">- emotional and physical affairs being fanned by married women spending more quality time with men at work than they do their own husbands</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-66LMZot6brw/U7cpHYdGFaI/AAAAAAAAFJ4/Xk1p589Dw4E/s1600/BucHerald01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-66LMZot6brw/U7cpHYdGFaI/AAAAAAAAFJ4/Xk1p589Dw4E/s1600/BucHerald01.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Affairs are so common among bosses and their secretaries.</span></td></tr>
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</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: large;">- women being exposed day after day to coarse language and behavior and sexual innuendos in the workplace</span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">- mothers giving </span><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-size: large;">their best energy and time to persons other than their husbands and children, leaving those women perpetually exhausted and edgy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * * * * *</span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Modern women are really a force to reckon with. Many women already hold high positions or are bosses in various fields -- governments, hospitals, law offices, schools, banks, etc. But, I am sure you'd agree with me that </span><b style="text-align: justify;">female bosses</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> are still the </span><b style="text-align: justify;">exception </b><span style="text-align: justify;">rather than the </span><b style="text-align: justify;">rule</b><span style="text-align: justify;">, and that majority of women are still </span><b style="text-align: justify;">under</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> the authority of</span><b style="text-align: justify;"> men. </b><span style="text-align: justify;">Most women are in positions or jobs wherein they are</span><b style="text-align: justify;"> </b><span style="text-align: justify;">still </span><b style="text-align: justify;">under </b><span style="text-align: justify;">the supervision of male bosses. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: large;">"In determining our priorities as Christian women, we must first ask: Why did God make women? What is His Purpose and Mission for our lives? The Word of God provides women of every generation and culture with the Truth about our created purpose and primary role and calling. When we embrace the Truth and establish our priorities and schedules around it, we experience true liberation." </span>(<b>De Moss</b>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1) Woman was created by God to be a help meet and companion of Man.</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Genesis 2:18</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone;</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"> I will make him a </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">helper</span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;"> suitable for him."</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2) In God's Design, when Man and Woman get married, they are no longer two different individuals but ONE.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Gen 2:24</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i> <span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall </span><span style="background-color: yellow; text-align: start;">become one flesh</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">.</span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Mark 10:8</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fdfeff;">"and the two are united into one.' Since they are </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">no longer two but one,"</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><b>Matthew 19:6 </b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: start;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">So they are </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">no longer two but one flesh.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> What therefore God has joined together, </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">let not man separate.”</span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3) God created a Married Woman to have her husband and children as her priority.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Titus-2-4" id="en-NIV-29913" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Titus 2:4-5 </span></b></span><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Titus-2-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">"...</span><span class="text Titus-2-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: yellow; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">to love their husbands and children</span><span class="text Titus-2-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> </span><span class="text Titus-2-5" id="en-NIV-29914" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>to be self-controlled<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914D" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> and pure,</span><span class="text Titus-2-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: yellow; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> to be busy at home</span><span class="text Titus-2-5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;">,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914E" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29914F" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29914F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> so that no one will malign the word of God."</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> ______________________________________________________</span></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Today's post is about that <span style="color: #cc0000;">tricky </span>dilemma:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If by the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, we become one with our husbands and if according to God's Design for Marriage, we are under their authority... </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">When a woman is under a male boss, who has the right to give orders or command a female subordinate to do things (job-related, of course!), what happens when this arrangement already clashes with her own husband?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i> To whom should she submit?!? </i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>To whom should she defer?!?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yv7N4GsbifY/U7cxIhihxzI/AAAAAAAAFLI/PygYEtz-52s/s1600/dad+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yv7N4GsbifY/U7cxIhihxzI/AAAAAAAAFLI/PygYEtz-52s/s1600/dad+mom.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Dec 2012</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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I needed a male perspective and so I asked my husband, Dong about this. He said he was no expert at the subject, but I said, I wanted to hear from a husband's/man's point of view, and this was his take on it. To wives in "hairy" situations, this might prove to be an eye-opening read:</div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b>How would you feel if your wife was always outside of the home, working, and following her boss?</b></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>"If my wife was always outside of the home, always busy with her work, always jumping at the slightest text or call from her boss, I would feel VERY JEALOUS. When too much respect is given to another man, whether a colleague or (especially) her superior, who gets her TIME, ATTENTION and RESPECT, I would feel a bit threatened. </i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i></i></b></span><i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>If there is a LOT of respect for another man and too little for me, I would feel very unloved</b>. </span></i><i style="color: #38761d; text-align: left;"><b> </b></i></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vN9VwwQjg0/U7cr1_XQ2yI/AAAAAAAAFKM/IYeW5SPVUwE/s1600/bitag2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vN9VwwQjg0/U7cr1_XQ2yI/AAAAAAAAFKM/IYeW5SPVUwE/s1600/bitag2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Ben Tulfo had me as his cohost in Bitag in 2012. He was also my employer. </span><span style="color: #999999;">I do respect him a lot, but</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">I was always wary not to put him or his opinions, above my husband.</span></td></tr>
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<i style="color: #38761d; text-align: left;"><b>Good thing if my wife always came home, still doing her roles as my wife and the mother of our kids. But, if she is spent and exhausted from having served her "master" at the office to the best of her abilities, and always came home cranky, exhausted, and disrespectful to me, then I would really feel ANGRY. I might start retreating into myself and since I, like most men, do not like rocking the boat, I would just turn cold.</b></i><br />
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<b><i style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">But what if it is the wife that earns more or is providing </i><i style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">for the family?</i></b></div>
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<i style="color: #38761d; text-align: left;"><b>If the woman earns more, the husband would feel that he does not have a say anymore because of the financial aspect and might just keep quiet while already feeling resentful of her and/or the situation. It becomes even more difficult.</b></i><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b></b></i></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z_KnH70rRU/U7csJY2g-dI/AAAAAAAAFKU/WUIjQ-t2d3g/s1600/hataw+balita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5Z_KnH70rRU/U7csJY2g-dI/AAAAAAAAFKU/WUIjQ-t2d3g/s1600/hataw+balita.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Our UNTV Boss and my co-anchor, Daniel Razon. He was a good boss.- 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">By 2012, I was already being prepared by the Lord for my submission journey, </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">so I deferred to Dong a lot in terms of career decisions, but was still largely unsubmissive. </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">A year later, (September 1, 2013) would be my year of fully letting go and letting God, </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">and giving up my broadcasting career in order to pursue God's Will for me, in our family.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Problem is, so many women are like that. They get jumpy and overeager to please their male bosses, all gushy and respectful about them, while leaving no room anymore for respect or eagerness to please their own husbands. </span></b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b></b></i></span><i style="color: #38761d; text-align: left;"><b>It's common that women are sexually lured by their bosses to have an affair with them. It is common too that women just feel "used" by their bosses in the end, who have no plans of ever leaving their true wives. For the women, the fantasy's over, so welcome back to reality... but they've already fallen into temptation, to the detriment of their husbands.</b></i></blockquote>
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<i style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"><b>What should a husband do if his wife is always deferring to her boss over her own husband?</b></i><br />
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<b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">The ideal thing would be to tell his wife to quit and leave it to God and to him (the husband), to provide for their family.</span></i></b><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></i></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaiF_pR_yCA/U7cyUh_Fz8I/AAAAAAAAFLQ/1ZaubGwFAHI/s1600/dong+embracing+preggy+nikka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaiF_pR_yCA/U7cyUh_Fz8I/AAAAAAAAFLQ/1ZaubGwFAHI/s1600/dong+embracing+preggy+nikka.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Pregnant with our first - 2004</span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>But life is far from perfect and ideal, and so the best thing the husband can do is to GIVE MORE LOVE to his wife. She might be craving for his love. She might even be craving for his attention or (justifiable) jealousy. They should bring their situation to light. Communicate.</b></span></i></blockquote>
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<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b></b></span></i><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>He should tell his wife that this extreme closeness or respect for the boss was affecting him as a man and as her husband, and that she should learn to say "NO" to her boss too. She should learn to prioritize. While it is important to respect a superior, she should know her place in the family.</b></span></i></blockquote>
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<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b></b></span></i><i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>As an employee, one can easily be replaced. But one's role as a wife and mother is irreplaceable. </b></span></i></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8GRp8xyWDn4/U7ctPLqQfjI/AAAAAAAAFKg/GaTjckqvMmA/s1600/happy+family2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8GRp8xyWDn4/U7ctPLqQfjI/AAAAAAAAFKg/GaTjckqvMmA/s1600/happy+family2.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Working per se is NOT a problem nor is it a sin. But when one's<br />career is taking too much of the wife's/mother's time away from the family,<br />there is disorder and misplaced priorities. Not God's design for the family or the marriage. - 2010</span></td></tr>
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<i style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>When the husband says this, he should be gentle but firm. He should not act like a wimp. This would further lead to (more )disrespect."</b></span></i></blockquote>
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My husband, as he himself had admitted, was <b>no expert</b> in these things, but he is a good man and he is a loving husband, and I feel that what he shared here should be given a lot of weight. </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
What he said also holds true for authorities like <b>pastors, preachers, priests and religious leaders. </b>Though they are spiritual authorities, wives <b>do not have covenant relationships</b> with those men! Women are not under their headship and these <strike>godly</strike> men should <b>never take over </b>the God-ordained position of the husband in the family and in the home. But that is topic for a different post ;) ...</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">So to the question, When there is conflict between </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">"<b>The Male Boss vs. The Husband -- </b></span></i></blockquote>
<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>To Whom Should I Submit?", </b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">if we are to follow God, it must be to </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">our husbands first and foremost</b><span style="font-size: large;">, and </span><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">not </span></b><span style="font-size: large;">to our male bosses. (The world will say otherwise, of course.)</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Romans 12:12</b></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>His good, pleasing and perfect will.</i></span></span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Your boss may be rich, good-looking, established, respectable, sweet-smelling, a great dresser, and oh so fine; but please tone down the admiration a bit (or a LOT!) sisters!!! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BM7QWYkB0Hg/U7cu27GYP4I/AAAAAAAAFK0/DrW_RHr7_g4/s1600/handsome-boss-sitting-desk-266844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BM7QWYkB0Hg/U7cu27GYP4I/AAAAAAAAFK0/DrW_RHr7_g4/s1600/handsome-boss-sitting-desk-266844.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">If you are attracted to your boss, be wary! That might be a snare!</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Turn down the respect knob for other males</b> (especially bosses) a notch (or two or three...) and <b>turn up the respect knob for our husbands</b> a notch (or two, or three...or ten! <i>"Todo na to!"/Maximum</i>) higher. They <b>deserve our RESPECT</b> not because they have<i> <b>earned</b></i> it, but because they were<b><i> ordained</i></b> by God to be<b> <i>our</i> authorities</b>; and we are <b>ONE</b> with them.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ephesians 5:22-33 part</span></span></span></b></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3APZqtKVM/U7ctovV1d2I/AAAAAAAAFKo/loYtqrN_3H0/s1600/dong+nikka+wedding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q3APZqtKVM/U7ctovV1d2I/AAAAAAAAFKo/loYtqrN_3H0/s1600/dong+nikka+wedding2.jpg" height="320" width="279" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">April 17, 2004 </span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Eph-5-31" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22</span><b><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.</b><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29328C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span><span style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also </span><span class="text Eph-5-24" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;"><b>wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29329D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in everything</b></span><span class="text Eph-5-24" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;">.</span></span></i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Eph-5-31" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">31 </span>“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29336b" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29336b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29336b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29336M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29336M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span></span><span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"></span><span class="text Eph-5-32" id="en-NIV-29337" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.</span><span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"> </span><span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, each one of you also must love his wife<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29338N" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29338N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></span> as he loves himself, and <b>the wife must respect her husband."</b></span></i></span></span></blockquote>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>P.S. <span style="font-size: x-small;">It is my personal opinion and conviction that if any authority is asking me to sin, I will still submit and will still be respectful, but I will not necessarily obey. I will follow the dictates of my well-informed and clean conscience, after much prayer and discernment. (<a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/5-29.htm">Acts 5:29</a>)</span></b></span></div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-75434589638112375852014-07-02T09:23:00.001+08:002014-07-02T14:23:43.732+08:00Playing the 'ABUSE' Card <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8udNuekHnY/U7NU7YTr-bI/AAAAAAAAFGk/cfoH55t4dEw/s1600/mommy+and+daddy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8udNuekHnY/U7NU7YTr-bI/AAAAAAAAFGk/cfoH55t4dEw/s1600/mommy+and+daddy2.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">This pic looks like it's the other way around. - Aug 2013</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
It never fails to astound me how many (Catholic/Christian) women and <i>even</i> <b>men,</b> bring up the "abuse" card whenever I talk about my decision to <b>biblically submit </b>to my husband, as unto the Lord. (<a href="http://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-22.htm">Ephesians 5:22</a>) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Some will remark:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>"Have you seen the figures of how many battered women there are, out there?"</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>"Have you visited the center for abused women, who were beaten by their husbands?"</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>"If a woman submits to her husband, this might pave the way for marital abuse!"</b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #38761d;">* * * * *</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But the question that begs to be asked is this: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">ARE <i>YOU</i> IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP?</span></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SaYuJ5hKPlA/U7NVqD4H89I/AAAAAAAAFGs/rebRw0wBU_o/s1600/abuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SaYuJ5hKPlA/U7NVqD4H89I/AAAAAAAAFGs/rebRw0wBU_o/s1600/abuse.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">A godly man should love his wife as the weaker vessel, and must <b><span style="font-size: small;">never </span></b>abuse her!</span></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are, then I would be the <b>first</b> to say to go find solace and protection from your nearest spiritual leader, priest, pastor, preacher, policeman, NGO, etc.... Do find somebody who can intervene for you and help you. While I <b>do not agree with divorce</b> since the Bible is clear on that (<a href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/malachi/2-16.html">Malachi 2:16</a>), I do agree wholeheartedly with <b>physical separation </b><i>while </i>the husband in question, is <i>not yet </i>in his right frame of mind due to any one of the following reasons: <b>substance abuse, extreme clinical depression, demonic oppression/possession</b>, and the like. I believe that there will be times when one really has to <b>physically alienate </b>oneself from that kind of husband because the wife is dealing with the <b>addiction/mental disorder/spiritual oppression</b>; and not anymore with the <b>man <i>per se</i></b>. It would be <b>dangerous </b>and <b>even life-threatening <i>to stay </i></b>in such cases<b>. Leaving </b>becomes the <i style="font-weight: bold;">only option </i>as a <i style="font-weight: bold;">drastic measure</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A husband who is <b>abusive</b> to his better-half has<b> failed</b> in his own God-ordained roles to <b>provide, protect and love</b> his wife as Christ loved the Church (<i>and was willing to die for Her</i>), and the wife has every right to protect herself and her children from such a man, until such time that he has regained full control of himself and his faculties:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3PdiVrW5Y1c/U7NcMKL_GRI/AAAAAAAAFHg/Gb8_8Bbr-bk/s1600/wedding+pic1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3PdiVrW5Y1c/U7NcMKL_GRI/AAAAAAAAFHg/Gb8_8Bbr-bk/s1600/wedding+pic1+copy.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Wedding Day - Apr 17, 2004</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Husband as:</i></span></blockquote>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">PROVIDER </span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (<a href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=1%20Timothy%205%3A8&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm">1 Timothy 5:8</a>).</span></i></span></span></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">PROTECTOR</span></b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: start;">“Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (</span><a class="vl-anchor" data-passage="Colossians319" href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=Colossians%203%3A19&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm" style="outline: none; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Colossians 3:19</a><span style="text-align: start;">). </span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;"></span></span></i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: start;">“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (</span><a class="vl-anchor" data-passage="1Peter37" href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=1%20Peter%203%3A7&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm" style="outline: none; text-align: start;" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:7</a><span style="text-align: start;">). </span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">LOVER </span></b></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Husbands, love your wives,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330E" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29330F" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-26" id="en-NIV-29331" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>to make her holy,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331G" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span> cleansing<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29331a" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29331a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29331a" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> her by the washing<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29331H" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span> with water through the word,</span><span class="text Eph-5-27" id="en-NIV-29332" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>and to present her to himself<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332I" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29332J" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-28" id="en-NIV-29333" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29333K" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29333K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-29" id="en-NIV-29334" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—</span> <span class="text Eph-5-30" id="en-NIV-29335" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">30 </span>for we are members of his body.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29335L" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29335L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span></span> </i> <i>(Ephesians 5:25-30)</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #c9c9c9; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: start;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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Having said that, let me go back to the thing that <b>astounds</b> me most about men and women in these modern times when I talk about biblical submission -- <i>(I was guilty of this too in the past, before the Lord opened up my spiritual eyes to my rebellion and lack of faith in His Sovereignty)</i> people usually bring out the <b>"abuse card"</b>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LyZwZPFgkOM/U7NWq4RrOxI/AAAAAAAAFG0/moX8ePAEtLU/s1600/ABUSE+CARD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LyZwZPFgkOM/U7NWq4RrOxI/AAAAAAAAFG0/moX8ePAEtLU/s1600/ABUSE+CARD.jpg" height="265" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The abused "abuse card"</td></tr>
