The Door is Locked.

All you can do now is face forward and continue the journey… this Side of the Door.

It is an astonishing thing to me when I observe a husband who shows little to no love for his wife. It is especially astonishing when it’s a man/husband who ‘loves God’. Or a man who ‘works’ for God.. Or a man who ‘serves’ God.A Silhouette

When my late husband and I married, my Pastor who married us, he asked us each to read a portion from the Bible– the ones in Ephesians about wives obeying their husbands and the one about men loving their wives…. I loved those scriptures in Ephesians and I did my best to follow through with it.

Yesterday I understood it in part. Today I understand it a bit more.

For a very long time now, I have been very grateful that I am not a man. Why?

A man’s responsibility toward his wife and family are WOW. He HAS to love his wife the way he loves his very own self. He has to love his wife the way Christ loves the church. And recently I have been learning that for a husband to love his wife is not optional!

I have a very loving husband and am so thankful to the Lord for this. He has truly blessed me (twice).

Men. I wonder why God said for the husband to love their wives as he loves himself?

You’ll see men showering themselves with their own love. I see it often. A motorbike, a boat, a camper, a nice set of golfing clubs, an excellent bicycle. Men are selfish. I think they’re selfish by nature. And I say this not as a complaint. It’s just the way it is.

I think that it takes work for a man to be unselfish and to put his wife’s needs above his own. In days past, a man would marry his sweetheart and he knew that he was going to go to work and he was going to take care of his wife. He was going to Protect her. Protect her from what? Protect her from the cold? from the elements? from lack of clothing? from starvation? Protect her? How?

God gives us scripture — “husbands love your wives”. “..men love your wives”, “…love your wife”!

And that’s not an option! Love your wife!

Lately, my husband and I have been reading about husbands, men and their ‘order’ to love their wives. How he HAS to love me. No option about him loving me. It’s scripture. Larry, love your wife! Moreover, Larry,

don’t be HARSH with your wife! Don’t be HARSH with Ema. Be considerate of her. Treat Ema with respect.

Treat her as the fragile woman that she is. Treat her as the weaker vessel. Treat her as your equal — as an heir with you of the gracious gift of life! Treat her thus so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Hey, out there, Husbands! do you find that your prayers seem to be hanging out there in limbo, in space somewhere? Does it seem like your prayers are not being answered? Do you want your wife to be obedient to you? Are you being obedient to Christ?

Think about this:: I know that many a man thinks that he gives up his ‘rights’ when he is sweet and gentle and considerate of his wife. I’ve heard it over and over… but.. Christ loved us so much that he gave himself up for us… Regardless of how man treated him, how man scourged him, how man talked to him, belittled him… Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, the church. A fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. When a husband gives himself up for his wife, he is emulating Christ. A fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. WOW! You don’t only do this for your wife… my goodness… it is a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Beautiful.

Husbands, enjoy your marriage! Love your wife.

Husbands, love your wife. Present your fragrant offering to your God.

Ema Bermudez Dennis

Ephesians 5:2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Ephesians 5:28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Colossians 3:19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

1 Peter 3:7 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.

The piano. The piano.

Christmas 2007

Sometimes I’d be playing at the piano and Rudy Raul would come up behind me and start singing. Sometimes he’d sing what I was playing but usually he’d sing what he wanted me to start playing and we’d sing together.

It’s time to start writing again.

It’s time to sing again.

A new life, a new way of thinking. New way of seeing things. I think a kinder Ema has come to live in this house. A patient Ema has been born. An Ema that doesn’t take things, people and herself so seriously as she may have once done.

Life is so precious and such a wonderful gift that I want to live it in such a way that it pleases God and offers delight and laughter and compassion to those who happen to become part of my life and to those who pass through my life.

Life… life is so sweet.  I am so loved.

Rudy Raul died one year ago today: March 10, 2008.

Rudy left behind nieces and nephews; cousins, aunts and uncles; sisters and brothers; brother in-laws and sister in-laws; a son and a wife.

Rudy also left good memories. A trace of his smile lingers on. His contagious laugh and twinkling eyes are etched in my mind and in the minds and memories of many.  Rudy was known to be able to praise God during times of trouble as well as in the times of triumph. His thankfulness, his gratitude and faith in God has not gone unnoticed.

Rudy is gone from this present world yet he lives.

While Rudy was on earth he lived as good as he could – I am going to follow his lead. You continue to live Rudy.  I, too, have vowed to do the same.

Hasta el fin luchare.

Ema

Shoshone Falls

Need to work on this later on. Too late now

Ema
Posted in Idaho beauty, living Tagged: falls, Shoshone Falls ]]> http://banillabean.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/564/feed/ 2 banillabean dscf0065 dscf0055 Shoshone Falls 3 dscf0050 http://banillabean.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/yippee/ http://banillabean.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/yippee/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:47:49 +0000 banillabean http://banillabean.wordpress.com/?p=545 ]]>

I now have in my hands, the revised and acceptable Death Certificate for my late husband, Rudy.

Ema