• BE LIKEABLE: I think we all go through times in our marriages when we love each other, but we just really don't like each other. Thankfully for us, those times have been infrequent and temporary. Things like grouchiness, moodiness, negativity and annoying behavior can cause us to become unlikeable. Nobody likes living with someone who is unlikeable. Proverbs 21:9 & 19 say that it's "better to live on the corner of a roof or in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife". Strive to be likeable.
  
  
• FIGHT FAIR: Disagreements are inevitable in marriage, but try to keep your attitude in check. Watch your words, tone of voice and body language. Don't hold grudges or keep bringing up each other's past mistakes. When you forgive you also need to forget!
  
  
• DATE OFTEN: It's very important to get away from the kids and just spend time focusing on each other. Be sure to include a weekend getaway occasionally! Husbands, it's extra bonus points for you if you're the one who lines up the babysitter and plans the date.
  
  
• SHARE MANY COMMON INTERESTS: Play together and be best friends. It's okay to have separate interests, but be sure you have more common interests than separate ones. I have learned to love things like camping, football and NASCAR and our relationship is better for it. Whatever your spouse has an interest in, try to develop an interest in it as well.
  
  
• LOVE & RESPECT IS ESSENTIAL: A Ladies Bible study I attend is reading a Focus on the Family book by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs called "Love and Respect." The verse we're looking at is Ephesians 5:33 that says, "Each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband!" This isn't a suggestion, it's God's command. The love spoken of here is agape, unconditional love. This kind of love is doing what is very best for the other. The passage also suggests the respect must be unconditional. If I respect Trey unconditionally, he will love me unconditionally. The more Trey loves me, the more I respect him and the happier we are.

Thanks for all the nice comments on the first post. For those who suggested me starting my own blog, you're talking to a person who only gets on the computer twice a week. Maybe I can talk Trey into letting me post from time to time on this blog.

Thanks for reading,

Lea

Labels: Lea, Marriage

• WORSHIP & PRAY TOGETHER. Statistics show that couples who attend worship services together are less likely to divorce than those who don't. Praying together builds intimacy and communication by sharing you innermost thoughts together before your Lord and creator.



• READ THE BOOK HIS NEEDS HER NEEDS by Dr. Williard Harley, or better yet, take the 8 week seminar. We attended a training seminar and have led 4 of these 8 week seminars. I believe it is the best thing we have done for our marriage.



• DON'T SPEND MORE MONEY THAN YOU MAKE. Financial problems are the #1 cause for divorce in America. Living within your means and striving to be "debt free" will greatly reduce stress in your marriage. Another "must read" is Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. (Better yet, take the seminar and apply the principles.)



• UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT YOUR DIFFERENCES. Trey and I are polar opposites. Some of the very things that attracted me to him before we were married were the very things that drove me crazy after we were married. For the first few years of our marriage, I made us both miserable by trying to change him. It wasn't until I understood and accepted that he is exactly who God made him to be that I could overlook some minor things and truly love him for who he is. Yes, I'm going to suggest another book, but it has made a huge difference in the way I view Trey and other people. Personality Plus by Florence Littauer teaches why people are the way they are and points out the strengths and weaknesses of every personality type.



• KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN. How can you remain "one" if you never share your thoughts, concerns, and plans with one another? We have found that going walking together is one of our best times for communication away from interruptions. (The exercise is an added bonus).

Labels: His Needs Her Needs, Lea, Marriage

• Embarrassing Trey stories!


• How does Trey keep you number one in his life behind God.


• Top 10 joys and disappointments of being a ministers wife.


• Why I don't like putting up Christmas trees early.


• The stress of being a minister's wife.


• How do you stay in love with your husband after 20+ years.


• How to keep a refrigerator full with 4 boys and a preacher's salary?

Labels: Blogging, Lea

• How do we treat people that we strongly disagree with over moral or spiritual issues? How do you treat people that are living their lives contrary to God's word?

There are a lot of issues that have ended friendships and divided churches. Issues like...

• abortion,
• homosexuality,
• sin,
• instrumental music,
• baptism,
• divorce,
• remarriage,
• the Holy Spirit,
• and the list could go on and on.

