Jack’s Winning Words 7/30/18
“Not cohabitation, but consensus constitutes marriage.”  (Cicero)  There’s lots of discussion these days, if not agreement, on what constitutes marriage.  I’ve performed many weddings, but I can’t guarantee a perfect marriage.  Cicero gave some good advice.   …and Aretha, too, “You better think!”  Thinking is recommended, but it takes more than that..  It takes an understanding love by the two who would become one…and, mostly, the Grace of God.  Some truths don’t change!.   ;-)  Jack

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Wise words from so long ago! Reminds me of a quote from Henry Kissinger (!) in N.Y.Times:"Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There's just too much
fraternizing with the enemy." HA! Perseverance and and commitment as well as love, understanding, and thinking, are necessary to float the ship of marriage.  .And it's worth the effort, especially in nurturing your kids!===JACK:  Think about the word, consensus, and how it makes for a happy, if not tolerable, marriage.  Think about the word, tolerable, too.   Come to think of it...all these words can apply to Congress, too.===OAKS:  I'd hate to have a "tolerable" marriage! Hard to muster up
commitment and perseverance when you say tolerable!!  Government...what can I say? Consensus seems to be a forgotten word to congress!! I don't hear much consensus for Trump either!===JACK:
Like them or not, tolerable marriages do exist, for a variety of reasons.  We put up with a lot of things, because by not doing so, we create other problems, even worse.  The Civil War happened, because a situation became intolerable.  Divorce is often the result of an intolerable relationship.  That's probably why Cicero said that marriage is based on consensus (getting along).===OAKS: I do know that, and have known several "tolerable" marriages; I just wouldn't be happy to settle for tolerable; but in the case of children, one does what is best for them, and I understand that!! ===JACK:  Part of the joy/sorrow of being in church work is being intimately involved in the lives of people.... "In our joys and in our sorrows"...goes the hymn.
days of toil and hours of ease,

"Christian, love me more than these!"