Finding a Spouse

 

How do you meet the perfect mate?

Many people encounter their spouse via the Internet. In fact, two of our daughters met their mates through a dating service website and both are happily married.

I wrote about a couple getting together over one of those popular places. Sarah and the Internet Dating Service. It remains one of my most sought after books, so I suppose many individuals are interested in a service to provide possible mates.

I personally recommend a church—that’s where I met my hubby. Times change, and I'm happy about that.

During Biblical times, marriages were arranged. On the other hand, some unions had unusual beginnings. Here are a few:

How about the first recorded marriage?  Remember Adam? He gained a wife but lost a rib in the process. (Genesis 2:19-24)

You could keep it in the family, like marry your half-sister. Founding Father Abraham did just that. (Gen 20:12) It's against the law, so I don't recommend it.

Why not marry your cousins, similar to Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. He searched for a wife, found two cousins and labored fourteen years as a shepherd for their dad so he could have them as wives. (Genesis 29: 15-30)

Try a party. Go to one, hide, and when you see a woman dancing, carry her off to your home. (Judges 21:19-25)

Ruth was a widow, and her mother-in-law suggested that she sleep at the feet of Boaz in the barn. When Ole Boaz woke up, he realized he had to marry her. (Book of Ruth)

You could hold a beauty contest like King Xerxes did. (Esther 2)

These are interesting, true stories, and there are many more similar to these strange marriages in the Good Book.

How did you meet your mate? I'd love to hear from you, and I think you'd enjoy my Sarah book as she mangles the Internet. 

 

On Amazon

  Shy Karen Newton…handsome Jeremy Spencer…Sarah, the unfamiliar computer operator. Why did the Superiors assign her the task of uniting this couple via the Internet? Hilarious fiascoes abound.

 

The Green-Eyed Monster

 

 

A few weeks ago, I was hired by a company to telephone their clients and remind them of an upcoming event.  These days, many of us work from home, and I discovered that if a person doesn't recognize the name or the number displayed on their device, they often don't answer the phone, so I leave messages.

I called a Bill Fiserdelley. (Not a real name. I can’t tell you who it really was). Anyway, Bill didn’t answer, so I left a message and continued with my phone calls.

About ten minutes later, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the displayed number, but since I’m phoning people I don’t know, I thought it best to answer. It might be one of the clients calling back to ask a question. Many do.

It was ole Bill’s wife on the phone. I suppose she had listened to the message and heard my female voice. Perhaps she’d noted a lady's name on the caller ID. She rang me back. The conversation went something like this:

Wife:  "Did you just now call Bill?" (Her tone sounded irate.)

Me:  (His name didn't immediately come to mind, but being the quick mind that I am, I replied) "Yes, I'm calling to make sure he knows about our event coming up in San Diego. He attended last year, and we hope he can attend again this year."

Wife:  "Oh."

Me:  "Did he get our company email?"

Wife: "Maybe. Would you resend it?"

Me:  Certainly, I’ll be happy to send it to you.” I ended the phone call.

She must be one curious wife.

On the other hand, she might be a jealous, suspicious spouse.

Living with Jealousy can’t be fun or productive.

Perhaps ole Bill gave his wife a reason to be green-eyed. If so, that’s sad, too.

Maybe she’s trying to trust her husband after an infidelity. I’ve known several wives who’ve experienced unfaithful husbands and now have a healthy, happy marriage.

Was it easy for them?

Absolutely not!

Learning to trust a mate again after a betrayal is a day-to-day occurrence.

If the husband is faithful, and the wife is merely jealous because she chooses to be, then that’s a miserable situation also.  It’s not healthy. Suspicion doesn’t build a strong marriage.

Jealousy can exist in other relationships besides marriage. I’ve seen co-workers with the green-eyed monster. Children are often jealous of each other in the classroom—even after adulthood, siblings continue to envy each other . Wherever people gather, jealousy can materialize.

What Is Jealousy?

Anyone can experience a stab of this emotion. A person may perceive an individual as a threat in a marriage, workplace, or family situation.

Anger and depression usually accompany jealousy. Severe jealousy can lead to physical violence.

What to do about that awful, possessive feeling?

My suggestion is to talk freely about it with someone you trust. Sometimes a friend can help, but more often than not, a trained therapist is whom you should seek.

And don’t forget to tell your anxieties to the Lord! He understands.  After all, He tells us He is a jealous God.

“You shall not bow down to them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God.”  Exodus 20:5.

God is perfect, and His jealousy is not a sin. He expects us to love and worship Him, and He does not want us to worship anything or anyone other than Him.

Even though our jealousy is sin, and God’s isn’t, God understands it! Isn’t He amazing? Ask Him to forgive you of your jealousy, and then talk to a therapist. Throw that negative emotion away and never invite it back into your life. It destroys relationships and makes you miserable.

                               Faith and Humor

The Little Old Lady from Pasadena, oops, I mean from India!

 

I had an unusual experience at the grocery store today. A lot of weird stuff happens to me, so I’ve learned to take most of the incidents in stride. Here’s another one.

As I unloaded my grocery cart and placed sacks into the backseat of my car, a little old lady from India appeared from nowhere.

Oh, I know, she was from somewhere, but I didn’t see her approach. So, she surprised me, and as far as I knew, she came from somewhere…like nowhere.

She made me think of my little angel, Sarah. The angel I write about in my fantasy novels. Sarah is always popping up to astonish someone. She can assume any disguise and can speak with any accent she chooses.  She has made several appearances on earth as a little old lady named Estella, but she arrived as an American and spoke English.

This tiny, old lady dressed in traditional attire from India spoke in broken English. She said, “How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

My eyebrows shot up. Where did you come from, and why are you asking about my toilet tissue? I looked around. She had no shopping cart with her, and no one was nearby. Just this small lady wrapped in a Sari with traditional headgear.

She held in her hands a plastic see-through coin purse full of nickels and pennies.

She spoke again. “How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

I replied, “I beg your pardon?”

“How many rolls of toilet paper did you buy?”

“I don’t know. Why?” 

“I see three packages.” She pointed to my bags inside my car and opened her coin purse.

“I’m not selling any.” I responded.

She smiled. “If you go back inside, they will give you one for free.”

Yesterday was Halloween. What sort of trick was this lady playing?

Once more, I’m looking around. What’s next? A black cat jeering at me?

I replied, “Thanks, that’s nice to know.” I closed my rear passenger door and prepared to get into the driver’s seat.

“Go inside and get one for free.”

I nodded. “Thanks for the information.”

I closed my door. As fast as a cheetah, I examined the interior of my car. Nothing appeared out of place.

I watched the lady amble off toward another row of cars.

I drove away with my three rolls of tissue.

You'll find Sarah on Amazon and all online booksellers.

                            ON AMAZON