So, how should we treat people that we greatly differ with? Is the answer in boycotts? Protests? Pickets? Church splits and divisions? Full page ads in the local paper to voice our disgust to the entire world?

It doesn't require much work to be gracious towards someone you agree with, but it takes lots of grace to continue a relationship with someone you do disagree with. Maybe we should ask ourselves, how did Jesus treat the morally impure? How did Jesus act around those whose lives were contrary to what God wanted? A prostitute, a wealthy exploiter, a Samaritan with several husbands, a woman caught in adultery - all people that Jesus would have had a problem with their lifestyle. Yet all found grace and mercy from Jesus. No wonder Jesus gained the reputation as being a "friend of sinners." Maybe we can learn a lot about how to treat people we disagree with by watching Jesus in action.

I will continue to stand for what's taught in God's word, and I will simply show to others the same grace and show the same mercy that God has shown me. Or as Helmut Thielicke once wrote: "To truly love a person means to see him as God intended him to be."

The Bible tells us that we'll be shown the same mercy in judgement that we've shown to others while here on earth (James 2:13). So I've decided that, if I must err on either being too hard or too merciful on others, I want to stand before God guilty of being too merciful and too gracious.

Labels: Grace

Labels: Preaching

• Motorcycle? (Nope - My mom said "No" under the comments section).


• Lea starts her own blog? (Can't see her doing that).


• Put up the Christmas tree? (Awesome thought, but I know she'd say no).


• NASCAR? (As much as I wish ... nope!)


• A Baby? (Holy smokes, people, I'm too old!).


• Something to do with sex? (Nope, but I was a little surprised that it took till comment 14 for someone to think of it).

Corny, yes, but I've been asking Lea for months to be a guest blogger on my blog. Okay, I know it's not as exciting as a baby or a motorcycle, but it is to me. Lea's personality is both quiet and reserved. She's not big on having attention drawn to her, but she's so full of wisdom. I honestly didn't think she'd ever agree to this. I've asked her if she could do something for us next week, and she said she would. I feel a little like the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8).

What's she going to write? I actually have no idea (which kind of scares me). Lea may share her thoughts about being a minister's wife or about being the mother of four boys (five if you include me). I've given her a couple of ideas, but I just don't know what she's cooking up. I'm not sure she knows yet, but I told her she could do anything she wants. But you might help her out and give her an idea ...

Do you have any ideas for a good post from Lea next week?

Labels: Blogging, Lea

Labels: Lea

Here are a few things I thanked God for during my quiet time this morning ...

• Today and everyday, I have a God that loves me and forgives me, despite my faults and screw ups. Psalm 103:11-13
  
  
• I'm thankful that I am rich in marriage. Money can't buy what I have. Lea is my soul mate and someone I can trust. I am minutes away from open arms at anytime during my day. She is my confidant, friend and lover. I have what all the Country & Western singers croon about. (And just think of it, my sweet wife only has ... me! Pray for her.) Proverbs 18:22
  
  
• I'm thankful that God has blessed me with four boys to raise. I look at them and swell with pride. God has given me the huge responsibility of raising them to be Christian men, husbands and fathers. It's a tall task, but one I'm honored to have. Psalm 127:3-5
  
  
• I'm thankful for a church that's not content to sit on their hands (or backside), but wants to reach out and serve a community and the lost. My church family has been such a blessing to me in so many ways. I love doing ministry with them. Acts 2:42-47
  
  
• I'm thankful today for God's word that blesses my life. It encourages me, rebukes me, disciplines me and gives me hope. It tells me about an amazing plan that God schemed in order to save His children. That plan included the unbelievable sacrifice of God's own son. Psalm 119:105

What's something you're thankful for today?

Labels: God, Prayer

Labels: Bible, Morgan Family

Labels: Blogging, Ministry

"NOT TONIGHT DEAR, I HAVE TO BLOG"

I found this interesting... Did you know that according to Reuters latest surveys, surfing the net has become an obsession for many Americans with the majority of U.S. adults feeling they cannot go for a week without going online? Amazingly one in three are willing to give up friends and sex for the Web.

A survey asked 1,011 American adults how long they would feel OK without going on the Web, to which 15 percent said a just a day or less, 21 percent said a couple of days and another 19 percent said a few days. Only a fifth of those who took part in an online survey said they could go for a week.

