Joyfully Submitting

Riley took a pic, so y'all could see it!

Brady and I went to the hospital fundraiser Saturday night. Every year one of the fundraising activities is a game called "heads or tails." The husbands purchase a $50.00 feather boa for their wives to play. All the female contestants stand in the middle of the dance floor and put their hands on either their head or their tale and the owners of the jewelry store, donating the ring, flip a coin. If your hands are on your head and he yells heads you get to stay for another round. I've played this game two times before and been out on the first flip both times. This time I told Brady I would look to him to tell me heads or tails. The gold coin was tossed at least six times and Brady was right every time!! I won the diamond ring!!!

This story needs a little background info to fully appreciate how every good and perfect gift is from above. My original wedding ring was stolen/confiscated in customs when we went to Cabo (a story for another day). I have been wearing a silver band. For the past few years I have been hinting to Brady that I would LOVE a new wedding ring. We didn't want it until we could pay for it debt free! We still have my ACU loans and his Medical School loans, yada, yada, yada. So for $50.00 Brady gave me a beautiful diamond ring! He even slipped it on my finger on bended knee in front of the whole gala! He said into the micro phone "Vicki, will you please stay married to me?" I have been so excited, feeling like I just got engaged!

Not only did I win the ring but more valuable than the ring was a God lesson! I heard Beth Moore speak in Houston several times when we lived in Galveston. One of the times she spoke she mentioned joyfully submitting to her husband. I proudly came home and told Brady I really do joyfully submit to you! The funny thing was, I thought I did. However, when Brady let me know we were moving to Montana after residency... pencils ready... the "Joyfully Submitting" test will now begin.

These past few years in Montana have shown me my conditional surrender to Brady and even my Lord. Unfortunately, the Eve and the Sarah of my personality have been rather flamboyant. Let's just say I wasn't exactly joyfully submitting to anyone. I was trying to take matters into my own incapable hands, manipulating and even resorting to pouting, can you believe? All because I haven't wanted to be away from family, friends, and familiarity. I haven't wanted what God wanted for me even though it is better for me.

Brady is the spiritual leader of our family. He looks to God for the whens, the wheres and the hows of our lives. After I pondered this fact, somewhere along the way I quit being mad at Brady and took it up with God. I knew Brady wouldn't change his mind until God told him to. After many long unsuccessful prayer requests to change our circumstances, I submitted but not joyfully. Resulting in one self-centered ineffective Christian. I'm so thankful God knows us better than we know ourselves. I'm so thankful He hasn't given up on me. He delights in getting us to where we want to be spiritually speaking, one way or another! I'm glad He is allowing me to retake this test.

He has romanced my heart yet again and now I am finally at a place where I can ask Him to help me be joyful where He has me. So I can sweetly draw people to Him and sweetly serve Him. The God lesson here for me is to look to God at every "coin toss," trusting that He has good things planned for our family. This Prodigal Daughter has returned "Home" and He put a ring on my finger! How extravagant is my heavenly father?