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If your husband does not make you his <b>punching bag</b>, or <b>verbally beats you down</b> to pieces, or<b> ties you up</b>, or <b>locks you </b>in cages... but is just the <b>"normal" kind of husband </b>who is just not that affectionate by <i>your </i>standards, not that good a provider by <i>your </i>standards, not as macho or protective of you by <i>your </i>standards, but is <b>generally kind and decent</b>, please<b> DO NOT PLAY THE ABUSE CARD.</b> </div>
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If one plays that card just to<b> justify</b> <b>prideful, self-righteous and judgmental behavior,</b> <i>("He is not very good at decision-making"; "I am better than him at making money."; "He is not very intelligent.", "He is so immature!"; etc.)</i> let's just call a <b>spade a spade,</b> and be forthright in admitting that this is <b>NOT about being concerned about those who are really in very pitiable marital circumstances</b>, as this is about one's <b>OPEN REBELLION against God </b>and His God-ordained <b>authorities over us wives -- </b>our<b> husbands.</b> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Hebrews 13:17</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>1 Cor 11:3</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>However, I want you to realize that Christ has authority over every man, </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>a husband has authority over his wife, and God has authority over Christ.</i></span></span><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A_3PbhlC1d4/U7NXWlHCmdI/AAAAAAAAFG8/3_a61aYtFQA/s1600/i+do.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A_3PbhlC1d4/U7NXWlHCmdI/AAAAAAAAFG8/3_a61aYtFQA/s1600/i+do.jpg" height="223" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">My husband has authority over me. I signed into it. - April 17, 2004</span></td></tr>
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Let's be honest that this is just about <b>not wanting to give up the "high" from being in CONTROL.</b> That this is about <b>not wanting to leave things in God's Hands, and in our husbands' hands</b> -- <i>to lead, to protect, and to provide </i>for us. </div>
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Let's be honest that this is a <b>plain and simple refusal to submit to God,</b> which is evident in one's <b>refusal to submit to one's spouse.</b></div>
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For it is written:</div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #fff2cc; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Ephesians 5:22-33 part:</span></span></h1>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">22 </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327A" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29327B" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span></span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29328C" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29329D" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in everything.</span></b></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">31 </span>“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”<span class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29336b" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29336b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29336b" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29336M" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29336M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span></span><span class="text Eph-5-32" id="en-NIV-29337" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, each one of you also must love his wife<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29338N" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29338N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></span> as he loves himself, and <b><span style="font-size: large;">the wife must respect her husband.</span></b></span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9lCgpkpfGs/U7NXo7h3JYI/AAAAAAAAFHE/pTXbeelpp0M/s1600/andre+reuben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a9lCgpkpfGs/U7NXo7h3JYI/AAAAAAAAFHE/pTXbeelpp0M/s1600/andre+reuben.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Our complete family - August 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></span></i></span></div>
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I chanced upon this very enlightening post in the site,<b><a href="http://www.allaboutgod.com/role-of-the-wife-in-the-bible.htm"> All About God</a></b>. Allow me to share it with you verbatim:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span>The role of the wife is clearly described in the Bible. Although males and females are equal in relationship to Christ, the Bible gives specific roles to both the husband and the wife in marriage. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XLm6d1WbTWM/U7NX9OfRnXI/AAAAAAAAFHM/FeonwG3GMQA/s1600/daddymommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XLm6d1WbTWM/U7NX9OfRnXI/AAAAAAAAFHM/FeonwG3GMQA/s1600/daddymommy.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;">I love my role!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">As wives, we are given these roles, among others:</span></span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Mentors</span></b><span style="color: #990000;"> - </span><a class="vl-anchor" data-passage="Titus24-5" href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=Titus%202%3A4-5&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm" style="color: #990000; outline: none;" target="_blank">Titus 2:4-5</a><span style="color: #990000;"> says, </span><i style="color: #990000;">"Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."</i></span></span></li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Witnesses</span></b><span style="color: #990000;"> - </span><a class="vl-anchor" data-passage="1Peter31" href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=1%20Peter%203%3A1&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm" style="color: #990000; outline: none;" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:1</a><span style="color: #990000;"> says, </span><i style="color: #990000;">“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives.</i></span></span></li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Examples</b> </span><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- <a class="vl-anchor" data-passage="1Timothy311" href="http://ebible.com/query?utf=8%E2%9C%93&query=1%20Timothy%203%3A11&translation=ESV&redirect_iframe=http://www.AllAboutGOD.com/bible.htm" style="outline: none;" target="_blank">1 Timothy 3:11</a> says, <i>"In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything."</i></span></span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Role of the Wife in the Bible – The Design Order of the Family Unit</span></span></b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">When studying the role of the wife in the Bible, it is important to understand how God designed the family unit. There are ranks described --</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Christ, </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>the husband, </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>the wife, and then </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>the children.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">You would not expect to walk into a doctor's office and be greeted by the doctor, measured and weighed by the receptionist, and then treated by the nurse. Right? There are certain orders to things because that's what works. It's the same way with God's design in the family unit. It works smoothly, when done His way.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Beth, a wife, explains it this way,</span></span><br />
<ul style="margin-left: 2px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 42px; text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The role we have as wives is that of encouraging and helping our husbands. When we try to make it any more, or any less, that's when we run into trouble. My mom used to teach a young married couples class, and I will never forget her most ‘valuable nugget’ of truth. She always told them that the <b>husband is the head of the home</b>, and the <b>wife is the neck</b>. <span style="font-size: large;">The neck supports the head, and helps the head to fulfill its duties.” </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">"</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCa1BKsdBXw/U7NedjwtzVI/AAAAAAAAFHw/XSnotXX6VQM/s1600/dongs+2x2+pic+copia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCa1BKsdBXw/U7NedjwtzVI/AAAAAAAAFHw/XSnotXX6VQM/s1600/dongs+2x2+pic+copia.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;">Dong is the head. Nikka is the neck(a)! :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Let's stop abusing the "abuse card", dear sisters in Christ. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is a sad reality, yes, (<i>and my heart goes out to those who are in abusive marriages</i>) but if it is <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">not </span><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">YOUR</span></i></b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">reality</span></b>, then please <b>open your heart and mind</b> to God's <b>beautiful design for marriage</b>, and stop playing <i>that</i> card just to <b>escape </b>from God's commandment to <b>submit to your husband.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It is freeing, liberating and bondage-releasing!</b></span></blockquote>
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I "played that card" too quite often in the past, when I was in <b>open defiance</b> against God and <b>my husband</b>. Honestly, it <b>got old </b>quite fast. :( I was miserable, bitter, depressed, angry, and always worried about the future.<span style="text-align: left;"> :(</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank God, I have thrown it out since <b>September 1, 2013</b>, and am playing a new deck now -- where I am <b>Queen</b> and my husband is <b>King</b>, and <b>Christ is the Ace</b> up our sleeves. :) </span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qmB1FAxorcI/U7Nah7cWPbI/AAAAAAAAFHY/3CMQ7H5EF3s/s1600/FIRST+DINNER+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qmB1FAxorcI/U7Nah7cWPbI/AAAAAAAAFHY/3CMQ7H5EF3s/s1600/FIRST+DINNER+.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Family Dinner at our Home with the King and Queen and their two Jacks and two Jills (hehe),<br />
with Christ at center (the Light!). :) - October 2013</td></tr>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-76028631987068240392014-07-01T17:35:00.001+08:002014-07-02T07:03:50.697+08:00Covering Your Husband in Prayer - The Power of a Praying Wife<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3c4Vi-YEopg/U7J5RBeDdzI/AAAAAAAAFFc/ip22RVUyZ24/s1600/baptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3c4Vi-YEopg/U7J5RBeDdzI/AAAAAAAAFFc/ip22RVUyZ24/s1600/baptism.jpg" height="276" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reuben Theo's baptism - November 2010</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9_ARvoYrgt8/U7J47IpO-WI/AAAAAAAAFFU/fMaNe-adizs/s1600/sleeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9_ARvoYrgt8/U7J47IpO-WI/AAAAAAAAFFU/fMaNe-adizs/s1600/sleeping.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two older children, Therese and Andre, sleeping on Fathers' Day in 2010 :)</td></tr>
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My husband led the evening prayers last night. Because it was already a bit late, instead of having four wide awake children, plus two adults, we were left with two tiny tots -- <b>Reuben</b>, 4 and <b>Isabelle</b>, 1 -- while the two school children -- <b>Therese</b>, 9 and <b>Andre</b>, 6 -- were already sound asleep, tired from the day's school activities. Suffice to say, the toddler and the infant were not able to say <i><b>"Amen!"</b> </i>to our vocal prayers! They were also a bit antsy from our having turned off the volume of their "Lego Movie"!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPRD5Wyiq0Q/U7J7IjEQIfI/AAAAAAAAFF0/E4MlmyvbI18/s1600/P6071314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPRD5Wyiq0Q/U7J7IjEQIfI/AAAAAAAAFF0/E4MlmyvbI18/s1600/P6071314.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two younger ones, Reuben and Isabelle, playing with cups!<br />
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But, we did meet the Lord's <b>"quota"</b> for praying. Dong and I equaled TWO right-minded adults who seeked God's Presence:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Matthew 18:20 </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i>"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."</i></span><span class="p" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"></span></span><br />
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Not to say though that by one's lonesome, the Lord will not be with that person or will not listen to that person. Of course not! In my daily walk with Christ, I am alone with Him, but my walk becomes more pleasant and "easier" because of sisters and brothers in Christ who are walking in faith too, along with me. And who better to <b><i>pray with</i></b> than my <b>own husband</b>, who is not a <b>separate</b> individual from me, but is <b><i>one</i></b> <b><i>with</i> </b>me, through the sacrament of <b>Holy Matrimony</b>?</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 5:31 </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,</span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"> and the two are united into one."</span><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because of this mystery...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Praying <i>with</i> one's spouse is praying as a <b><i>unit </i></b>or as <b><i>one.</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Praying<i> for</i> my husband is also praying for <b><i>myself</i></b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">So, I ask you: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b>Have you prayed for your husband today? </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b>Have you covered him in prayer?</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGbJZo9P7eU/U7J6GFe0A_I/AAAAAAAAFFk/l5w1b4jcJew/s1600/covering-your-husband-in-prayer-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGbJZo9P7eU/U7J6GFe0A_I/AAAAAAAAFFk/l5w1b4jcJew/s1600/covering-your-husband-in-prayer-button.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"></span>_______________________________________________________________________________<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">A sister-in-Christ emailed me about some problems she was having with her husband. She asked me for some advice and I pointed out to her that she should <b>pray for her husband,</b> who, to me, looked like he was suffering from depression caused by demonic oppression. After emailing her and praying for her, she said something that struck me and which led me into writing this blog piece. She said:</span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"</span>I love the prayers you wrote for me, I will add them to my regular prayers now.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;">You know what I missed on my submission journey?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <b> Praying for my husband.</b></span> </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d;">I figured I shouldn't appeal to the Lord to change people so that they please me; I should ask Him to show (me) my own sins. I think I'm a bit too hung up on changing myself. I need to extend my prayers to my husband and others now."</span></i></div>
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This made SO much sense to me, to be honest. We are taught in this respect and submission journey to FOCUS on changing ourselves, and not changing and controlling our husbands and/or others. That is the Holy Spirit's Work! We do not want to play the Holy Spirit, nor do we want to meddle with His Movements. It's not part of our "job description." We were created to be the help meets (<a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/2-18.htm">Gen 2:18</a>) or helpers of our husbands and not as<i><b> <span style="font-size: large;">the</span></b></i><b><span style="font-size: large;"> Helper.</span></b> Only the Holy Spirit can<b> convict and change</b>. We do not have the <b>power nor the authority </b>to do that.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Having said that though, we still do need to </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>PRAY for our husbands!!! :)</b></span></div>
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I get where this sister is coming from. In her deep and honest desire to STOP her former controlling behavior towards her husband was her decision to also STOP alongside that, her former "prayers" that were all but <b>rants</b> to God (<i>"Please change my husband."; Please make him more sweet and kind."; "Please make him more hardworking"....</i>). The problem is she just STOPPED praying altogether to God for her husband, lest her prayers turn into a litany of his faults and failures, once more!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">How do we pray for our husbands while NOT turning this into a rant-fest against them?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's all about the motives of the heart.</span></b></div>
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<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 20px; text-align: center;">
<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">1 Timothy 1:5</span></span></h1>
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<span class="text 1Tim-1-5" id="en-ESV-29685" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">5 </span>The aim of our charge is love <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29685A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29685A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>that issues from a pure heart and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29685B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29685B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span>a good conscience and <span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29685C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29685C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span>a sincere faith.</span></i></span></div>
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When we pray for our husbands, we must not use this time to complain about them or to point out to God their million-and-one <i>(perceived and real)</i> offenses against us, but we pray for our husbands in order for the Lord to bless them, prosper them, protect them and show His Mercy on them...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AliFf_fpdYs/U7KAn1a26AI/AAAAAAAAFGU/lwUDxImwpRk/s1600/P2220768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AliFf_fpdYs/U7KAn1a26AI/AAAAAAAAFGU/lwUDxImwpRk/s1600/P2220768.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With our youngest, Isabelle Veronica - March 2014</td></tr>
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I must admit, my "prayers" before were not really godly nor pleasing to the Lord, because it was all about asking God to change Dong. For more samples on how I prayed before and how I pray now, please read this post on <a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/why-does-god-not-answer-my-prayers.html">"Why does God not Answer my Prayers?!?"</a>. Whereas changing people really is God's Territory, without going into deep introspection into what <b>I myself needed to change</b>, bugging God to change my husband was just plain as day <b>self-righteousness and pride</b>!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Matthew 7:5</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough </span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px;"></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">It was only after the Lord had convicted me and changed me in </span><b style="text-align: justify;">September 1, 2013</b><span style="text-align: justify;">, and when the "scales of disrespect" <i>(against God and against my husband)</i> fell off from my eyes for good, that I was able to see myself for who and what I truly was -- a sinner in need of God's Grace and Mercy. I was spiritually blind for so long! :( I thought that it was only my husband who was in dire need of change, not knowing that<i><b> I </b></i>was the one who had a LOT of changing to do.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZsWT6ihdMQ/U7J6snHryeI/AAAAAAAAFFs/KtOrst-U8-M/s1600/prayingnikka1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mZsWT6ihdMQ/U7J6snHryeI/AAAAAAAAFFs/KtOrst-U8-M/s1600/prayingnikka1.jpg" height="271" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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It was only when I focused on my own walk with Christ and <b>truly let go and let God</b>, and STOPPED trying to change my husband and nagging God to change him, did Dong surprisingly change -- without my "help" and without my "intervention"!!!! Who would have thunk?!? ;)</div>