Just for fun, here are "Ten Signs you're Blogging too Much! Number 8 still makes me laugh. Have a great weekend.

Labels: Cartoon, Sexuality

• SPORTS - Hands down favorites are an NFL game, MLB game or NASCAR race. Those are the "big 3" sports in the Morgan house, and we just can't seem to get enough.

• SURVIVOR - Lea and I have watched it since season two, and it has now become a family event. We don't watch Survivor until everyone in the family is there together. Everyone picks their favorite, and the game is on. Phrases like "First things first," "The tribe has spoken," and "We need a strong alliance" never get old to us.

• AMERICAN IDOL - This is another show for which my family gathers around the television and has a little family time. We're actually newbies when it comes to Idol. We only started watching two seasons ago when our favorite, Chris Daughtry, was on the show. This year may be the best Idol yet from the stand point of people I like. I'm pulling for Jason Castro, rocker David Cook and Brooke White.

• THE AMAZING RACE - What is it about watching contestants going all over the world in a giant race that I find entertaining? I don't know, but I like it. Just like Survivor, it's just as much fun to root against someone you don't like as it is to root for the people you do like. This is a don't miss show.

• SPONGEBOB SQUARE PANTS - Spongebob never gets old. I have watched way too many terrible shows with my kids and afterwards I ask them, "Why do you like this show?" The answer is usually, "We just do." But when we watch Spongebob Squarepants, no questions are necessary. Even if it's an episode we've seen many times before, it never fails to entertain me.

Labels: Morgan Family

Cleaning up around town.

Matraca ... future AIM student.

One of the three buildings that we painted.

AIM kids and Childress kids. Do you know which two are mine?

Labels: Missionaries

Something about this powerful little video hit me right in the heart this morning.

I look around at our church and see children everywhere. I often think, "Someday, when these little ones get older God will use them to do powerful things in His kingdom." I needed to be reminded that He can do powerful things with them now!!

Labels: Video

Can you believe it? It makes no sense to me, but A CHURCH IN DALLAS WANTS TO BUILD MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING IN ORDER TO "KEEP UP" WITH OTHER CHURCHES IN THE AREA (and they still owe 9 million on the one they've got).

I just had to share a story with you that makes no sense to me. I'm not anti-church building, but building a church building just to keep up with other churches is stupid!

• Build it when you out grow the one you've got.
• Build it when you wear out the one you have.
• Build it when there is no other church in the area.
• BUT DON'T build it just because you need to keep up with other churches. That's got to make the Lord so happy.

I personally think some church buildings are the most under used buildings in the community when they are only used on Sundays and Wednesdays. What are some ways your church uses it's building to reach out to the community?

Labels: Church

Thank you again. See you Monday,

Trey

Roy Simmons

August 4, 1948 - March 2, 2008

Roy's family was the apple of his eye, but the Lord was the King of his life. Today I give God thanks for placing Roy in my life.

Labels: General

Labels: Children, Ministry

• What are some things your kids say that make you laugh?

Labels: Morgan Family

• There have been times when I've tried to please everyone and make everyone happy. I learned early that pleasing everyone is an impossible task, you just can't please everyone all the time. So don't sweat it when you don't.



• I once believed that criticism would motivate people better than praise. Wrong!



• I once thought people should be motivated by the fear of hell instead of God's love. Wrong again!



• I once felt that I needed to be seen by others as perfect. I thought ministers needed to be portrayed as people who didn't have problems, struggles or temptations. Instead I've learned that people relate better to a minister who is transparent.



• God forbid, I often put ministry in front of my family.



• I spent too much time worrying about whether or not people liked me.



• I once overlooked people who I didn't think would be interested in the Gospel. More than once God has surprised me with people that I never thought could be reached. I've put too little faith in God and too much faith in myself.



• I was once very issue oriented. Shame on me.



• I didn't delegate. By not delegating, I cheated others by doing ministry for them.



• I didn't dream big enough. Once again I didn't put enough faith in what God could do.

1. What mistakes have you made in your ministry?


2. What mistakes have you seen other ministers make?

Labels: Ministry