Respect is a two-way street, or at least it shoud be. 3272

Live it..
I loved and respected my in-laws but life was tough in the early days. They hoped their daughter would marry someone else, but she didn't. When a grandbaby came along, it helped a little, but there was always the thought lurking in their mind that I was a temporary bad decision. If they had any good wishes for our marriage, it was that my leaving would prove them right and their daughter would tell them so. We've now been married over thirty years, so you'd think we might have proved them wrong if they were still alive, but I don't think so. But, on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary, they had the proof they needed.

It was a great day for a couple who'd been together for so long. I took pictures of the event at church and even sang to honor them. It shouldn't have mattered that while rolling the remaining wedding cake to the car, I hit a crack in the sidewalk and it smashed to the ground upside-down. But, I still remember the slight smile on my mother-in-law's face as I bent over to pick it up off the sidewalk. They kept some of that cake in the freezer for years, I think to pass down to their daughter. Now, if you've ever messed up and who hasn't, know that it can take years to earn respect and it might never come. You'll be glad to know that while it was sad for her to grow old, my mother-in-law kissed me before she died. I'm going to give her credit and say I don't think her advanced dementia played a factor.

Pray it
Why is it we nuture bad sentiment and tend to resist grace and mercy? I may never know, but I am so glad You don't.

Resources
Are you treating God like a spiritual Pez dispenser? (2000)
Faith is a litmus test of our obedience . (2002)
Judgment is reserved for those who ignore God's word . (2004)
We'll blame everyone but ourselves for things that are a result of our bad judgment. (2005)
I'm glad the pharisees didn;t have road-side bombs. (2007)
Actions speak for themselves. (2008)
What can I do to extend my life?. (2009)

1. One-minute Devotionals began on January 2, 2006 and are the original creation of James R. Green, Prayertower Webservant Content is derived from his alternating and sequential survey of both the Old and New Testament to offer insight on Scripture.
2. Resources are derived from daily devotions of James R. Green called, Just Thinkin'... (2000-2003), Read the Bible Thru in 365 Days (2004), Pray Thru the Word in 365 Days (2005) and One Minute Devotional (2006-2008).
3. Scripture: God's Word Translation (c)1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All Rights Reserved.

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