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I do my best though until now, <b>NOT TO FOCUS</b> on the changes that the Lord is doing within his heart and in his life. I <b>FOCUS</b> on what the Lord is doing <b>in my own heart </b>and <b>in my own life</b>, while always looking out on how to bless him daily and support him in his own walk with Christ.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I also make sure that my husband is covered in prayer. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>I am his prayer warrior and prayer partner.</b></span></div>
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I lift Dong up to God all the time, making sure I lift up unto the Lord all of his good qualities and ask for His Mercy too for whatever sins he might be committing knowingly or unknowingly. I also ask the Lord to bless him in all areas of his life, as the God-ordained leader of our home. What I've stopped doing is <b>"commanding" God</b> to specifically do this and do that with regards to my husband, as I used to do in the past. :(</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whereas, it would <b>not be a sin </b>to tell God to intervene and deliver one's husband from a life of sin and bondage, it <b>would be sin</b> to judge and condemn one's husband before God! </span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 22, 2014</td></tr>
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After having confessed your sins to God and making sure that you are in good standing before Him -- that is, you are not <b>cherishing any sin </b>and not <b>consciously engaging in Sin </b>-- I don't see how it would be wrong to bring up to the Lord things that you would want Him to change in your husband.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;">It's one thing to tell the Lord to help your husband change his errant ways, as in, </span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"My husband is currently being very unloving, Lord. Please enlighten him with your Spirit to treat me more kindly, because his shutting me out of his life really hurts me. Please change his hardened heart. I want us to have a loving relationship." </b></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But it's another thing to tell the Lord that: </span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>"Lord, my husband is a good-for-nothing lazy slob who is a waste of time and space!!! I really pray he gets his act together! I am so repulsed by him! Please change him! I am sick and tired of him and this situation!"</b></span></i></blockquote>
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In the <b>first instance</b>, the wife was honest to God about her hurt feelings and her husband's unloving actions, but it was still done with humility and love, with room for God to work in her husband's heart, and with much grace extended to her husband.</div>
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In the <b>second instance</b>, the wife was judging her husband in front of God, condemning him about his sins. The <i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Please change him"</span> </i>in the end was done more <b>out of spite</b> than <b>out of love</b>; more out of the <b>prideful attitude</b> of <i style="color: #0b5394;">"I've done all I could to change him, maybe YOU could do better than me! Take a shot at it, will you, God?" </i>than a humble admittance of and resignation to God's Power to change hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. <a href="http://biblehub.com/ezekiel/36-26.htm">(Ezekiel 36:26)</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I must admit with much embarrassment that my "prayers" before my conviction were more of the latter rather than the former. Yuck! :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But, since my conversion, I now rest in His Sovereignty and in His Divine Wisdom. I no longer want to "control" God! </span><span style="font-size: large;">I now let GOD </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">be</i><span style="font-size: large;"> GOD.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I share with the Lord<b> all</b> that I want to tell Him, minus the judgments and </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">the</i><span style="font-size: large;"> attitude! :P</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Do not underestimate the POWER of a praying wife! </span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Start covering your own husband in prayer today.</span></b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I read this book as a newlywed. - 2004</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;">May we all be richly blessed! :)</span><br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-47318203587811235052014-06-26T16:12:00.001+08:002014-07-02T06:59:03.308+08:00When A Wife Treats Her Husband As Her Child<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With our first child, Therese, and just a year or so married - 2005</td></tr>
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I call Dong, <i>"Daddy", "Honey", </i>and <i>"Lovey".</i></div>
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He calls me <i>"Baby", "Honey"</i> and<i> "Beauty" or "Sexy" (Yee-ha!) ,</i> but never <i>"Mommy".</i><br />
To him, <b>"Mommy"</b> is his mother, <b>Wowa Letty</b>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-10cyEVuxuFc/U6vPEyn1n-I/AAAAAAAAFAo/M6iOQcGd5PU/s1600/Picture+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-10cyEVuxuFc/U6vPEyn1n-I/AAAAAAAAFAo/M6iOQcGd5PU/s1600/Picture+032.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Wowa Letty, Dong's very kind mother</span></td></tr>
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Some couples call each other <b><i>"Daddy"</i></b> and <i><b>"Mommy"</b></i>, and there is <b>nothing wrong </b>with that. It's a lovely term of endearment to one's spouse as the co-parent of their God-given children.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It becomes a problem though when by calling the wife as "Mommy", the wife <i>becomes</i> and <i>acts </i>like the husband's <b>own</b> <b>mother</b>!!! </span></div>
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That's a line that should<b> NEVER</b> be crossed, if one is to follow God's commandment between married couples and if one is to have a godly and biblical marriage!</div>
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I have heard of wives calling their hubbies along with their sons as <i><b>"my boys"</b></i>, or <i>"<b>my babies</b>"</i>, or something to that effect. While I think it is quite sweet to be nurturing towards one's husband, a wife has to be VERY wary <b>not to treat her husband as one of her sons</b>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d7qACVy_2oc/U6vPpvT0XdI/AAAAAAAAFA4/wlLmAAuzNYE/s1600/reuben+theo+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d7qACVy_2oc/U6vPpvT0XdI/AAAAAAAAFA4/wlLmAAuzNYE/s1600/reuben+theo+4.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reuben, 2nd son</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwifquzKT9c/U6vPjNsMvaI/AAAAAAAAFAw/kkLkw3lSB8Q/s1600/andre+rafael+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cwifquzKT9c/U6vPjNsMvaI/AAAAAAAAFAw/kkLkw3lSB8Q/s1600/andre+rafael+4.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andre, 1st son</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Doing so would cross over from being just </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">caring </b><span style="font-size: large;">to </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">mothering</b><span style="font-size: large;"> to </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">smothering</b><span style="font-size: large;">, if not held in check! There is nothing more <b>'UNSEXY'</b> than treating your husband as your </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">child</b><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Treating your husband as your son (whether the eldest or the youngest or somewhere in between) is actually <span style="color: #cc0000;">VERY DISRESPECTFUL</span>!!!</span></b></div>
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Remember it is written in the Bible that:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="exdous" style="background: rgb(250, 249, 246); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Ephesians 5:22-24</span></b></span><span style="background-color: #faf9f6; color: #555555;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span class="exdous" style="background: rgb(250, 249, 246); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Titus 2:4-5</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Men are the <b>HEADS of their wives</b> and wives are to be <b>subject to their husbands. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">* * * </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Parents are the <b>HEADS over their children.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="exdous" style="background: rgb(250, 249, 246); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 6:1-3</span></b></span><span style="background-color: #faf9f6; color: #555555;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span class="exdous" style="background: rgb(250, 249, 246); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Colossians 3:20</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>well-pleasing to the Lord.</i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">January 17, 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I wrote a post on how to still honor our parents while already being subject to one's husband, <b>once married, </b><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/of-mothers-and-mothers-in-law-standing_17.html">here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">For this particular blog post though, what the Lord led me to write was about exercising seeming 'parental authority' over one's husband, which goes clearly against Scripture and creates disorder and abnormality within the marriage.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Bible points out that<b> ALL</b> authority comes from God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Romans 13</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">New Living Translation (NLT)</span></div>
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<span class="text Rom-13-1" id="en-NLT-28229"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="color: #990000;"> Respect for Authority</span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span class="text Rom-13-1"><span class="chapternum" style="bottom: -0.1em; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 0.8em; position: relative;">13 </span>Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.</span> <span class="text Rom-13-2" id="en-NLT-28230"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">2 </span>So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqBuzw6eJBI/U6vTmVABhqI/AAAAAAAAFBk/Chm_GA9XR0o/s1600/wedding+pic1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqBuzw6eJBI/U6vTmVABhqI/AAAAAAAAFBk/Chm_GA9XR0o/s1600/wedding+pic1+copy.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">April 17, 2004</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In marriage, our husbands are our God-ordained authorities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1e1f1c;">Here’s the bible verse from</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> 1 Peter 3:1-6</b> </span><span style="color: #1e1f1c;">from the New Living Translation:</span></div>
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<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands.</span><span style="font-size: 15px;"> Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.</span></span></i></div>
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<i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></i></span><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands. </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">When a wife acts like her husband's mother, she is guilty of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;">mixing up her God-ordained role as parent to her children (</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">over whom she has every right to correct and direct), and </span><i>mis<span style="font-weight: normal;">-</span>using </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">that </span>parental authority over her husband<span style="font-weight: normal;">, over whom, she has NO AUTHORITY correcting, leading or directing, given her </span>God-ordained submissive role as helper or supporter<span style="font-weight: normal;">, in the marriage.</span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Yes, it is important to point out once or twice <i>(in a respectful manner, of course) </i>when one's husband is errant or is sinning, but NO, it is not okay to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: normal;"><b>continue </b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">to correct and direct him</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: normal;"><b> every day</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">, as though one's husband had no mind of his own or was inutile, and needed his wife's correction, mentorship, and direction, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: normal;"><b>at all times.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">It not only </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: normal;"><b>maligns God's Word</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> (Titus 2:5), but it also </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: normal;"><b>muddles up God's design for marriage and authority</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">. Wives have NO AUTHORITY over their husbands! That's a spiritual coup d' etat!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUEqUsCnHgc/U6vUK5fyjKI/AAAAAAAAFBs/jYOYFxr9BCQ/s1600/reece+in+high+chair+7+mos+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUEqUsCnHgc/U6vUK5fyjKI/AAAAAAAAFBs/jYOYFxr9BCQ/s1600/reece+in+high+chair+7+mos+copy.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Therese as a baby :) - 2005</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Here's an excerpt from a sister in Christ's blog, Kayla of www.lessonsofmercy.wordpress.com, where she talks about in her post, <a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/02/03/are-you-just-um-well-better-than-him/">"</a></span></span><a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/02/03/are-you-just-um-well-better-than-him/">Are You Just, Um, Well…..Better Than Him?" </a>,<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> how wives act as though they were the "Holy Spirit" towards their husbands, convicting them of their sins and trying to make them change <i>(as though that's humanely possible!!!)</i>, in effect, letting their sin of PRIDE get the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>better of them</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, thinking themselves to be</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i> better </i>than their men.</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> For her full post on this topic, please click <a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2014/02/03/are-you-just-um-well-better-than-him/">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3.) We turn our husband into a child.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead of seeing ourselves as a team with our husbands to work together to grow in Christ, we eventually look down on our husbands long enough for their sins and their “too slow at repentance” behavior and start seeing them as children or chore instead of a best friend and lover.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And worst of all, we have found this so humorous. How many comedians, websites, Facebook statuses, and Pinterest pins are being shared and quoted with remarks like</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>“I don’t have three children, I am married to the fourth.”</b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>“Men are babies who stop having a mom and get a wife instead.”</b></i></span></blockquote>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">“I thought I was done raising children but apparently my husband </span></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">will never grow up.”</span></b></i></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qlUSA7bw0s/U6vUaK8Uk7I/AAAAAAAAFBw/Evd3uPV2NzQ/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3qlUSA7bw0s/U6vUaK8Uk7I/AAAAAAAAFBw/Evd3uPV2NzQ/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is so NOT a baby. I am his "baby". ;) - 2006</td></tr>
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I hear this often, even among people close to me, and I used to laugh about it but ever since the Lord changed me and convicted me, I could now only muster a fake smile.<br />
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It's just NOT FUNNY anymore.:( </div>
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It's actually quite SAD and PATHETIC. :( </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">The moment a wife already thinks she has earned a "<b>son</b>" from having a husband, is the moment ALL RESPECT has flown out the window.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">While we respect our children and their rights, we do not submit to them; they submit to us. We are still their <b>moral authorities.</b> The moment a child always gets her way and the parents submit to his/her every whim and caprice, is the moment that child had become the HEAD of the home, and it won't be surprising if that child grows up to be spoiled with misplaced feelings of entitlement -- an ungodly setup which will surely lead to ungodly results.</span></div>
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A wife may <b>act respectful</b> towards her husband without <b><i>really</i> RESPECTING</b> him. If the wife really respected her husband, she would not take from him the reins in the marriage; she would not dictate to him what to do and where their life should lead them; she would not act as though she was morally superior to him and "tolerant" of his mistakes all the while waiting for him to"get his act together" like a clumsy/naughty/hard-headed child.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A godly wife would RESPECT her husband by first of all biblically submitting to him, and by also:</span></b><br />
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- not leading the family</div>
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- not second-guessing her husband's decisions</div>
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- not being critical of her husband</div>
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- not being judgmental towards her husband</div>
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- not "stealing" the provider role from her husband/ being too self-reliant</div>
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- not being overprotective towards her husband</div>
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- not deciding for her husband</div>
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- not ruling over her husband, and surely...<br />
- ... not joking about her husband being '<b>one of her children'</b> to others!</div>
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In my Bible reading this morning, something struck out for me, from the<b> Book of Sirach </b>(part of the Deuterocanonicals in Catholic Bibles) that further led me into writing about this post today. While Ben of Sira/Ecclesiasticus lived in the days of old and his teachings <strike>rants</strike> could be viewed by some, as <b>patriarchal </b>at best, and <b>misogynistic </b>at worst; much wisdom can still be gleaned from them:</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sirach 25 </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333;">1</span><i><span style="color: #990000;">3</span></i></span><i><span style="color: #990000;"> Any wound rather than a wound of the heart! Any spite rather than the spite of woman!<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">16</span> I would sooner keep house with a lion or a dragon than keep house with a spiteful wife.<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">17</span> A woman's spite changes her appearance and makes her face as grim as a bear's.<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">18</span> When her husband goes out to dinner with his neighbours, he cannot help heaving bitter sighs.<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">19</span> No spite can approach the spite of a woman, may a sinner's <a href="http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=7215" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">lot</a> be hers!<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">20</span> Like the climbing of a sandhill for elderly feet, such is a garrulous wife for a quiet husband.<br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">21</span> Do not be taken in by a woman's beauty, never lose your head over a woman.<br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">22</span> Bad temper, insolence and shame hold sway where the wife supports the husband.</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">23</span> Low spirits, gloomy face, stricken heart: such is a spiteful wife. Slack hands and sagging knees: such is the wife who does not make her husband happy.</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">25</span> Do not let water find a leak, nor a spiteful <a href="http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=12437" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">woman</a> give free rein to her tongue.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">May 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two verses struck me here.</span></div>
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<b>Verse 22</b> where it says that when the spiteful or "wicked" wife SUPPORTS (directs, leads, rules, babies, mothers, provides for) the husband, there is much anger, reproach, and PLENTY of SHAME.</div>
