Nineteen Years Ago…

On June 21, 1991 I walked into a movie theater and met the women who would be my missus. A three o’clock in the afternoon exactly one year later we were married.

I count each and every day since walking into that theater as a blessing from God. I knew the moment I met her that she was the person who I wanted to bury me and fortunately she thought so as well.

Happy anniversary missus!

Big Barda Ain’t Got Nothing On Me

It’s our anniversary tomorrow and the missus and I will celebrate one more year together. Another year has passed by and it’s clear to me that I love my missus even more than Big Barda loves Scott Free aka Mr. Miracle. How much does Barda love Scott? Let’s take a quick look at a panel from Mr. Miracle #7:

“We’ll go down that old shark’s mouth together!!”

“Then I’ll beat her to death from the inside!!”

Isn’t that just the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard? Well, that’s just an inkling of how much I loves the missus. Rather than ever being separated from my missus I’d jump into that old shark’s mouth even if the lord of Apokolips, Darksied, placed a legion of parademons in the shark’s belly beforehand. Let’s see Barda top that, an old shark and a legion of parademons. Heh, I’d like to see her top that.

Yep, I love the chick that much.

Happy anniversary missus!

Deviating From My Zombie Action Plan

The world will end, period. However, what will not happen is a rapture that will leave a whole bunch of folks “left behind” so they will have a second chance to make a decision to accept Jesus into their hearts. The theological term for this whole “left behind” nonsense is premillennial dispensationalism and is contrary to the teaching of Holy Scripture. For more on why Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins’ are oh so wrong go here.

But the world will end and the only thing up for debate is how. Personally my thought is it’ll all end with zombies. I’m not sure if it will be the slow moving George Romero types or the fast moving 28 Days Later rage filled ones, but I’m near certain it will be zombies. Good ole flesh eating zombies. Yep, that’s the ticket, zombies.

Which is why of course I think everybody needs to have a zombie action plan. Just like we all need to be prepared for floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, it’s important to have a plan to deal with the inevitable inundation of zombies. In addition to normal food stuff that you will need for any natural disaster the adding of many large caliber weapons for defense is well advised. I’m near certain that the founding fathers had zombies in mind when writing the second amendment to the constitution. They were a smart bunch back then.

Also, the best thing to do is go it alone. At the end of the day it is better for everybody involved if we all take the every man for himself approach. Having to keep track of even one other person can be a distraction that may lead to a bite by one of the infected. That would be very bad. This may sound selfish but it is a matter of survival, plain and simple. Going it alone increases the chances of continued existence in a world overrun by a vast plague of undead.

So that’s the plan; stock up on food, don’t forget the guns, and go it alone and never look back.

But Heaven's to Betsy there is that little problem of my missus in the whole zombie action plan thingy. As we will be married sixteen years tomorrow, I think I’m gonna have deviate from my plan should we be overrun by flesh hungry ghouls. Being alone in a zombie filled apocalypse would just not be any fun at all without my missus.

And isn’t that what a good marriage should look like; sticking it out together even in the face of the walking dead who's only wish is to eat your brain. I’m just a romantic when it comes to the missus!

Happy Anniversary missus!

Happy Anniversery (s)

200 posts and still going!

But wait, there's more. My missus's celebration of her anniversary of the day of her birth is tomorrow. Everyone take a moment and wish her a happy birthday why don't ya!

Anniversary Week, Part 6

Well, here’s the last holdover post for anniversary week. I’ve decided to share my little secret for long marriages with all of you (or “ya’ll” ‘round here in the haut south) readers of Putting Out The Fire.

I’ve taken a tactic out of the play book of Saddam Hussein. Every night Saddam rolls over, looks deep into the eyes of Satan, and says with a slightly squeaky voice “I luuuuuuuv you.”

Sure Saddam is a bad guy, but as a member of the priestly caste likes to remind me “Every now and then, even a blind squirrel can find a nut.”

So, honey, I luuuuuuuv you!

Anniversary Week, Part 5

After fifteen years, she still makes my Darkseid bright.

For those of you living on Earth Prime, under a rock, or if you just aren't sure which corner of the multiverse you inhabit, go here.

Anniversary Week, Part 5

Happy Anniversary Missus. I luv ya!

Anniversary Week, Part 4

Riddle me this, would anyone like to guess how much I love the missus? The pictures are the hints...

Anniversary Week, Part 3

So, tomorrow is the big day. In the Small Catechism, Dr. Luther, under the table of duties reminds husbands:

Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. 1 Pet. 3, 7. And be not bitter against them. Col. 3:19.

Why would he write such a statement? Well, he clearly had Saint Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians in mind:

Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body."

If husbands are to honor their wives as Christ honors His bride, the Church, that is an awesome responsibility. For we, (husbands) are not being exhorted to love our wives but honor them, a much greater task. We all know we are to love our neighbors and those around us. But what does honor mean? In his explanation of the forth commandment Dr. Luther defines honor this way;

For it is a far higher thing to honor than to love one, inasmuch as it comprehends not only love, but also modesty, humility, and deference as to a majesty there hidden, and requires not only that they be addressed kindly and with reverence, but, most of all, that both in heart and with the body we so act as to show that we esteem them very highly, and that, next to God, we regard them as the very highest. For one whom we are to honor from the heart we must truly regard as high and great. LC Part1,106-107.

So we see honoring one’s wife is rated a little higher than just loving one’s wife. The Apology (defense) of the Augsburg Confession says this concerning marriage:

But ye shall reply in order to these figments. In the first place, it is necessary for the adversaries to acknowledge this, namely, that in believers marriage is pure because it has been sanctified by the Word of God, i.e., it is a matter that is permitted and approved by the Word of God, as Scripture abundantly testifies. For Christ calls marriage a divine union, when He says, Matt. 19, 6: What God hath joined together [let not man put asunder. Here Christ says that married people are joined together by God. Accordingly, it is a pure, holy, noble, praiseworthy work of God]. And Paul says of marriage, of meats and similar things, 1 Tim. 4, 5: It is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer, i.e., by the Word, by which consciences become certain that God approves; and by prayer, i.e., by faith, which uses it with thanksgiving AP XXIII,28-30.

In the past fifteen years I’ve tried to both honor and love my wife and for the most part I’ve done ok. But at the end of the day I know I always fall short of any law or commandment. Thankfully, I’m forgiven for that by my Lord being nailed to the cursed tree in my place as all of humanity’s propitiation. And thankfully, last time I chatted with the missus (I’m out of town this week) she forgives me for being me and is willing to spend another fifteen years with her husband. Thankfully! Luv ya missus!

Anniversary Week, Part 2

The Missus and I have been together for almost fifteen years and she still makes my eyes light up.

Anniversary Week

Well, it’s anniversary week here at the Putting Out The Fire household. The missus and I will have been married for fifteen years on June 21st. And to start out the week let’s look at a fine quote from Dr. Luther:

"A good wife is not found accidentally and without divine guidance. On the contrary, she is a gift of God and does not come, as the heathen imagine, in answer to our planning and judging."

How true and profound these words are. Fifteen years ago my bride married a card carrying chip on his shoulder atheist. The fact that God, being merciful and by grace alone, used the missus as the instrument to bring me back to the Church, is proof that all did not go as I had planned.

I thank God for bringing me to faith in Christ in spite of my committing the one unforgivable sin, unbelief. Thank God for forgiving the “unforgivable” sin. And thank God for His gift of my wife!