Beyond The Red Door

Welcome to our family's blogging home - where I share life beyond our red door! I hope that you will enjoy your visit with us.

Today's Verse

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Things That Make Me Smile

Seeing the kids reading their Bibles on their own
Hearing the ocean
Smelling a cake baking
Remembering our wedding day
Singing in the church choir
Shopping for my family
Feeling good
Reading in the tub
A quiet house
Watching a funny movie with the kids
Seeing my kids playing a game together
Ron's little finger dance
Hearing my kids being excited about church
Watching Ron play with Faith (our dog)
Hearing Ron snoring beside me after he has been gone on a long trip
Chatting with special friends
Feeling hot sand under my feet on a beach somewhere
Game night with Brian & Kim and kids
Spending one on one time with Kim
Double Dating With Brian and Kim
A clean house
Sitting on my front porch in my new rockers
Walking on a cool evening with my family
Losing weight
Seeing my kids make a great play on the soccer field

About The Hunters

My dear sweet hubby, Ron, and I have been married for 20+ years. We began dating during my freshman year at Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville. He is my college sweetheart. We have ministered together in various ministries during our lives together. We pastored for 10 years in Florida. We moved to TN in 2000 to Co-Pastor with some friends of ours. The Lord has given me a fabulous provider whom I love more than any words I write could ever express. He is now the CEO at our denomination's publishing company, Randall House Publications. I am honored to support him.

Our oldest child is named Michael. He is now officially a teenager, although I don't think I'm old enough to have a teenager. He is a very sweet and considerate young man. He is my thinker and my reader. He absorbs every piece of new information that he comes across. He loves playing soccer, riding his bike, skateboarding, reading, watching the History Channel, the Military Channel, ESPN and any documentary on TV. I am privileged to be his Mother.

Lauren is our youngest child. She is just 15 months behind her brother in age. She is wise beyond her years. She has a sharp-witted tongue (which sometimes has to be tamed), a quick sense of humor and a heart for people and animals. She loves organizing anything and everything. She loves being with her friends, singing, talking on her cell phone and playing soccer. I am blessed to be her Mother.

Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier. - Kathleen Norris

On My Nightstand

When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent
Esther: It's Tough Being A Woman by Beth Moore
NIV Life Application Study Bible

Back On The Bookshelf 2009

~Beyond The Red Door~

Apr. 28, 2009
The Secrets of A Successful Marriage

Posted in Your Relationship With Your Sweetie

I was trying to figure out what I wanted to blog about. Nothing was really jumping out at me until I was reading my new Today's Christian Woman magazine. (Thx for the subscription MIL-of-the-Year! I luv it) Anyway, my mind was drawn to a little list that they published about the secrets of successful couples.

I have noticed all around me this year that friends have been struggling in their marriages. Some have separated. Some are working through their issues. Our church recently attended a Wonderful Weekend To Remember Marriage conference. A LARGE group of couples from church went. Now, whether they went because they were at a point of breaking up or they went as just a tune up for their marriage I don't know. It's not important that I do know. What I am most proud of is that they went! They saw the importance of receiving help from a Christian organization to tune up their relationships with one another. Next to parenting teenagers being married is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Once you say "I do" does not by any stretch of the imagination mean that it's smooth sailing from there. That's just the beginning. Learning to love in spite of faults, failures, hang ups, annoyances, selfishess and pride is the hardest ONGOING lesson that I am learning. You have to go into a marriage with success on the brain - declaring that divorce is NOT an option. YOu have to understand and remind yourself OFTEN that your spouse is NOT your enemy - he/she is your partner. You're in this together. "What God has joined together let no man put asunder", "Til death do us part", "I promise to love, honor and cherish as long as I shall live" - those are vows that each of us make before our spouse, our friends/family and most of all, before God. They are just words then but they must grow to be a lifestyle that evolves into a deeper commitment day in and day out. That's not easy!!

This little blurb in the magazine offered some helpful tips to use. I wanted to share them in the hopes that some little something will jump out and encourage someone to stick it out - give it a go - not give up - on their marriage.

5 Secrets of Successful Couples

1. There's value in just showing up. When things get tough, hang in there for your spouse.

2. Approach problems from a new angle. If you don't, you'll find that doing what you always do brings the same results.

3. Resist the grass is greener myth. Instead put your energy into making your marriage better. Grass is greenest where you water it.

4. Don't quit when it gets tough. A crisis is like a storm: loud, scary, and dangerous. But to get through a storm, you have to keep driving.

5. Fight the battle between your ears. Resist holding grudges and bringing up the past. The most successful couples live by the motto: Forget and let it go.

(Mitch Temple, from The Marriage Turnaround (moody))

**Share Your Thoughts!**

Apr. 29, 2009 - Revival

Posted by Laurie Ann