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<b>Verse 23</b> where it says that a dejected spirit, a sad face, unseen wounds, idle hands (lack of desire to provide or to work) and unsteady knees (physical ailments) are found, when a wife brings her husband NO HAPPINESS.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">While I would like to point out that it takes two to tango, and it would be <b>HARSHLY UNFAIR</b> to <b>blame it ALL on the wife,</b> if one has a husband who is exhibiting these kinds of pitiful behavior and physical and/or mental ailments, it would be wise and humble to ask oneself:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><i> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Am I contributory to <b>this</b>?"</span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JotTtC7jAMk/U6vS838RMKI/AAAAAAAAFBc/jh-zOtkN2pM/s1600/anniv+bday+family+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JotTtC7jAMk/U6vS838RMKI/AAAAAAAAFBc/jh-zOtkN2pM/s1600/anniv+bday+family+pic.jpg" height="320" width="319" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">April 17, 2014 - 10th wedding anniversary</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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Before writing this article, I asked Dong if he would find it disrespectful if I started "babying" him. He said, <i>"I would not mind being helped or served, such as with preparation of meals or whatever, but when you start treating me like a child who has to be taught what to do, how to act, how to behave, what to think... then, that is <b>REALLY DISRESPECTFUL</b>."</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> He also said something wise that should make us wives go into deep introspection:</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pg8q3xtqF0A/U6wbRQrqGVI/AAAAAAAAFCc/zQBwFo97yu0/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pg8q3xtqF0A/U6wbRQrqGVI/AAAAAAAAFCc/zQBwFo97yu0/s1600/DONGNI~1.JPG" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">20 lbs ago and just bf-gf :) - 1997</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ypAxtzJbtZg/U6vVdnvd3FI/AAAAAAAAFCI/Ct1XwQuDblc/s1600/dong+and+nikka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ypAxtzJbtZg/U6vVdnvd3FI/AAAAAAAAFCI/Ct1XwQuDblc/s1600/dong+and+nikka.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am glad the Lord opened up my<br />spiritual eyes. Otherwise, there would<br /> be NOTHING to be joyful about. - Aug 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"</span><i><span style="color: #38761d;">Women should think of who and what their husbands were </span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">before</span></b><span style="color: #38761d;"> they got married to them. Were their boyfriends happy, energetic, with some spunk in their walks and postures, healthy, etc...? </span><b style="color: #38761d;">Then, compare that to now.</b><span style="color: #38761d;"> Are the men unhappy, depressed, walking and moving as though hopeless, having so many sicknesses...</span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> after</span></b><span style="color: #38761d;"> they got married to their wives? Maybe the wife has</span><b style="color: #38761d;"> done something</b><span style="color: #38761d;"> to make him that kind of pathetic man. <b>Maybe he is who and what he is now, thanks, but no thanks, to his wife</b>! Just think about it...."</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I <i>am</i> thinking about it! Good food for thought, huh? :)</span></div>
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Here's hoping and praying that the next time a wife thinks "babying" her husband to the max is love, may she also be aware that though this is <b>sweet</b> <i>(for a relatively short period of time --short as in, on rare/few occasions, not as a way of life)</i>, she should STOP this emasculating gesture because husbands were designed by God to be<b> the one doing the "babying"</b>, not the other way around.<br />
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<i>(<b>Note</b>: In no way am I saying that wives should be <b>treated as children</b> nor that they should <b>act like children</b>, with tantrums and childishness and all! "Babying" in this post means taking good care of their wives, the way husbands could and should, just as God had commanded for them to do.)</i></div>
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Husbands were designed to be <b>OUR protectors,</b> not the other way around. </div>
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Husbands were <b>NOT designed</b> to <i><b>be</b></i> our babies. They were designed to <b>help us <i>make</i> babies</b>. Hehe. </div>
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And, think of it this way: Would you want to<b> <i>"train"</i></b><i> </i>your husband to be a <b>wimpy scaredy-cat</b>, who <b>cannot defend and fend for himself, </b>and who is dependent on you for <b>EVERYTHING</b>?!? </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">What a <b>turn-off, </b>right?!? </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP2bLMhK7uY/U6yEXt9yoYI/AAAAAAAAFCs/uRdUBDLSSEk/s1600/babied+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP2bLMhK7uY/U6yEXt9yoYI/AAAAAAAAFCs/uRdUBDLSSEk/s1600/babied+man.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">A man acting like a baby is NOT how God designed our husbands to act!<br /> Photo Credits: Captura</span></td></tr>
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That's clearly a man <i>asking </i>to be <b>DISRESPECTED</b>, if one ever came across such a man!!!! </div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1 Peter 3:7 </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and <span style="font-size: x-large;">treat them with respect as the weaker partner</span> and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E5N2AKQi1i4/U6vVJN1d72I/AAAAAAAAFB8/DeLdWF8LSJk/s1600/4+babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E5N2AKQi1i4/U6vVJN1d72I/AAAAAAAAFB8/DeLdWF8LSJk/s1600/4+babies.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">These are OUR babies. :) - April 2013</span></td></tr>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-66959232905936314042014-06-25T09:51:00.002+08:002014-06-27T07:41:43.454+08:00How Do I Know This Is God's Will for Me?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-21Ctw65DCjo/U6orlB2Du0I/AAAAAAAAE-Q/yA7FwIg708s/s1600/nikka+maya.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-21Ctw65DCjo/U6orlB2Du0I/AAAAAAAAE-Q/yA7FwIg708s/s1600/nikka+maya.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">"At Veronica's Kitchen, everything is prepared with LOVE!"</span></td></tr>
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Just two weeks ago, I was emailed by a friend asking me to join a baking contest that was looking for participants/contestants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Za8DPtr6SY/U6orxJul2fI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/mfHQbnPz8uw/s1600/frozen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Za8DPtr6SY/U6orxJul2fI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/mfHQbnPz8uw/s1600/frozen1.jpg" height="320" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">"Frozen" Cake</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-StnNwyCGbYA/U6pPNUT62vI/AAAAAAAAFAA/A53vpHYC4w4/s1600/VK+WITH+FACE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-StnNwyCGbYA/U6pPNUT62vI/AAAAAAAAFAA/A53vpHYC4w4/s1600/VK+WITH+FACE.jpg" height="116" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NX9Rxtjzeg0/U6or88HZ3cI/AAAAAAAAE-g/DSU6SVDmv8I/s1600/minecraft+with+pig3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NX9Rxtjzeg0/U6or88HZ3cI/AAAAAAAAE-g/DSU6SVDmv8I/s1600/minecraft+with+pig3.jpg" height="320" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Minecraft all-edible cake</span></td></tr>
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[I am by the way, the part-owner and baker of <b>Veronica's Kitchen</b>. My husband helps me in decorating our cakes, but I am the baking "master/mistress" of our kitchen. ;) ]<br />
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A veteran at oncamera work (I have been a TV broadcaster for more than a decade as an adult, and a children's TV host before that as a young girl), but a bundle of frayed nerves for baking deadlines, I said, <i><span style="font-size: large;">"Thanks for thinking of me, but I do not think I am cut out for that kind of contest. I don't think I can come up with recipes on the spot! I will surely panic!"</span></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nbhm1361ncI/U6pQQBflCaI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/4Q-Klq913Xs/s1600/nikka+with+PGMA+and+DG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nbhm1361ncI/U6pQQBflCaI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/4Q-Klq913Xs/s1600/nikka+with+PGMA+and+DG.jpg" height="288" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Pictured here with former President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whom I interviewed with nary a quickened heartbeat, but when I have baking deadlines, I almost ALWAYS lose my cool and my poise! - Feb 2008</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyoTKs_5ThI/U6pP9EgfA6I/AAAAAAAAFAI/vtxJhZe7Nqs/s1600/63359_435537776226_574291226_5754760_7557169_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VyoTKs_5ThI/U6pP9EgfA6I/AAAAAAAAFAI/vtxJhZe7Nqs/s1600/63359_435537776226_574291226_5754760_7557169_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">After baking some cupcakes in my FHO apron - 2010</span></td></tr>
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A few days ago, another friend emailed me to join this <b>same</b> contest, since its deadline had been extended. I told my husband Dong, <i><b>"Honey, this is the second time, a friend thought me to be perfect for the said contest. The first time, I said ;'NO'. Should I take this as a "sign" and now say 'YES?' "</b></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrXlbPFyNtc/U6osKtxCItI/AAAAAAAAE-o/vvpzFYLfaoU/s1600/francesca+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrXlbPFyNtc/U6osKtxCItI/AAAAAAAAE-o/vvpzFYLfaoU/s1600/francesca+cake.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #666666;">Vanilla Cake with Pastry Cream Filling</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">and Meringue Icing</span></td></tr>
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And so, I looked into the internet and clicked on the links that my second friend affixed in her email. Prizes included a hundred thousand pesos, a chance to star in your own cooking/baking show, and a whole lot of other glitzy stuff!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Boy, did my heart beat faster and I became quite excited!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0l_UPFzd_Dc/U6oyFdNoECI/AAAAAAAAE_w/VD6q8Yzk7bo/s1600/cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0l_UPFzd_Dc/U6oyFdNoECI/AAAAAAAAE_w/VD6q8Yzk7bo/s1600/cheesecake.jpg" height="157" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Cheesecakes assorted :)</span></td></tr>
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But, whereas before, when I would have just immediately pounced on the opportunity (<b><i>any </i></b>opportunity actually - <b><i>"Seize the day!"; "The world is my oyster!"; "Carpe diem!" </i></b>were my mottos), this time, I held back my initial reaction of sudden excitement, and kept still.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I prayed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Then, I read the Bible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And this was what the Lord told me:</span></div>
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<h2 style="font-family: Caslon, Arial, Tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, serif; font-size: 19px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Sirach 11:10</span></h2>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.veritasbible.com/ccb_ed48/read/Sirach_11:10">10</a> My child, do not undertake too many activities. If you keep adding to them, you will not be without reproach; if you run after them,</span></i> <i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">you will not succeed nor will you ever be free, although you try to escape.</span></i></blockquote>
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Another version read:</div>
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Sirach 11:10</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Common English Bible (CEB)</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">My child, don’t be busy with many things;</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">if you multiply pursuits,</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">you won’t be held guiltless.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">If you pursue them,</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">you won’t overtake them,</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">and when you flee, you won’t escape.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">* * * * * </span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">That was as <b>CLEAR</b> as the Lord can get.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was to NOT undertake too many activities and NOT multiply my pursuits.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I searched my heart for hidden sins, and in it I found again (?!?), the desire to be esteemed, to be popular, to be famous, to be a star! Desires that I've been "killing" each and every day since the Lord changed me and recreated me on <b>September 1, 2013</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I searched my heart further, and in it I found <b>sadness</b> over:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1) being away from my children and our home for a long stretch of time (if I did join the contest) because it would take three whole months and then some from me, if ever; AND</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2) being away from my children and my husband because the said contest would entail <b>traveling</b> which I am <b><span style="font-size: large;">so not</span> a fan of.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
More than that, just thinking about what was to happen made me suddenly feel "tired" at being over-busy! I mean, I've been there and done that, and I am now in this season of my life, wherein the Lord is asking me to please, please, BE STILL <i>( and know that He is God -- Proverbs 46:10)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There is a time and place for everything.</div>
<br />
<div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Ecclesiastes 3</span></h3>
<div class="txt-sm" style="color: #5c1101; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 0.8em;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 0.8em;">3 </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">There is a time</span><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-17361A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">for everything,</span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="passage version-NIV result-text-style-normal text-html " style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<div class="poetry" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 2.6em; position: relative;">
<div class="line">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-3-1" style="position: relative;">and a season for every activity under the heavens:</span></i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">And this season of my life, is one that entails a LOT of STILLNESS and a LOT of SILENCE and a LOT of LETTING GO. </span></div>
<br />
And so, I told my husband, (who was willing to corroborate on a script with me on what I'd be saying in the demo reel, and who was willing too to be my cameraman) that: <i>"Honey, I prayed last night and Sirach 11:10 was what God divulged to me. I don't think it is His Will for me to join such a contest."</i><br />
<br />
He said, <i>"Okay. Whatever you decide on, I am okay with it."</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * * * * * *</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>HOW DOES ONE KNOW IF SUCH A DECISION OR MOVE IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU?</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, for starters, one really has to:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">1) Be in constant communication with God through prayer. We are not designed to live independently from God and so ALL decisions and actions must be asked and lifted up to the Lord in prayer.</span><br />
<br />
Borrowing the words from my favorite author Nancy Leigh de Moss of "Lies Women Believe":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">"If satan can get us to try to "<b>live the Christian life</b>" without cultivating an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus , he knows we will be spiritually impotent and defeated. If he can get us to do a great many things "<b>for God</b>" without consciously seeking the will of God through His Word and prayer, <b>we may stir up a lot of religious dust , but we won't do satan's kingdom any real damage.</b>"</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">2) Immerse oneself in the Word. God spoke to the prophets and the people of old through Scripture, and He will still talk to you TODAY through His Word, that is, the Bible. Seek the Holy Spirit's Help in discerning just what He is telling you about particular instances that need your decision, as you come across verses and Bible stories that seem to be "speaking" to you, or jumping off from its pages.</span></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Joshua 1:8</span></b><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text Josh-1-8" id="en-ESV-5860"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but <span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5860A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span>you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.</span></i></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">3) Know your priorities. It is a LIE to think that one has TO DO IT ALL in order to "please God". I fell for that lie for many years. Even Jesus only had three years in His Public Life to perform miracles, heal the sick, and spread the Gospel. He did not cure ALL, nor was He able to make all the blind see, the lame walk and the deaf hear... but at the end of His Life, He was still able to say:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">John 17:4</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">4<i> </i></span><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I have brought you glory</span><span class="crossreference" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26764I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> on earth by finishing </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the work You gave me to do</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">.</span></i></span></div>
<br />
Says De Moss:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Frustration is the by-product of attempting to <b>fulfill responsibilities God does not intend for us to carry</b>. Freedom, joy, and fruitfulness come from seeking to determine God's priorities for each season of life, and then setting out to fulfill those priorities, in the power of His Spirit, realizing that <b>He has provided the necessary time and abilities to do <i>everything</i> that <i>He</i> has called us to do</b>."</span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">4) Do not take on each and every opportunity. Yes, we only live once. Yes, sometimes what you turn down today may never be offered to you ever again. But, know too that NOT ALL that seems "good" at first glance, is actually good for YOU.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Quoting De Moss again of "Lies Women Believe":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The Truth is that I don't have to do <b>all </b>these things. All I have to do is the work God assigns to <b>ME.</b> The frustration comes when I attempt to take on responsibilities not on His Agenda for me. When I establish my own agenda or let others determine the priorities for my life, rather than taking time to discern what it is that God wantes me to do, I end up buried under piles of half-finished, poorly done, or never-attempted projects and tasks. <b>I live with guilt, frustration and haste, rather than enjoying the peaceful, well-ordered life that He intends</b>."</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">5) Search your heart. Why are you deciding on this particular option? Is it to gain prestige and power? Is it to be able to provide for your family? Is it to advance your personal agendas and ambitions? Is it to be able to send your child to school? Weigh the pros and cons, and always look deep within for SELFISH reasons. If it is to inflate the EGO, be wary. Too much SELF means too little GOD. And too little God is exactly what the ruler of this world, satan, would rejoice about!</span></div>
<br />
<br />
I am reading this book bought and sent to me by my sister, Erica and her husband, Heikki, all the way from Finland <i>(It took nearly four months for it to reach me, thanks but no thanks to our "efficient" postal service in the Philippines!),</i> "The Bondage Breakers" by Dr. Neil T. Anderson and in it, he wrote:<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"<b>Satan's ultimate lie is that you are capable of being the god of your own life -- and his ultimate bondage is the attempt to live as though his lie were truth</b>. Satan is out to usurp God's place in your life. Every temptation is an endeavor by him to get you to live your life INDEPENDENT of God. Whenever you focus on yourself instead of Christ and prefer material and temporal values over spiritual and eternal values, the tempter has succeeded. The message of this fallen world is to <b>INFLATE THE EGO</b> while denying God the opportunity to take His rightful place as Lord. Satan could not be more pleased -- that was his plan from the beginning."</span> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How I wish God really SPOKE to me the way my husband speaks to me: in the flesh, with a real audible voice and in direct terms, but since that is not the case, I would really have to search deep within my soul, and listen not with my ears but with my mind and heart, what it is He is really TELLING me.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Does it happen that He really talks, as in, with an inner, calm, and gentle voice? </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">Yes.</b></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Does it also happen that I have no idea what He wants me to do because He seems silent? <b>Yes also.</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the first instance, I still have to discern whether "the voice" is really from God or from the enemy. Just because it appears initially <i>"good"</i>, does not mean that it is indeed good and that it is from God. Remember satan is the father of lies and deception!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Proverbs 19:21 </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.</span></i></span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">2 Corinthians 11:14</span></h3>
<div class="txt-sm" style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="passage version-ESV result-text-style-normal text-html " style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text 2Cor-11-14" id="en-ESV-28987"><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">14 </span>And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as <span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28987A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span></span>an angel of light.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the second instance, when God seems quiet, I really have to look at the events of my life, and carefully and prayerfully discern what road to take.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If I have already done all the necessary steps to:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- seek out hidden and apparent sins and motives in my heart</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- pray for God's Guidance, Wisdom and Discernment</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>- identify my God-given priorities </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">... I can now decide and discern if it is indeed God's Will for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Like in this baking contest thing, God's Answer was a</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>BIG FAT "NO"</b>.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kEveGNgV1Fg/U6otq8dUI8I/AAAAAAAAE_A/ZrFnHsoEVL4/s1600/SDC11989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kEveGNgV1Fg/U6otq8dUI8I/AAAAAAAAE_A/ZrFnHsoEVL4/s1600/SDC11989.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Selling our Angry Birds goodies at a hotel,<br />with my daughter Therese - 2011</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I was fine with that. I felt so much peace with my decision! At this point in my life, it just is <b>not aligned</b> with what God is training me now and what He wants me to do which is to <b>KEEP STILL</b>. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"></span>[Something I've not really done nor practiced in the past. ;)]</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In cases though when I miss the mark and make "bad decisions", what happens then to me?!? I sure made a LOT of that in the past. :(</div>
