No Need to fight! + Some awesome news!!

I just got the 1st issue of Reader's Digest, (a great friend of mine, from Detroit,  arranged a subscription for my family, THANKS AGAIN!!)

In the 1st few pages of reading, I bumped into the "React" page where people have a chance to put in their 2 cents regarding previously published articles.
This one was about fights in marriages, and "the good and bad about it"(or something like that, the whole original article is not reprinted)
Anyway, what cought my attention, and that I just have to share, is what this older gentleman wrote:

"Why should there be fights in every marriage?  I've been married for 60 years, and I know something about having a good relationship with a wife.  When we have a disagreement, I stop and think, Is this something that is important?  If it's not, I let it pass.  If it is, a little reasoning, and the matter is done - without a fight.  The result: We get along just fine with love and kisses"

Awwww.... isn't that lovely!  I can see why this man has been happily married for 60 years!
It starts with a good heart, and a wish to make the other person happy.
Not "to win" fights.
If you really love someone from the heart, what satisfaction do you get from "winning" anyway?
Maybe there'll be a short term gain, you got what YOU wanted.... But when you know that it didn't benefit your spouse, how much can you enjoy what you got out of it?

Of course there are times that we need to compromise.
But if we start by making sure that we have listened, and made sure that the OTHER one is happy 1st...
And this works both ways... How much more enjoyable pretty much everything in your life will be!

"Arguing is not a matter of winning or losing.  Winning at the expence of love and respect is not a solution.  The solution is forgiveness"
Another persons comment on the same article.
Both were men!  Interesting, huh??

Well.  Before I sign off I have to share some great news!!!
This made my whole life so bright and happy, and again I know that we have a rich Father in Heaven.

A while ago I wrote a blog about having faith.  I told you about a family, who we are close to, who due to jobloss ended up losing their house.
They had their 12th baby back in September, and this little girl has already made their lives even happier. 
Around the same time the husband got a job, that he now loves!!
Well... they have been living with her parents since June, but now she wrote to tell me that they've found a house!!!
I have to mention that they were turned down a few times as renters, due to their family's size.
Well...  God had something better prepared for them.
They now have a contract on a "lease to own" house.
This house is situated on 4 beautiful acres, the last house on a private dirt road.  It has 6 bedrooms, 5 baths, a 2½ car garage AND a barn!  It has been totally remodelled in a way this dear friend of mine loves...
"This house is perfect for our family!", she wrote to me.
These news put a huge grin on my face.  And tears of joy and thankfulness in my eyes...
(they'll move in in time for Christmas btw!!)

When we doubt, and wonder if God has forgotten us, but we still know that the only way for things to work out is to put things in his hands...  He works wonders.
I have said for a while now that "it's this family's turn" to have something really good happen to them.
Well, many sighs and prayers have been answered.
Good luck with your new home dear friends, you deserve this so much!! May God bless the house and your whole family!

A new friend...

School has now started it's 3rd week.  Last week I noticed how my 3rd daughter acted more angry and frustrated than usual.  Teasing and bugging her sisters, getting mad and moody over the smallest thing.  Sometimes she stomped off without any expanation at all.  Well, she's female, I know that explains a bit, but still....

On Friday evening I was pretty fed up with her behaviour, when I also remembered that rarely do kids act up like this for no appearent reason.  Everybody has their "off" days, when everything is gloomy, but this girl is usually quite smiley... Something was wrong.  I took hold of her and told her to "come here"!.  She stiffly let me hold her, and I asked how her week in school had been.  That opened the floodgates, and she went limp in my arms...   Awww!  "What's wrong?"  I asked.
She told me she had not had a good week in school.  EVRYTHING was bad. 
"Well, you just told me how you are enjoying science after all, and that your new teacher is pretty neat!"
"Yeah...."
"Have you been playing with your usual friend?"
"Nooo...."
Oh.
This friend of hers was her rock last year when we were new in the country.
Actually, so was her new friend.  Her family moved from the States just before school started a year ago, so these two had hung out like two peas in a pod.
"Well, so what's going on?, Does she have a new friend? Is she being rude to you?"
"No, she just runs away from me, and she won't talk to me..., I don't know why!!"
Ouch.
9-10 year old girls can be pretty tricky to figure out.
So instead of dwelling on her friend that isn't treating her very friendly, I asked if there are any other girls she'd like to play with. 
"Maybe"
"Who would you play with instead if you can choose?"
She told me the name of a girl, and I asked who she usually plays with.
"Nobody"
My heart took a nosedive.  Whenever I hear of a kid who plays with "nobody", it stings in my heart.
I also remembered that the girl she was talking about would always smile when I saw her.
I also remembered that this girl has a few physical disabilities that makes her look a bit "different".
I asked my daughter how she thought it would be like to grow up, going to school for many, many years, never having a good friend to hang out with.  And the reason being something that is totally out of your control...
We both agreed that it would be very, very sad.

Today my little girl is making a new friend in school.  I hope they "click" and that this could be a turning point for a lonely soul.  My daughter can teas and bug her sisters, and at times be moody, but she's also smiley and pretty, and she has a very easy time to find new friends.  I feel so fortunate that she's choosing to become friends with someone who does not have the same advantage.... Good luck girls!  I'm rooting for you!
And of course I told her not to forget her friend from last year... I hope 3 is not a crowd!!