Up To The Surface

My Florida Club condo, if it could tell the story of me living here. Remember this is the story being told by a 950-square-foot apartment home, so give it the narrative voice of Morgan Freeman or someone like that.  People sometimes muse about what their house would say If it could tell its story of everything it’s seen through the years. I may not be free-standing,   on an earthy lot with a driveway, But I can still tell a story as good as any old house can. I was “born” in the year 2000, as were my 23 other fraternal twins. We make up an entire family of units under one roof, But each of us is unique. Most of us have a different owner. I rarely have ever seen my owner. He purchased me to help him make money. He lives somewhere in Michigan or Ohio And never stays here within my four walls. Instead, he hired a realty company to find tenants for me. They might stay a few months, Preferably a year, Hopefully longer, if they’re nice...

"Forget not where you came from" Married only a few weeks ago, I sat in a friend’s small group listening to two singles talking. One has a boyfriend, but hasn’t made plans to marry just yet. One is truly 100% single and more interested In mission work and building his career right now. They were talking to each other about awkward situations Where they had been dating someone But didn’t feel like it was right so they had to go about Breaking up. I was listening to the all-too-familiar woes Of being involved with someone whom they didn’t want to be Or a relationship not working out. I remember those feelings, because it was me Only a few years ago. But now I am married. So I look over at my husband, Who was eating a bowl of chili and probably tuning it out, And I think quietly in my head “I don’t have to worry about that ever again!” And a kind of relief-mixed-with-warm-fuzzies feeling starts to spread On the inside of me a bi...

I have chosen the straight but narrow path.  I say this because I am living in a society where marriage is falling away. Statistics show a steady decline in the number of marriages in the US. They also show a steady increase in the ratio of divorces. Huffington Post made a map of the USA and where divorce is the highest. Of 10 "Divorce capitals", four of them are here in Florida.* Marriage is under attack. Divorce. Affairs. Children born out of wedlock. Couples who move in together, but don't ever commit. Sexual deviance. All of these are buzzards circling the holy institution of marriage, waiting for it to die. Or killing the ones that are already weak. I took the straight and narrow path. I met someone I knew I wanted to spend my life with. It may have taken us a little while  to get to that point, due to some personal issues, but we chose the path that honors God and follows the word. We stood before about 40 witnes...