<br />
Let us hear out what this Christian man has to say on the subject, taken from <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/hottopics/faithvalues/how-do-i-know-gods-will.html?start=2">Christianity Today</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Making a poor decision doesn't mean we're forever out of God's will. </b>That's part of the beauty of Scripture: It has story after story of people who make bad decisions, but God still uses them mightily. Just look at Abraham and David. They both did some things that were clearly wrong, but God worked through them to accomplish great things. <b>God can use all of our decisions, whether they're right, wrong, or neutral.</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, we need to remember God is our Father. God is not here to condemn us, but to help us become more like Christ. If we are focused on Jesus, and on holiness, some of those other things will fall into place. <b>God is not a cosmic trickster who only gives us one shot to get things right.</b></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> —Dr. Shawn Holtgren Dean of Leadership and Spiritual Development at Bethel College (Indiana)</span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">And, I also believe that no matter how off we may be, how wrong we "get" God's signals, He will still manifest His Will in our lives, because we are His Children. In short, no matter how much we mess up, our Heavenly Father will always be there to clean up the mess, and make beautiful treasures out of our yucky trashes! Isn't God amazing?! :) He will give us beauty for ashes! (Isaiah 61:3)</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-19JDhrR-6JM/U6owgRfh57I/AAAAAAAAE_Q/9DsG6hlD57I/s1600/barasoain+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-19JDhrR-6JM/U6owgRfh57I/AAAAAAAAE_Q/9DsG6hlD57I/s1600/barasoain+2.jpg" height="276" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">I made this topper from scratch using Gumpaste. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">This is the Barasoain church, located here </span><span style="color: #666666;">in the Philippines. :) - 2011</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wip3ZzzUiQc/U6owqdtfWEI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/yEykwYQCdEY/s1600/barasoain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wip3ZzzUiQc/U6owqdtfWEI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/yEykwYQCdEY/s1600/barasoain.jpg" height="128" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><span style="color: #666666;">The real church and the gumpaste church.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKHOa57ifuk/U6ow1puAlHI/AAAAAAAAE_g/oRP6aXTZGR8/s1600/nikka+winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKHOa57ifuk/U6ow1puAlHI/AAAAAAAAE_g/oRP6aXTZGR8/s1600/nikka+winner.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Along with two other Filipina Homebaker Online sisters/bakers, </span><span style="color: #666666;">we won the 3rd place in </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Resort World's Manila Cake-off Challenge! Here I was posing with our winning masterpiece. :)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">- Dec 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Romans 8:28 </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">who have been called according to his purpose.</span></i></span></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-20895617170118623002014-06-23T11:47:00.000+08:002014-06-30T15:38:01.267+08:00FLR (Female-Led Relationships) and WLM (Wife-Led Marriages)-- Peacefulwife Philippines' Top Searches <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkK7HMQrDcw/U6dQSc122CI/AAAAAAAAE7U/2w7tabF41xw/s1600/cake+topper1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UkK7HMQrDcw/U6dQSc122CI/AAAAAAAAE7U/2w7tabF41xw/s1600/cake+topper1.jpg" height="345" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">A Wedding Cake Topper of a Wife-Led Marriage</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">In Filipino, "hawak sa leeg" or translated as "held by the neck/collar" or dominated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I first wrote about <a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-wife-led-marriage-where-does-it-lead.html">Wife-Led Marriages </a>in February 2014. Up till now, it still gets the MOST number of hits, that's why it continues to be on top of the <b>POPULAR POSTS</b> in The Peaceful Wife Philippines blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Every so often too, when I am online, I check the traffic sources on this blog, and I almost always get the same search keywords results: female-led relationship, FLR, wife-led marriage, WLM... And so it got me thinking that maybe this is more common than I think, or than we think!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DiPXhQFzzTE/U6aImpHxx0I/AAAAAAAAE60/NbrdcBowUb8/s1600/FLR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DiPXhQFzzTE/U6aImpHxx0I/AAAAAAAAE60/NbrdcBowUb8/s1600/FLR.jpg" height="512" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">These are the top search keywords in my blog every single day.</span><span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I wrote "<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-wife-led-marriage-where-does-it-lead.html">The Wife-Led Marriage:Where Does It Lead?</a>", I did not even know that there were already words<b> coined</b> for such relationships or that there were websites written on it! How naive could I get, right? Considering that I, myself, was in such a marriage for several years before the Lord convicted me of my sins of rebellion and pride! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">To my mind, what Dong and I had during those "wife-led years" was the '<b>modern set-up</b>' or </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">the '<b>non-traditional set-up</b>' -- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">the one wherein roles were <b>interchangeable</b> and <b>unnecessary</b> and <b>androgynous</b>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rsZgBU_FDxg/U6eZf1fr4cI/AAAAAAAAE70/WBjWo3EOxTw/s1600/SDC11742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rsZgBU_FDxg/U6eZf1fr4cI/AAAAAAAAE70/WBjWo3EOxTw/s1600/SDC11742.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Despite the happy faces, I was not exactly interiorly joyful or peaceful.</span><span style="color: #999999;">We were still in a WLM here. - January 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know of SO MANY couples in similar set-ups that it has become the NORM rather than the EXCEPTION to the rule. It wouldn't even be classified as odd anymore; more like usual or common or ordinary. You know, dominant women with full-swing careers and men who are too passive, who may or may not be "housebands" too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Back then, I felt that whoever had more talents, smarts and guts <b>should lead</b>, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">and <i>obviously </i>that was <b>ME</b>!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I even rationalized that such was my lot. Maybe, the Lord in His Generosity just decided to rain down on me a huge number of abilities, and I would do Him a <b>great disservice</b> by NOT using all of my "God-given capabilities" for "His Greater Glory". And so, I spread myself too thin, being everything to everybody... except my husband. Honestly, it was also <b>not really</b> all for God's Greater Glory... It was more for <b>MY</b> GREATER GLORY. I wanted to be a superstar. I wanted to shine. I wanted to matter and to be somebody because I almost always felt worthless. I was working independently of God. I had myself as god.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">BUT OF COURSE, I WAS NOT TOTALLY AWARE OF IT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To my mind, I was just being this fun and fearless female who was on top of her game, having the time of her life and "having it all." In the Philippines, it's possible to "have it all." Most middle-class families have live-in household helpers at home who can do the chores and nanny duties. One can still have a full-fledged career AND a marriage AND children AND hobbies AND outside interests. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IHJqKGMLIMw/U6elaIQMiDI/AAAAAAAAE90/dxT8hsSu6HM/s1600/family+yellow+with+jen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IHJqKGMLIMw/U6elaIQMiDI/AAAAAAAAE90/dxT8hsSu6HM/s1600/family+yellow+with+jen.jpg" height="217" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">With Jenefe at the right, our yaya/live-in helper/nanny at that time -- March 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But if I really "had it all" back then, why was it that I still felt so empty? :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why was it that I had ZERO tolerance and patience for my children by the time I got home? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why was it that I had ZERO libido and energy for my husband when he wanted to be intimate?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why was it that I still felt that I did not matter even though my plate was super full and my cup was overflowing?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>It was because I was running on MY OWN fuel, with MY OWN agenda, tagging God along to go with MY WILL, not His, and I wanted it done according to MY WORD.</b></span></div>
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Let me be very clear that during this time, Dong <b>ALLOWED</b> for it to happen, since he felt that it was what I <b>WANTED</b>. All the while he was thinking, that should I become any more disrespectful than I already was, that was when he'd really put his foot down! But, as he told me just recently, in a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being MOST DISRESPECTFUL, I was "just" a 5 or less than that. However, I was really VERY headstrong and take-charge in my attitude. I wanted things done MY way. I left no room for him to contribute to decisions which were a done deal in my mind. To "keep the peace", he went along with my very self-reliant and independent plans.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>BUT...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We were NOT designed to live independently of God! That is a LIE! That is what satan would have us believe, that we can make it out on our own, apart from God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 2:10 </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">which God prepared in advance for us to do.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As wives too, we were NOT designed to live our lives independently of our husbands! That is another LIE! That is what satan would want us to do, in order for us to usurp our husbands' God-ordained authority, and emasculate them in the process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 2:18</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> I will make a helper who is just right for him."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">How many times have we heard that:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Women are better than men?</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b></b><br /></i></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Women are more morally upright than men?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b></b></span><br /></i></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Women are better at leading (the family/organizations/companies) than men?</i></b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWoq5s1XBMY/U6ehO1_O9HI/AAAAAAAAE9U/abofHfgvZ0Y/s1600/oprah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AWoq5s1XBMY/U6ehO1_O9HI/AAAAAAAAE9U/abofHfgvZ0Y/s1600/oprah.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Oprah is probably the most respected female TV personality on the planet.<br />I used to consider all her quotes as gospel truth. I still admire Oprah a lot,<br />but I now base my truth on <b>THE </b>Truth - Jesus - of the Bible.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, who was it who in her open rebellion, defied God <b>first,</b> in her desire to <i>be<b> like</b></i> God?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Who was it who in her disobedience even led her husband to sin too, just like she did?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Who was it who in her vulnerability mixed with pride, allowed the devil to tempt her; and who was it who succumbed to the temptation <b>first</b>?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>It was Eve.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And we are</span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> all </b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">daughters of Eve.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k39DJcU6Omk/U6ebrOsDzpI/AAAAAAAAE8A/XSIXmon-eIE/s1600/twms_sag_twcms_g1184_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k39DJcU6Omk/U6ebrOsDzpI/AAAAAAAAE8A/XSIXmon-eIE/s1600/twms_sag_twcms_g1184_large.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f0edf1; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.23em; text-align: left;">Photo Credit: </span><span style="background-color: #f0edf1; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; text-align: left;"></span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/galleries/collections/shipley-art-gallery-1180" style="background-color: #f0edf1; color: #542864; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.23em; outline: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" title="Shipley Art Gallery">Shipley Art Gallery</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">1 Timothy 2:14</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.</span><span class="p" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"></span></span></i></div>
<div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am not saying it was ONLY Eve who sinned. She had sinned <b>FIRST</b>, but Adam sinned too. I mean what was he doing just biting into that forbidden fruit anyway? Wasn't it he to whom God had spoken to, in NO UNCERTAIN terms, NOT to partake of that fruit, in the first place?!? And why did he have to eat it too? Eve must have been so alluring when she offered it to him that all logic flew out of the window (if there were windows back then). Shouldn't he have gotten mad at Eve for biting into that<b> <i>"bawal"</i></b> (forbidden) fruit and refused her offer <i>"<b>na mandamay"</b></i> (to make him sin too)?!? He obviously did not fulfill his God-given role as protector and head of Eve, and by way of Command Responsibility, God called Adam to his sin first, and only after that did He talk to Eve:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And so this was the First Man's curse:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<div class="heading passage-class-0" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: start;">
<h3 style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 3:17-19</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="passage version-NIV result-text-style-normal text-html " style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">
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<span class="text Gen-3-17" id="en-NIV-73"><span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">17 </span>To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-73A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">“Cursed<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-73B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span> is the ground<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-73C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> because of you;</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-17" style="position: relative;">through painful toil<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-73D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> you will eat food from it</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1">
</span><span class="indent-1"></span></i></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-17" style="position: relative;">all the days of your life.</span></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NsRxozr_HvA/U6ecmYdt16I/AAAAAAAAE8I/wVwBPqWZtJ4/s1600/3.2.2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NsRxozr_HvA/U6ecmYdt16I/AAAAAAAAE8I/wVwBPqWZtJ4/s1600/3.2.2.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="text Gen-3-17" style="position: relative;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1">
</span><span class="text Gen-3-18" id="en-NIV-74" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">18 </span></span></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-18" id="en-NIV-74" style="background-color: #fff2cc; position: relative;">It will produce thorns and thistles<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-74F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span> for you,</span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-18" id="en-NIV-74" style="background-color: #fff2cc; position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1"></span></i></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-18" style="background-color: #fff2cc; position: relative;">and you will eat the plants of the field.</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1">
</span><span class="text Gen-3-19" id="en-NIV-75" style="position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="background-color: #fff2cc; display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">19 </span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" id="en-NIV-75" style="position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">By the sweat of your brow</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" id="en-NIV-75" style="position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1"></span></i></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="background-color: #fff2cc; position: relative;">you will eat your food</span></span></i></span></div>
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</span><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;"></span></i></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">until you return to the ground,</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1"></span></i></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="background-color: #fff2cc; position: relative;">since from it you were taken;</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1">
</span><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;"></span></i></span>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">for dust you are</span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;">
</span><span class="indent-1"></span></i></span>
<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Gen-3-19" style="position: relative;">and to dust you will return.”</span></span></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><span class="indent-1">
</span></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
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And this was the First Woman's Curse:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 3:16 </span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">To the woman he said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">with painful labor you will give birth to children. </span></i></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--MFhWPxfu1c/U6ec6vuY6rI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/xZ3vYwUmkDM/s1600/SDC15041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--MFhWPxfu1c/U6ec6vuY6rI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/xZ3vYwUmkDM/s1600/SDC15041.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Lamaze birth of our third baby, Reuben. SO FREAKIN' PAINFUL!!!<br />May 20, 2010</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></i></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
</i><i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"></i>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."</span></i></i></div>
<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
</i>
<span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Desire here does not mean 'SEXUAL DESIRE' but a desire to CONTROL one's spouse:<br />
<br />
Here's another version, from the New Living Translation, just to clarify that point.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YsnHaeszRE0/U6edXOIewjI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/0XL6O3OzeZo/s1600/controlling+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YsnHaeszRE0/U6edXOIewjI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/0XL6O3OzeZo/s1600/controlling+(1).jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Controlling Nikka 2011</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="text-align: center;"></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Genesis 3:16 </span></span></b></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></b>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Then he said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">and in pain you will give birth. </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: large;">And you will desire to</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> control </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-size: large;">your husband, </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">but he will </span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">rule</span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"> over you."</span></i></span><span class="p" style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Man was cursed to toil the earth in order to make a living; and </span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Woman was cursed to experience pain as she gives birth to the living.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And more than just this excruciating pain ( I delivered four children normally, one via lamaze, (view the pic above) and boy, was it MIND-NUMBING!) ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">woman would also have the "desire" to RULE OVER MEN. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Adam and Eve's marriage was the first documented <b>WIFE-LED MARRIAGE</b>. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Eve fell to temptation and sin and tagged Adam along with her. Adam just <b>followed.</b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3923T2iHiFw/U6de7rGrn8I/AAAAAAAAE7k/H1H3n0kw1xI/s1600/images+(61).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3923T2iHiFw/U6de7rGrn8I/AAAAAAAAE7k/H1H3n0kw1xI/s1600/images+(61).jpg" height="400" width="290" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
