Saturday, October 13, 2007

God and Sex Continued

I've been overwhelmed with the comments I've received to yesterday's post, both on my blog and through email. Thank you, each and every one of you, for your positive comments, encouragement and prayers.

Todd was spot on in his comment. That was one of the most difficult posts I've ever written. Mine is not an anonymous blog. My parents, sisters and several other family members read it, along with people I have personal relationships with here and in other parts of the country. Knowing they're reading about my great deal on furniture or the latest adventure in parenting is one thing. Knowing they're reading something so personal is quite another.

I decided to squeeze my eyes tight and go for it because it's a very real issue. Not just for me and Todd, but for thousands of other couples. Whether it's cancer or another medical condition, intimacy is almost always altered. The sad reality of that is marriages are ruined because of it. I never even considered that until I started conversing with women who were going through divorces and/or painful counseling while being treated for breast cancer.

I am grateful to God for the marriage He's blessed me with. Yes, I mourn the loss of certain aspects of my previous life - I have moments when I feel as though Todd and I have been cheated. But much greater than that I am filled with abundant joy and gratitude for the life I have now. I know for an absolute certainty my marriage is based on so much more than a physical relationship and I know I'm loved without condition. If that doesn't make a girl blissfully happy, nothing will!

As for the sermon series, I don't know what we're going to hear. I do know that whatever is said it will be Biblical. Not a "how to" message, but what God's design is for men and women. And I don't have a problem with hearing such a message in "mixed company". Young children won't be present and I have a hard time believing the sermon will get the teenagers all hot and bothered while preaching sex within the boundaries of marriage.

***

Shushan (Cute screen name, by the way) - I wanted to address your comment about not wanting to hear anything on this subject at this period in your life. I totally understand what you're saying. I AM at a place where I can hear whatever might be said. However, I went through chemotherapy in Arkansas while my husband lived and worked in Pennsylvania. The weekends he didn't come home I didn't want to hear anything about husbands and wives. It was too painful.

But the way I feel about it is Biblical subjects should not be avoided for any reason. If a person is uncomfortable because their toes are being stepped on then they need to just deal with it. (And have I been through some painful sermons for that reason!) But if a person is uncomfortable for the reasons you're talking about I think it might be better to just avoid those particular services. Just my two cents.



***

There's a whole lot more I could write, but a great deal of it would probably be redundant. So I'm going to end the topic here and hope I managed to express the important stuff. And being the shallow, superficial gal I am, I'll be back to the mundane in no time at all!

Labels: breast cancer, church, God, joy, love, medical, reconstruction

Mused by Jenster :: 4:14 PM :: 20 People musing:

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------