This reversal of roles and subsequent Fall of Man and Woman, began for humankind the constant POWER PLAY we have been experiencing since time immemorial. The struggle for dominance or control within marriage. </div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This Power Play is what has given birth to the Wife-Led Marriages and Female-Led Relationships, we know of now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it WRONG to have the WIFE lead the marriage? The Bible says yes.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">1 Timothy 2:11-15</span></b></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through <b>childbearing</b>—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.</span></i></span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it BAD for the WIFE to be the head the family? The Bible says yes.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Ephesians 5:23</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">his body, and is himself its Savior.</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Corbel, Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">_________________________________________________________________________________</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Does that mean WLRs and FLRs will NEVER work? </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Isn't it a case to case basis?!?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">First of all, let me point out that in cases where 1) the husband is dead; or 2) the husband is severely incapacitated or disabled either physically or mentally, a wife, in these cases will have to lead her family and move independently of her husband. But in Number 2, when the husband is "just" severely physically unable to move but is of sound mind, the wife must still exercise all prudence and wisdom to still respect her husband's authority over her, despite his disabilities.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOfvRKsphr4/U6egciSVvqI/AAAAAAAAE9I/kVdNCry__tE/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BOfvRKsphr4/U6egciSVvqI/AAAAAAAAE9I/kVdNCry__tE/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am happy being my husband's help meet, not<br />his leader/dictator! June 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I personally believe a WLR and FLR <i>can</i> work to a certain degree, but since it is not biblical nor is it godly, it will always leave some/ a LOT of room for a lack of peace. To go against God's design for marriage is to go in rebellion against God Himself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We can argue all we want that a husband's headship and a wife's submission is <b>passe</b> or <i>"laos"</i> and <b>outmoded </b>or <i>"di na uso"</i>, but <b>the proof is in the pudding</b>. The most joyful, most peaceful, most orderly marriages and families are those that follow God's Order of Marriage wherein the husband as the God-ordained authority leads, and the wife as help meet, supports and follows. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>* This should not be confused with a lack of equality in dignity between the husband and wife! We are equal in God's Eyes, but we are not equal in roles.</i></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 1:27</span></b></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">So God created human beings in his own image.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"> In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.</span></i></span><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
We can liken it to the Relationship between God the Father and God the Son. Surely, any Christian believes that Jesus is not less of a God, than God the Father! And yet, Jesus in the form of Man, "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped." Such humility.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iZnJPjSnuRQ/U6efvsGu13I/AAAAAAAAE84/H69tgY4Ccvk/s1600/SonFather1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iZnJPjSnuRQ/U6efvsGu13I/AAAAAAAAE84/H69tgY4Ccvk/s1600/SonFather1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Philippians 2:5-6 </span></b></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="text-align: start;">"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, </span><span style="text-align: start;">although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped...</span><span style="text-align: start;">"</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFQkfq0gXFs/U6eeRYGSivI/AAAAAAAAE8k/BfkR9XxDqec/s1600/images+(62).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFQkfq0gXFs/U6eeRYGSivI/AAAAAAAAE8k/BfkR9XxDqec/s1600/images+(62).jpg" height="244" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #999999;">If Jesus Who is God, had no "hang-ups" over biblical subordination, why is that<br />we who are but mere creatures get SO riled up over it?!?</span></span></td></tr>
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Not only did Jesus NOT "mind" His Equal Ranking with God, He even allowed Himself to be made human <i>(a great demotion for sure!)</i>, in order to fulfill the Will of the Father, and save us all from being slaves to sin and satan!<br />
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To continue <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Philippians 2:5-6</b></span>... with verses <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">7 to 8:</span></b><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="text-align: start;">"...</span></span></i><span style="color: #990000; text-align: left;"><i>but emptied Himself</i></span><span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">, </span></i></span><i><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="text-align: start;">taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man,</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">He humbled Himself</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ViGVOshciGs/U6ef-x-LPyI/AAAAAAAAE9A/SwD5kT8J7Bg/s1600/images+(63).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ViGVOshciGs/U6ef-x-LPyI/AAAAAAAAE9A/SwD5kT8J7Bg/s1600/images+(63).jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
If Jesus did not have any "qualms" about biblical subordination in order to fulfill the Father's Will, why should we?!? We, who are but clay in the Potter's Hands? We, who are nothing, but dust?</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">Genesis 18:27</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<span class="text Gen-18-27" id="en-NIV-452"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9OCKtVaan4/U6efCwwwszI/AAAAAAAAE8s/sn3hICYCLGs/s1600/adam+ressurection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p9OCKtVaan4/U6efCwwwszI/AAAAAAAAE8s/sn3hICYCLGs/s1600/adam+ressurection.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: xx-small;">Gen 2:7 "Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. <br />He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person."</span></span><span class="p" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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I have said this in my earlier post on Wife-Led Marriages, and I'll say it again...</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It may lead to <b>financial gains</b>; it may even lead to <b>a semblance of "order"</b> and<b>"harmony"</b> in the home; it may even lead to <b>some level of "happiness"</b>, but <b>for as long as the wife is the leader and not the husband,</b> it won't give <i>as much</i> <b>peace or joy</b>, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">that a <span style="color: red;">husband-led marriage</span> can give. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">After all, it is written in the Bible that:</span></div>
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<h3 style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> Ephesians 5:22-33</span></span></h3>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="text Eph-5-22" id="en-NIV-29327"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="versenum" style="vertical-align: top;">22 </span>Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands<span class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></span> as you do to the Lord.</b></span><span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29327B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></span></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-23" id="en-NIV-29328"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">23 </span>For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,<span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29328C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></span> his body, of which he is the Savior.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-24" id="en-NIV-29329"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>Now as the church submits to Christ, so also </span><span class="text Eph-5-24" style="font-size: medium;">wives should submit to their husbands<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29329D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></span> in everything.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<i style="line-height: 16.631999969482422px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Eph-5-25" id="en-NIV-29330"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Husbands, love your wives,<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></span> just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29330F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-26" id="en-NIV-29331"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>to make her holy,<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></span>cleansing<span class="footnote" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29331a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29331a" style="text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> her by the washing<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29331H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></span> with water through the word,</span> <span class="text Eph-5-27" id="en-NIV-29332"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">27 </span>and to present her to himself<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></span> as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29332J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-28" id="en-NIV-29333"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">28 </span>In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29333K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></span> as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-29" id="en-NIV-29334"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">29 </span>After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—</span> <span class="text Eph-5-30" id="en-NIV-29335"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">30 </span>for we are members of his body.<span class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29335L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></span></span> </span></i></i></div>
<i style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.199999809265137px; line-height: 16.631999969482422px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span class="text Eph-5-31" id="en-NIV-29336"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">31 </span>“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”<span class="footnote" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29336b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%205:22-33#fen-NIV-29336b" style="text-decoration: none; vertical-align: top;" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</span><span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29336M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></span></span></span> <span class="text Eph-5-32" id="en-NIV-29337"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">32 </span>This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.</span> <span class="text Eph-5-33" id="en-NIV-29338"><span class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">33 </span>However, each one of you also must love his wife<span style="font-size: 0.65em;"><span class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29338N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></span></span> as he loves himself, and <b><span style="font-size: large;">the wife must respect her husband.</span></b></span></span></i></div>
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Take it from a wife who led her marriage (<i>That's me, by the way, in case you do not yet know ;)</i>) I was always miserable, always worried, always bitter and resentful of my husband who was to my mind, not capable of leading!, always depressed, always fearful of the future... </div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had ALL the qualities of a "good" leader: I was and still am: hardworking, organized, dedicated, persistent, industrious, thorough, creative, and so much more... and yet our marriage, despite my "great" leadership skills, always felt as though something was missing in it, and both Dong and I were not really that happy nor that peaceful. When we were "happy" or "at peace", it was only temporary, and we'd feel antsy or restless again.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMbYojjPaSw/U6eh9bm_1QI/AAAAAAAAE9c/A8tyVR06kqU/s1600/P3221010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMbYojjPaSw/U6eh9bm_1QI/AAAAAAAAE9c/A8tyVR06kqU/s1600/P3221010.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am now a peaceful biblically submissive wife. <br />
- March 2014</td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It was when I submitted to God, then to my husband, that both he and I felt a continuing</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>JOY </b>and <b>PEACE</b> brought about by:</span></blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) my ceasing of rebellion against God and against my husband <i>(who is my God-ordained authority)</i> and;<br />
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2) my husband's stepping up to the plate in our marriage, because I was no longer fighting for his headship at home.</div>
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I hope and pray that those who will be led to this post after searching for "Female-Led Relationships" or "Wife-Led Marriages", will somehow be enlightened and convicted by the honest musings and witnessing of a former <strike>miserable</strike> WIFE LEADER or FEMALE LEADER by the name of <b>Veronica "Nikka" Cleofe-Alejar. </b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">They say a good leader is a good follower.</span></b></div>
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It's good to follow our Leader. Jesus had already laid out His Plan for us. We have just got to follow His Game Plan. Let us follow too our earthly leaders, our husbands, because Jesus commanded for us to submit to them, as unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22)<br />
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The Sin of Adam was redeemed by the Blood of Christ. We don't need to follow the path of the First <strike>fallen</strike> Man (Adam), because God Who Became Man (Jesus), has already shown us The Way. In fact He IS <i>the</i> WAY,<i> the</i> Truth and <i>the </i>Life. (John 14:6)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #cc0000;">1 Corinthians 15:45</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;">But the last Adam--that is, Christ--is a life-giving Spirit.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, a <b>shoutout </b>to all daughters of Eve... Stop leading. Start following. We do not need to live by <i>the</i> "curse"; that is to always want to wrestle the authority from our husbands. We are not in any way <b>inferior</b> to them when we allow them to take on their God-given roles as heads of the family. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In fact, it is acquiescing that role to them that we experience true freedom from turning over the reins, and accepting our God-given roles as help meets to our "Adams". What our first parents failed to do, that was to obey and to listen to God's Will for them and to fulfill their God-ordained callings, please, let us NOT REPEAT. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PTxpP_QuVnM/U6ei29xiq1I/AAAAAAAAE9o/aHCDIO-KRQ0/s1600/baptism+isabelle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PTxpP_QuVnM/U6ei29xiq1I/AAAAAAAAE9o/aHCDIO-KRQ0/s1600/baptism+isabelle1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">We aim to have a godly marriage setup so the<br />children will learn God's design for men and women. Dec 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We can do all these through Christ Who strengthens us! In Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen! :)</span></div>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)<br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-21719866016941576782014-06-20T19:50:00.003+08:002014-06-21T06:27:33.144+08:00Type A Wives with Type B Husbands -- When "Different" Is Not Really "Bad"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d9Kjig1GrYA/U6Qgfg2Z91I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/aS62rZTNMWU/s1600/iab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d9Kjig1GrYA/U6Qgfg2Z91I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/aS62rZTNMWU/s1600/iab.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am not B. I am A. :) Newscast 2012</span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
Don't you just love categories? I know some hate being 'categorized' claiming they are <b>unique</b> and don't fall under any category, but I am one of those who LOVE falling under categories to better understand myself and others. :)</blockquote>
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I have already done a post on<a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/04/does-god-change-our-temperaments-when.html"> <b>The 4 DIFFERENT TEMPERAMENTS</b></a>:</div>
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1. Choleric</div>
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2. Phlegmatic</div>
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3. Sanguine</div>
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4. Melancholic</div>
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Then, I did a post on <a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-three-types-of-men-command.html"><b>The 3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF MEN/HUSBANDS</b> </a>according to "Created to Be His Help Meet" author, Debi Pearl:</div>
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1. Mr. Command Man</div>
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2. Mr. Visionary</div>
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3. Mr. Steady<br />
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.... Then, I did a follow-up post on <b><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/there-are-three-types-of-biblical-men.html">The 3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOMEN/WIVES</a></b><br />
borrowing Ms. Debi Pearl's wonderful categorization:<br />
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1. Mrs. Command Woman<br />
2. Mrs. Visionary Woman<br />
3. Mrs. Steady</div>
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I also did a post on <b><a href="http://peacefulwifephilippines.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-five-love-languages-which-is-yours.html">The 5 DIFFERENT LOVE LANGUAGES</a>, </b>according to "The 5 Love Languages" author, Dr. Gary Chapman :</div>
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1. Words of Affirmation</div>
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2. Acts of Service</div>
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3. Physical Touch</div>
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4. Quality Time</div>
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5. Receiving Gifts</div>
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Today, I felt led to share about <b>The 3 DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TYPES</b>, based on a study aimed at finding out which personality type was at a higher risk to coronary heart disease.</div>
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I thought there were just two but apparently there were three!</div>
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There's 1. <b>Type A.</b></div>
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<b>2. Type B.</b></div>
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And<b> 3. Type C.</b><br />
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Cardiologists <span style="background-color: white; color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-size: 18.399999618530273px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">Friedman & Rosenman</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">asked the following questions to their subjects in 1959:</span></div>
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<ul style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 1.5em; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;"><i>• Do you feel guilty if you use spare time to relax?</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<i><span style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">• Do you need to win in order to derive enjoyment from </span></span></div>
</span><span style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;">games and sports?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><i>• Do you generally move, walk and eat rapidly?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><i>• Do you often try to do more than one thing at a time?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From their responses, and from their manner, each participant was put into one of three groups:</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #333344;">1</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">. Type A behavior</span></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333344;"> competitive, ambitious, impatient, aggressive, fast-talking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #333344;">2. </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Type B behavior</span></span><span style="color: #333344;">: relaxed, non-competitive</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="color: #333344;">3.</span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> Type C behavior</span></span><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">:</span><span style="color: #333344;"> ‘nice,’ hard working but become apathetic when faced with stress</span></div>
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* * * * * * *</div>
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I am just going to discuss the <b>TWO most popular types</b>, <b>A </b>and <b>B</b>.</div>
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For the record, I am nearly <b>100% Type A </b>and Dong is nearly <b>100% Type B.</b></div>
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<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">To summarize, what is a Type A individual?</span></b></div>
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According to the website, <a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html">Simply Psychology</a>...<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-90POej6TaoE/U6QYS1qNylI/AAAAAAAAE4w/MozuUeSiG7w/s1600/untv+radio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-90POej6TaoE/U6QYS1qNylI/AAAAAAAAE4w/MozuUeSiG7w/s1600/untv+radio.jpg" height="200" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I was a radio announcer - 2012</span></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GfEgHQUVgGo/U6QYwAgK1PI/AAAAAAAAE44/5c36nIbcExg/s1600/New+Image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GfEgHQUVgGo/U6QYwAgK1PI/AAAAAAAAE44/5c36nIbcExg/s1600/New+Image.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I was and still am a baker.</span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Type A individuals tend to be very <span style="font-weight: 700;">competitive</span> and self-critical. They strive toward goals without feeling a sense of joy in their efforts or accomplishments.Inter-related with this is the presence of a significant life imbalance. This is characterized by a <span style="font-weight: 700;">high work involvement</span>. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Type A individuals are easily <b>‘wound up</b>’ and tend to <b>overreact.</b> They also tend to have high blood pressure (hypertension).</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
- Type A personalities experience a constant sense of <span style="font-weight: 700;">urgency</span>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z-YCi073zN8/U6QZeU1g9aI/AAAAAAAAE5I/f6ZhUJ6rvgI/s1600/super+bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z-YCi073zN8/U6QZeU1g9aI/AAAAAAAAE5I/f6ZhUJ6rvgI/s1600/super+bass.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I am a singer/dancer too. - 2012</span></td></tr>
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- Type A personalities are<b> aggressive. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9MhvuHDzXJ8/U6QZCrmFxNI/AAAAAAAAE5A/ePOVYyduUYE/s1600/iab3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9MhvuHDzXJ8/U6QZCrmFxNI/AAAAAAAAE5A/ePOVYyduUYE/s1600/iab3.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I was a TV newscaster. I have been a broadcaster since 1997.</span></td></tr>
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</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
- Type A people seem to be in a <b>constant struggle against the clock.</b> Often, they quickly become <b>impatient</b> with delays and unproductive time. They schedule commitments too tightly, and try to do more than one thing at a time, such as reading, while eating or watching television.</blockquote>
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<b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-size: large;">HEART-RISK!!!! :(</span></b></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">* Type A individuals tend to be easily aroused to anger or <span style="font-weight: 700;">hostility</span>, which they may or may not express overtly. This appears to be the main factor linked to heart disease. Their personality type <span style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">makes them more prone to </span><a href="http://www.simplypsychology.org/stress-immune.html" style="border: 0px; color: #003399; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 26.92799949645996px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">stress-related illnesses</a><span style="color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;"> such as <b>Coronary Heart Disease, raised blood pressure</b> etc.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333344; font-family: 'Gill Sans'; font-size: 18px; line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">____________________________________________________________________</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Now, what is a Type B individual?</span></b></div>
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According to a<a href="http://www.buzzle.com/articles/type-b-personality-traits.html"> Buzzle.com</a> article,</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CUPzTKhyoDE/U6QZ-cGwU7I/AAAAAAAAE5Q/4SivS2yoDuo/s1600/68257_1504454296608_1391783358_31079368_613653_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CUPzTKhyoDE/U6QZ-cGwU7I/AAAAAAAAE5Q/4SivS2yoDuo/s1600/68257_1504454296608_1391783358_31079368_613653_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">My husband has extreme patience with tasks like this, putting<br />air into life floats!</span></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<div style="line-height: 26.92799949645996px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"> - </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Type B individuals are <b>relaxed</b>. One of the major traits of people with a type B personality is that they do not get irritated or angry easily. They are laid back. They rarely tend to be aggressive or frustrated. They are very calm as compared to their highly strung counterparts (type A). They are very patient and usually have a lot of self-control.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals are <b>less stressed</b>. They are not obsessively competitive. Their competitiveness is often productive. These people tend to be productive, even under stress. People of B type personality tend to plan things in advance before executing them. (It takes them a LOT of time before they act on their plans.) They rarely complain or fret. They do not obsessively wish to lead the group or be in control of all the situations. They can easily face things and situations as they come.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals are <b>flexible</b>. People belonging to type B personality are very much tolerant. They can comfortably adapt to situations and changes. They may even let go of their habits and routines much easily than their Type A counterparts. They do not mind waiting in a line or waiting to get their work done. They do not suffer from anxiety or extreme temper in such cases.</span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mQLwFs7QCU/U6QaMMF86aI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/3cMzZR9fjtM/s1600/167030_1504496617666_1391783358_31079551_7014378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0mQLwFs7QCU/U6QaMMF86aI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/3cMzZR9fjtM/s1600/167030_1504496617666_1391783358_31079551_7014378_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dong is very playful with all our children. This is Reuben, our 3rd. 2010</span></td></tr>
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</span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals are <b>emotional and expressive</b>. They are social and love to be part of a large group. As they are fun loving, people love being in their company. They are emotional, tend to express their feelings and are not indifferent towards others. They usually have a good social life. Relaxation, enjoyment, fun comes very naturally to them. They spend their free time socializing, shopping or having a good time.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhO8K_Bp5jo/U6QaiLTHIbI/AAAAAAAAE5g/3q7hUvUKOyI/s1600/nikka%252520II%252520122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhO8K_Bp5jo/U6QaiLTHIbI/AAAAAAAAE5g/3q7hUvUKOyI/s1600/nikka%252520II%252520122.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">He likes napping with the kids. Andre, our 2nd. 2008</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals have a <b>laid-back attitude</b>. People of type A personality often wish they were working rather than spending their time in leisure; but, the type B individuals are just the opposite. People with a B type personality have controlled eating habits and lifestyle. They usually do not have any obsessive-compulsive habits.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 26.92799949645996px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals are usually<b> procrastinators</b>. People belonging to this type may be criticized for not following a time schedule. They often tend to procrastinate on things and do their work at the last moment. Even then, they do not get stressed.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">- Type B individuals are <b>too casual</b>. Due to their excessively relaxed attitude, these people are also, sometimes, criticized for being too casual in their approach. Secondly, they may even be overly emotional and lack the ability to make decisions.</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tkdcx5v2vCI/U6Qbv3Dz5dI/AAAAAAAAE54/Ri_LJzvpjCs/s1600/sleeping+dada+with+reece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tkdcx5v2vCI/U6Qbv3Dz5dI/AAAAAAAAE54/Ri_LJzvpjCs/s1600/sleeping+dada+with+reece.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Playing around with our first child, Therese. 2008</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">HEART-FRIENDLY! :)</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">* People belonging to the B type personality can deal with stress and usually do not suffer from anxiety, and hence, are not at the risk of suffering from heart diseases.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>IS ONE BETTER THAN THE OTHER?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is essential to note here that the comparisons between personality types A and B are simply made for better understanding. It is in no way intended to prove that one is better than the other.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Dong and I are like salt and pepper, oil and water, night and day. We are just very different! We are <b>polar opposites</b> which is the reason why we got attracted to each other in the first place <i>(Opposites attract!)</i>, but which later on, made me <b>overly-critical</b> of him... :(</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2n1l4aICx8/U6QL4W3WKlI/AAAAAAAAE4g/x69UDzqxffs/s1600/dong+nikka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2n1l4aICx8/U6QL4W3WKlI/AAAAAAAAE4g/x69UDzqxffs/s1600/dong+nikka.jpg" height="361" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In one of our conversations, we got into talking about all these different types and categorizations. He said that my "mistake" was that I did not want to accept him for who and what he was. That to my mind, MY type of personality was <b>THE ONLY "CORRECT"</b> one. And that his type of personality was not just "<b>different</b>", but actually "<b>WRONG" </b>or worse yet... "<b>BAD</b>." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">So true. :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I was guilty in the past of comparing my take-charge, go-getter, ambitious personality with my husband's laid-back, cool, procrastinating personality, and I immediately judged him as lacking in motivation, unworthy of leading the family and lazy. :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was very rigid in my definition of what an ideal husband should be, which was, you know, the <b>male version of ME</b>!!!! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H480dKDhAsg/U6QdfW3y7vI/AAAAAAAAE6A/ry7DAh_IGJE/s1600/superbass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H480dKDhAsg/U6QdfW3y7vI/AAAAAAAAE6A/ry7DAh_IGJE/s1600/superbass.jpg" height="119" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Done by a fan - 2012</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ironically, his being my complete opposite was what <b>attracted </b>me to him in the first place. I enjoyed being able to <b>relax</b> when I was with him; in the same way, he became more <b>goal-oriented</b> from always being with me. My <b>frazzled nerves </b>became <b>unknotted </b>when I was with Dong. He calmed me down a LOT; in the same way I gave his usually <b>"too cool"</b> personality an <b>adrenaline boost </b>due to my <b>excitable and high-strung</b> nature. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And yet, because I was self-righteous and prideful and unaware of it in the past, the qualities that endeared him to me and that balanced me out, were the very same traits that irritated the hell out of me too!!! :(</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dong with our youngest, Isabelle - 2013</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- That's why I felt that I had to <b>control</b> him and our marriage, because I felt that he was <b>too slow</b> and <b>incapable of leading</b>.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- That's why I felt that I had to <b>take charge,</b> because I felt that he was<b> clueless</b> and <b>lacking in direction</b>. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">- That's why I felt that I had to be the <b>"head" of the family, </b>because I felt that he was <b>not motivated</b> and <b>ambitious</b> enough to accomplish his <b>goals.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In short, I was <b>super judgmental</b> towards my dear husband, and he felt so unaccepted for who and what he was. :( He always felt that he came short of my expectations, and so, he felt helpless and hopeless since he could not change his very essence.He could only try his best to live up to my expectations of him, but his efforts would always be in vain because in my mind, I had already pre-judged him and everything he'd do would simply be <b>"not enough."</b>:(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">On the other hand, Dong has always been supportive and admiring towards me and my ambitious self. Not once did he stop me from pursuing my dreams or from reaching my goals. He was always there for me, allowing me to reach greater heights. He was always the wind beneath my wings. It's just me who was greatly discontented with him and his "lack of ambition." I was "tired" from being lifted so high up in the sky. I wanted him to do some flying on his own too! I was afraid to go out of the stratosphere with all his raising up of me!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGt06BLKbyI/U6QjJuuJj6I/AAAAAAAAE6k/DxmzToyKXHY/s1600/bitag+angel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGt06BLKbyI/U6QjJuuJj6I/AAAAAAAAE6k/DxmzToyKXHY/s1600/bitag+angel2.jpg" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I was Ben Tulfo's Bitag Angel whole of 2012</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fnzuJIm_0o/U6QbCsIsdmI/AAAAAAAAE5w/ngX9fNcqXhc/s1600/CHRIST~1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9fnzuJIm_0o/U6QbCsIsdmI/AAAAAAAAE5w/ngX9fNcqXhc/s1600/CHRIST~1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Dong was/is always SUPER SUPPORTIVE of </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">anything I did/do. -- 2003</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am glad the Lord humbled and humiliated me. When He did, I fell flat on my face. I was too self-righteous and proud. I believed myself to be <b>more </b>than what I actually was, and I judged my husband to be<b> less</b> than what he truly was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When I saw myself through God's Eyes, I repented. I had mountains of sins that I was so blind to. When I saw my husband through God's Eyes, I was ashamed. Dong had always loved me unconditionally, while I had not respected him and had loved him only conditionally. :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hmmm... what's the point of this post? :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, this blog is written for <b>Type A individuals</b> such as myself, with<b> passive, Type B husbands</b>. So, if you are married to this kind of hubby, please do not make the same mistake I did. Do not judge yourself to be better, and him to be inferior. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That is SO NOT TRUE! :(</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Lord uses our partner's weaknesses to conform us more and more to Christ. It is in our differences that we are able to practice and develop virtues that we might otherwise not be able to gain or to develop, if our husbands were "perfect" <i>(which is impossible by the way, given that we are but human and fallen at that). </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">A SHOUTOUT to all Type A women out there!!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Please stop controlling your husbands! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>GOD IS IN CONTROL. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">He's got you and your whole family covered. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Let go and let God... and let us all learn from what our Type B husbands usually do, that is, to: RELAX, BE COOL and BREATHE. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(That way too, we lessen our risk of heart disease </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">and high blood pressure! Haha!</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Donating my Type O blood with my Type A personality So that's why</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;">I am O.A.! - 2011 ;)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Romans 12:3-6 part:</span></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. </span><span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/12-4.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>4</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, </span><span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/12-5.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>5</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. </span><span class="reftext" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 2px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px; vertical-align: text-top;"><a href="http://biblehub.com/romans/12-6.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><b>6</b></a></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 25px;">We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">May we all be richly blessed! :)</span><br />
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-13519035305147854822014-06-20T16:10:00.000+08:002014-06-21T18:23:11.929+08:00When Being "Too Respectful' Makes You a "KillJoy"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Am I "Too Respectful", I've Become a "Killjoy"?!?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I received two comments with highly similar "problems" just this past week from two sisters in Christ, who are experiencing great transformations within themselves and their marriages (Yay!), but are "afraid" of being themselves, at the risk of becoming "too respectful" and a lot less "joyful". (Yikes!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.119999885559082px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hi Nikka,</span></i></span><br /><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I mentioned in a previous post, God has done great things in my life these few months, by calling me back to him and changing me as a follower, as a wife, and as a mother. I have been so inspired by your and April Cassidy's blog, and have been practicing being respectful and submissive to my husband. God has enabled me to submit to my husband, who is a wonderful Mr. Steady. I now also filter what comes out of my mouth to him, which is 90% of what I used to say. I no longer burden him with my worries, my moods, my gossip, my issues with other people, my frustrations, my parenting issues, etc. I now take all that to God. God meets all my needs.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>I treat my husband like a VIP in our house, always saying nice respectful things to him, don't argue with him, working hard to do what I think pleases him, making sure the kids respect him, holding my tongue when I get annoyed at him, etc. He likes the new peaceful me. However, I have a problem now. I feel that while initially this brought us closer, now I feel like this is distancing us. I feel like the way I treat him is the way I treat my boss. So it's like I'm living with my boss. Kind of a dry, awkward relationship.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zhn788x-PV4/U6PdUJrJkfI/AAAAAAAAE2k/M-cDOtLB83c/s1600/images+(60).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zhn788x-PV4/U6PdUJrJkfI/AAAAAAAAE2k/M-cDOtLB83c/s1600/images+(60).jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">"My husband is boss...and now our relationship is just like that of a boss and employee!"</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SbnkLsGjIh8/U6Pb0d5iH2I/AAAAAAAAE2U/hfbS5lG19A8/s1600/husband+as+boss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And now that I take almost all my daily issues to God instead of burdening my husband with it (he's a workaholic and comes home late and exhausted), I don't have much to talk to him about, other than "bottom line issues" that require a decision. So I feel like there is an emptiness in our relationship. I know it's not supposed to be that way. Is he supposed to be my best friend? Or is that a secular notion? In fact, when we were dating he said to me that he sees our relationship as us being equals. Now I don't see him as my best friend, I see him as my boss or a special VIP in our house. He has not demanded anything from me and continues to be Mr. Wonderful Steady; all this is my own confusion and turmoil. This bothers me a lot. So I wonder if I'm not practicing submission correctly? I would love to hear your thoughts on this if you have time.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you for all your blog posts! Your writing has been such a blessing for my marriage, and myself.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I have a question about being a quiet and gentle spirit: My husband has said to me that he misses when I am sarcastic, playful and witty. Can I be what God wants me to be as a wife and still tease my husband in a playful way? I thought teasing was disrespectful, but my husband wants me to be like that. I'm still new or this journey, and somethings can be confusing.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XklP8mGY-xU/U6Pc4iGMTRI/AAAAAAAAE2c/989TjmtF3C0/s1600/download+(27).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XklP8mGY-xU/U6Pc4iGMTRI/AAAAAAAAE2c/989TjmtF3C0/s1600/download+(27).jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">"I am zipping up my mouth lest I sin again!"</span></td></tr>
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</span><br /> <br /><br />If you have any advice i would to hear it, thank you!</span></i></blockquote>
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First of all, let me begin by saying, I can totally relate to what they both are going through. Initially, when I was convicted by God for my numerous sins against God Himself, my husband, and so many others, I was astounded and dumbfounded. I was not aware that I was sinful, or that I was <i>that </i>sinful at all! :( I even felt that I was one of the "better" ones -- I did not do anything deliberately to hurt another person; I tried my best to be kind to all; I was spiritual, not very gossipy, etc. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">How I viewed myself was not how God viewed me. :(</span></td></tr>
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Imagine then how jaw-dropping it was for me when the Lord flashed before me <i>(The Lord "showed" to me through flashing images in my mind's eye<b> all </b>my sins and failures)</i> all the sins that grieved His Heart that I committed against Him and others!!! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was self-righteous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was prideful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was envious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was ungrateful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was judgmental.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was bitter and resentful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Etc. etc. </span></div>
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After this realization, I repented to God and then to my husband, and eventually to people whom I have sinned against. I have also forgiven those who've sinned against me. <i>(The process of asking for forgiveness is still not over though; as with forgiving of offenders, even as I write this blog.)</i></div>
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And when my husband forgave me, I was then too afraid to open my mouth lest I sin against him again! I was super quiet, holding thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5) so much so that nearly ALL my thoughts were captured and nothing was coming out of my mouth anymore. I couldn't decipher which was sinful and which was just a normal observation and opinion. It was tricky, to say the least. But I felt that if I were to err, I would err on the side of silence.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">I kept still and kept my mouth shut!</span></td></tr>
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My decision to biblically submit to God then to my husband, was also taking up so much of my energy!!!! Not at doing things for God or for Dong, but at <b>keeping still</b>! When I let go and let God on <b>September 1, 2013</b>, and decided to submit to my husband as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22); the Lord had instilled in my heart a desire to stay put, which I followed, with much restlessness at first. I am known to be all over the place, a great bubble of energy, undertaking this and that task, having a full-fledged career while attending to the children, and basically spreading myself too thin. I was a bundle of frayed nerves all the time, constantly worried about the future, and wanting to control all aspects of my life and our marriage.</div>
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It would be hard to STOP a fast-moving "train", that's for sure... so when the Lord made me STOP, there was still a lot of tire-screeching before "I" went to a full halt.</div>
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Here's an excerpt of my journal dated January this year:</div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>January 4, 2014</b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b> </b></span><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I never knew keeping still would need
so much energy!</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I feel like wanting to surge ahead
and lead, but I know the results of that, as proven in the past, would be
disastrous – resentment, bitterness, anger – with still no success at reaching
a goal, anyway.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have not mastered this – the art of
keeping still -- and it is getting all my efforts and energies to be honest!
But I have decided on this… and I know the Lord is pleased with my efforts to
NOT LEAD. And so, I pray that the Lord help me be still…</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<b><i style="background-color: #d9ead3;"> </i><i><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">“Be Still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)</span> </i></b></div>
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It was taking ALL my energy, just to <b>NOT</b> move ahead of Dong or God!!!</div>
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I was used to taking control. It was an illusion that I held on to for a great many years. Mainly because I did not know Who God really was/is. I had a wimpy picture of God <i>(that He was not sovereign or all-mighty or that at the very least, I had to be self-reliant because He was so slow in giving His Blessings.) </i>so I felt that I had to take charge. Yikes. :( </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Shades of my former fast-paced life (2012)</span></td></tr>
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I still battle with my sinful flesh, that which wants to still take over when things are not going as fast or as planned, but I now know that when I am experiencing that, I am again acting like a god and not resting in God's Sovereignty. I'd then immediately repent for being fearful and worried, and either read His Word <i>(The Bible opened my eyes and heart in knowing Who God really was/is/forever will be.)</i> or try to remember the many times He had delivered me from seemingly hopeless or depressing events in my life; and all is well again. :)</div>
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Going back to the issues raised by the two sisters in Christ earlier:</div>
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<i style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: justify;">"I treat my husband like a VIP in our house, always saying nice respectful things to him, don't argue with him, working hard to do what I think pleases him, making sure the kids respect him, holding my tongue when I get annoyed at him, etc. He likes the new peaceful me. However, I have a problem now. I feel that while initially this brought us closer, now I feel like this is distancing us. I feel like the way I treat him is the way I treat my boss. So it's like I'm living with my boss. Kind of a dry, awkward relationship."</i></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> AND</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"My husband has said to me that he misses when I am sarcastic, playful and witty. Can I be what God wants me to be as a wife and still tease my husband in a playful way? I thought teasing was disrespectful, but my husband wants me to be like that. I'm still new or this journey, and some things can be confusing."</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">CAN ONE BE "TOO RESPECTFUL", SO MUCH SO, THAT IT HAS "KILLED" THE "JOY" IN YOUR PERSONALITY?!?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0ik346ISEQ/U6Pq5-LLoiI/AAAAAAAAE3s/TW-pJIF106A/s1600/Brown+Sugar+Photography+-+Alejar+Family-14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0ik346ISEQ/U6Pq5-LLoiI/AAAAAAAAE3s/TW-pJIF106A/s1600/Brown+Sugar+Photography+-+Alejar+Family-14.JPG" height="251" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Alejar Family 2013</span></td></tr>
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I believe that for many of us who are just starting with this submission and respect journey, initially, with all the respectful behavior and speech and holding of tongues, yes, it will seem to make us appear "killjoy" at first. </div>
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Like what the first sister shared, it might even feel like being with one's boss! All the good manners and right conduct are practiced with our bosses, right? And so, knowing now that we have to respect our husbands as is clearly pointed out in the Bible (Ephesians 5:33), we might be wont to mimic that same respectful behavior with them, just like we do with our bosses. But as this sister pointed out, it has become a <i>"dry, awkward relationship." </i>While it is true that the husband is the boss or leader of the marriage, the wife is still the help meet or partner, not his employee or worse yet, his slave!</div>
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The second sister on the other hand has stopped her sarcastic, playful and witty snide remarks, which her husband misses of her now. She is afraid of being disrespectful so she has stopped altogether her teasing and playful nature. Her husband wants her to be teasing and playful, but she is wary to be such because, what if she becomes disrespectful <i>again</i> in the process?!? Really confusing!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is the right balance when it comes to biblical submission? Is there still room for being a bit "irreverent" in humor and behavior with one's husband and <b><i>still </i></b>be respectful? Should one really be this <b>"joyless", "humorless", boring, overly respectful shell </b>of your former self, now that you have become biblically submissive to your spouse?</span></div>
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Being an all-or-nothing gal, I must admit, it was a great temptation to be "all of the above" for me, just so I would <b>NOT </b>leave any room for my former disrespectful self to rear its ugly head ever again! But as time passed by, and as I learned to adjust and as I continue to adjust my new ways of thinking and speaking, I have realized that I couldn't metamorphose into this odd, overly respectful "stranger" without "turning off" Dong in the process... </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, he loves the new respectful me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, he loves being respected (and therefore feeling loved) for real.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, he loves being able to lead me and our family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But no, he doesn't want this new Nikka who has no opinions/thoughts/voice.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfEK9iyJtJE/U6PpkbZ-UtI/AAAAAAAAE3g/Rrn15xM6s14/s1600/DONGNIK1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfEK9iyJtJE/U6PpkbZ-UtI/AAAAAAAAE3g/Rrn15xM6s14/s1600/DONGNIK1.jpg" height="217" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Boyfriend-girlfriend having fun in front of camera -- 1997</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No, he doesn't want this new Nikka who is "too respectful" that he now feels like he is the master and I am his slave. (We are partners and best friends, after all!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No, he doesn't want this new Nikka to stop being witty, funny, sarcastic at times, and playful.</span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-84qvVHuwBqA/U6PoFvKzhcI/AAAAAAAAE3I/u6Cw8SpskqY/s1600/nikkadong2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-84qvVHuwBqA/U6PoFvKzhcI/AAAAAAAAE3I/u6Cw8SpskqY/s1600/nikkadong2.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Husband and wife -- June 15, 2014</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yes, we need to stop our judgmental attitudes, our condescending behavior, and our controlling natures over our husbands but....</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>No, we should not stop bringing into the marriage all of the lovely, unique, eccentric character traits that made our husbands fall in love with us in the first place.</b></span></div>
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I know, I know.. It's really hard to find the perfect mix of naughty and nice, of knowing the difference between being witty vs. being snotty, of being playful vs. being hurtful... but dear sisters, it will take a LOT of practice and a LOT of discernment and prayer for us to be led into being the kind of respectful wives that our husbands will cherish vs. the Stepford robotic wives that (normal) husbands will find weird and repelling. [I am pretty sure there are some men who find this type of woman "ideal" but it is not really godly. Women were made by God to be <b>equals of men in dignity </b>(Gen 1:27), although <b>not equal in roles/abilities</b> (Eph 5:22-33)]. Finding that balance doesn't happen overnight though. </div>
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If it makes you feel any better, I am still trying to adjust this way and that, even till now. The New Normal is still not quite normal. Truth be told, I am still not out of the <a href="http://peacefulwife.com/2012/07/27/the-frustrating-quiet-phase/">Frustrating Quiet Phase </a>myself. I still find myself more quiet than I usually am. I still find myself battling with my tongue whether to speak out or hold it in. I still find myself more serious than is usual.... </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EundhqxeHI8/U6Pr4rvf6JI/AAAAAAAAE38/RfXp7W3FkuE/s1600/425418_10150904634736227_2116622800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EundhqxeHI8/U6Pr4rvf6JI/AAAAAAAAE38/RfXp7W3FkuE/s1600/425418_10150904634736227_2116622800_n.jpg" height="320" width="164" /></a>But, don't worry, dear sisters! This is a journey. The prize is not gained ONLY by getting to the Destination. The rewards are already ripe for the picking with each and every step we take, and with each and every obstacle we hurdle. :) </div>
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If you are still feeling too awkward and confused with this biblical submission journey that you've undertaken, do not feel disheartened. Be more patient with yourself. Be more open to the Holy Spirit's Leanings on how best to <b>make your husband feel respected, without losing your own personality in the process</b>. Let's continue to focus on Jesus and on His commandment for us wives to submit to our husbands, while also <b>not forgetting</b> to relate to our spouses, in ways that they find enjoyable and in manners unique to us as a married couple.</div>
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I am with you too in this journey. And believe me when I tell you, it gets better with time. :)</div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Philippians 3:13-14 (personalized)</b></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8235622512312451953.post-8799599995641309172014-06-16T17:10:00.003+08:002014-06-17T16:13:08.142+08:00Is Daddy the Head of the Family? Ask Your Children.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIGSotw0Tfg/U56ZSRfNJ2I/AAAAAAAAEyQ/KT8SOv9FTuY/s1600/Therese+Family+Pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIGSotw0Tfg/U56ZSRfNJ2I/AAAAAAAAEyQ/KT8SOv9FTuY/s1600/Therese+Family+Pic2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Therese's Drawing of Her Family circa early 2010</span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span>
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The best way to find out the truth is to ask a child.</div>
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In our case, the truth came out via a sketch of our first child/daughter, Therese.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uf3du6w3GMM/U56vak027TI/AAAAAAAAEys/oC01X4dMHtA/s1600/167798_1504627220931_1391783358_31080077_277799_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uf3du6w3GMM/U56vak027TI/AAAAAAAAEys/oC01X4dMHtA/s1600/167798_1504627220931_1391783358_31080077_277799_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Therese </span></td></tr>
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The above family sketch was done by her when she was just six years old, in 2010, when I was still at my most unsubmissive, take-charge, dominant self. :(</div>
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See how BIG she drew Mommy to be and how tiny Daddy was, only slightly bigger than she was? :(</div>
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Because that was how domineering I was in our family back then.</div>
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I was the self-proclaimed "head of the family". Dong acquiesced that role to me because I wanted it. I felt that I was "more mature, wiser, more hardworking"... basically a "better leader" than he was.</div>
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I pursued my career relentlessly. I enjoyed earning a lot and being the primary provider. Any money that may come from his job/sidelines, was a "welcome addition", but I felt that on my own, I could provide for the whole household ALONE.</div>
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I did not consult with him on major decisions. I basically made up my mind and just told him AFTER the fact that so-and-so was what "we" were going to do, or how "we" will do this and that, whether it be the choice of where to live, what school the children will enroll in... or "minor" things like how much money we should spend on our weekly eating out.</div>
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I decided on a lot of things <i>by</i> myself <i>for</i> myself, not even asking him anymore if he was okay with it. As though, I were not part of a unit or a team, but just going about my own life! Yikes. :(</div>
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I really had no godly marriage peg to follow. I was raised by parents, who though both were very kind and generous, basically lived their lives apart, going about their careers and ambitions separately, not minding the other's business. Yes, they were supportive of each other, but to my mind, they were never a unit. It was more like "to each his own", and so that was what I thought was how Dong and I should be too! There were many times I was frustrated with him for always wanting to be part of my business, when I wanted him to mind his own business, so we can exchange notes afterwards! How wrong I was to think that way, and how totally unbiblical my image of what a married couple should be! :(</div>
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It's no wonder then that Therese drew what she drew. To her young, impressionable mind:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7IZFIJWooUI/U56v-Js167I/AAAAAAAAEy0/DbBIhQ3fvNI/s1600/controlling+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7IZFIJWooUI/U56v-Js167I/AAAAAAAAEy0/DbBIhQ3fvNI/s1600/controlling+(1).jpg" height="320" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #999999;">I was in control (or so I thought) - 2010</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;"> was the boss. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;"> was in charge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span><span style="font-size: large;"> had the final say.</span></div>
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But not anymore.<br />
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The Lord convicted me of my sins of disrespect and total lack of submission and humility towards my husband and towards Him Himself.<br />
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In September 1, 2013, the Lord changed my heart, after I gave Him my all and told Him that I was letting go and letting God rule in all aspects of my life, most especially in our marriage.<br />
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I repented to God for my mountains of sins which included but cannot all be put on this blog, like:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">- pride</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- self-righteousness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- envy</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- bitterness and resentment</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- unforgiveness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- hopelessness</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- too high a regard for self</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- and a whole lot more!!!</span></div>
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Then, I apologized to my husband via a "Sticky Note" on our computer desktop, then in person with a hug and a kiss...<br />
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The "Sticky Note" I gave him had this as message:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">September 18, 2013</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">Hi Honey!</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; line-height: 115%;">The Lord is training me and changing my spirit through the Bible and</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print'; line-height: 115%;">the
books I've read in the past and present.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">I can't share with you yet what God is
telling me, but if you find me more quiet these days, it's because He has shown
me my sins and the error of my ways, and I am mulling them over and repenting
for them... and I am still in shock actually. My sins were/are so many! Against
Him and against you!</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">What I find peace in these days is my
humble decision to submit myself to you, just as Christ ordered: "Wives,
submit to your husbands in all things.", and my decision to not work and
focus on our growing family.</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">I grew up in a weird household where both
parents were not really loving partners (more like competitors or very successful
housemates), and where submission would have been laughed at or even
scorned (Old school!, Mama would have said. No way!) so all this is new to me.
But, I love God and I love YOU, so I humbly resign my desire to control all
events in our life, because to have faith in God means to have faith in you, as
my husband and protector here on earth.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">I want you to lead me and our family
towards where God wants us to go. I have now stepped aside. I get in the way
(in yours and even in mine) SO many times. I am sick and tired of my behavior,
actually. At least now, knowing what I know, I could get rid of it. It was so ugly and caused me undue anxiety
and stress brought about by MY desire to control things. (I thought I was just
being helpful or responsible.) A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders
just by my mere surrendering to you. Thank God for that! I don't need the burden
(which I placed unnecessarily on myself). I want to live long with you and the
kids.</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">I am so so sorry, Honey. I have been so
selfish... Clueless AND selfish.<br /> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">I love you, and from now on, I shall
RESPECT you and your decisions. Call my
attention should I again be out of line. With God's Help though, I pray they be
few and far in between or better yet, zilch.</span><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: 'Segoe Print';">Your Surrendered Wife,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe Print";"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Nikka </span></span></blockquote>
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I now live by <b>Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 3;1-5, Titus 2:4-5, </b></div>
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<b>Colossians 3:18 and </b><b>1 Corinthians 11:3. </b></div>
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All of which have the "common theme" of respecting our husbands and submitting to them, as unto the Lord. Titus even went on to say that wives should be submissive to their husbands <span style="color: #cc0000;">"so that the Word of God will not be reviled."</span></div>
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Fast-track to the present, in line with Fathers' Day, I am happy to announce that Therese's drawing has changed remarkably! :)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQw-4l8e8kw/U56ZRJtfYSI/AAAAAAAAEyM/ND1ZtxnLJhY/s1600/Therese+Family+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQw-4l8e8kw/U56ZRJtfYSI/AAAAAAAAEyM/ND1ZtxnLJhY/s1600/Therese+Family+Pic.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Therese's Very Recent Drawing of our Family - Fathers' Day 2014</span></td></tr>
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Daddy is now bigger than Mommy. Mommy is next in line. Therese is next, followed by Andre, Reuben and Baby Isabelle. </div>
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In stick life, we'd look like that, but in real life, we look like this. :)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTvqk2X3xsU/U56sMVjEH2I/AAAAAAAAEyg/2D2OPihncg4/s1600/yellow+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTvqk2X3xsU/U56sMVjEH2I/AAAAAAAAEyg/2D2OPihncg4/s1600/yellow+family.jpg" height="296" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">February 2014</span></td></tr>
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Now, with their mother already humbled and knowing what her REAL role is in the family as supporter, helper, encourager, partner and help meet to her husband; the children are no longer confused about the disordered setup.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They now know, with all CERTAINTY that:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Daddy is the boss.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Daddy is the leader of the family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Daddy will discipline them if they are disrespectful or out of line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Daddy has the final say on ALL things (but he always talks/consults with Mommy), but the buck stops with him ALWAYS.</span></div>
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I am thankful to God, that despite my disrespect and total lack of submission to their father, our children never disrespected or disregarded their beloved Daddy. Dong is really such a hands-on, loving father. The kids consider him their "playmate" and can get really crazy with him when they are in their "play mode" but are also afraid of him too when they disobey him or are mischievous. Daddy Dong can be childish and childlike with them, but he can also be very strict when they are errant.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aYh2mdLKyM4/U56zhq3ssiI/AAAAAAAAEzM/gHcmBjTnpF0/s1600/167560_1504495697643_1391783358_31079548_6572299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aYh2mdLKyM4/U56zhq3ssiI/AAAAAAAAEzM/gHcmBjTnpF0/s1600/167560_1504495697643_1391783358_31079548_6572299_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">A tickling session with Reuben while Reece watches TV. :) - 2011</span></td></tr>
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To be honest, ever since I became biblically submissive to my husband, I have experienced a PEACE like no other, and have embraced my God-given femininity with such gratefulness, and have learned to appreciate my husband and his God-given masculinity with a newfound respect and adoration. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7BfUjDttZ0/U56xaN-eQoI/AAAAAAAAEzA/VBvOdaLZcyM/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7BfUjDttZ0/U56xaN-eQoI/AAAAAAAAEzA/VBvOdaLZcyM/s1600/fathers+day+2014.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Fathers' Day 2014</span></td></tr>
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To my husband, the father of our four beautiful children, HAPPY FATHERS' DAY! I am blessed to share this journey with you. Thanks for showing me unconditional love, during those years I gave you conditional respect, if at all. :(</div>
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May God continue to bless you and give you His Mercy, Wisdom, Guidance, Favor and Provision, all the days of your life.</div>
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To our Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Son. In Him, we rest. In Him, we live. In Him and through Him, we have become Your adoptive sons and daughters, worthy of Your Kingdom. Happy Fathers' Day, Abba!!! :)</div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Romans 5:8</span></b></span></div>
<blockquote style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: </i></span></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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P.S. June 17, 2014: In my haste to make this post, I totally failed to greet my earthly father who is now with the Lord. Thanks Papa for giving me a strong sense of what is right and wrong. Forgive me for my many sins and weaknesses against you when you were still alive. Though we had issues in the past, I've always respected and loved you. Rest in peace, Papa. Happy Fathers' Day! :)<br />
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May we all be richly blessed! :)</div>
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Peacefulwife Philippineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03515930951061217503noreply@blogger.com8