Today’s post is personal.
This picture has been in my wallet for 43 years.
It was in the local news paper announcing Kathy’s engagement to me, back in 1971.
Today we celebrate 43 years of marriage.
I am very grateful to God for blessing my life with such an amazing woman.
Happy 43rd, Kathy; I love you!
(And, if you like personal stuff,
Wednesday is a special day for us. May 8 is our 42nd wedding anniversary.
It was a Saturday afternoon in
I’ve used the slang word, “tude,” a few times; have you? It’s usually used in a negative sense. “That guy had a real tude.” It means the person had a real bad attitude.
This short podcast (8:45) is all about your attitude. And believe it or not, your attitude about others is a reflection of your attitude of yourself.
Enjoy the podcast!
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For our anniversary this year, we spent 3 days at our friend Sandy’s cabin in the Pinetop/Lakeside area of Northeastern Arizona.
This video has a few highlights, including horseback ridding.
Enjoy the video.
Information About Sandy’s Cabin
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Perhaps you remember the song by Sam Cooke called, “Only 16.” It was a big hit in 1959. Maybe you are too young to remember it. I played it on the radio many times, but that was years after it was a big hit. The main line in the song goes, “She was only sixteen, only sixteen…”
Funny how song lyrics pop in your head sometimes isn’t it? That lyric popped in my head this morning while I was thinking about my wife. Today is her birthday, and I was thinking that when we first met, she was only seventeen. As soon as I had that thought, Sam’s song popped in my mind for a couple of moments.
But today is Kathy’s birthday. I got her a little gift, and some roses, and a card. I also have plans for us to go out and have a meal together. It will be fun to celebrate her special day.
I’m certainly glad that she was born! And, that she decided to hang out with me all these years. I’m also glad that she is the mother of our two children.
You know, sometimes it’s easy for some people to take for granted the people who are the closest to them. I don’t think it’s because they don’t love them. But, some people do special little things for everyone else except for those who mean the most to them.
A big key in a marriage is to not take advantage or take for granted. I know back when Kathy was 17 I did special little things for her. And she did special things for me too. And today we still do.
Okay, so maybe I should have saved this discussion for our anniversary? Perhaps I will pick up where I left off when that day comes. In the meantime, I thought I would say, “Happy Birthday, Kathy!”
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This Is My Story
Over the years I have seen many people who want a lasting relationship struggle to meet other 
Christians. Sometimes after trying over a period of time they get discouraged. I found a Christian dating service called, ChristianCafe.com
No, I’m not looking to date someone; my wife and I have been on a date for over 38 years now. But I decided to review this service, compare it to other services, and then share what I found out with you.
I actually found comparisons with both eHarmony and BigChurch right on their site. I was impressed with the differences.
I thought one of the best parts about ChristianCafe.com was not just their free trial, but the benefits you get from their free trial. I’ll tell you about that in a minute, but first let me tell you what they say about themselves.
The premier Christian singles site. A comfortable relaxing online Cafe where Christian singles connect with one other. Whether you’re looking for a companion, a date, or a soul mate, ChristianCafe.com is the place for you!
By comparison, ChristianCafe.com is a service only for Christian singles. These singles
have faith as a priority in their life and are only seeking someone who shares their religious beliefs.
ChristianCafe.com dating profiles are centered around a persons faith. For example, there is a short answer question, ‘Describe your Christian faith. Where are you at and what are your goals? What Scripture verses are important to you?’. Likewise, when searching for matches on ChristianCafe.com , one can select from the standard criteria, but also from items such as level of Christian faith, level of church involvement, and denomination. This type of focus is not available on a secular dating site like eHarmony.
The service eHarmony sends matches based on a personality survey filled out when joining the service; eHarmony members can only communicate with (and view the profiles of) those that are sent to them as matches.
By comparison, ChristianCafe.com allows its members full control in searching for potential matches, providing over over 20 search criteria in helping them find their match. This way singles can search all profiles on ChristianCafe.com and decide themselves whether there could be a connection. members can contact these people right away as the service provides a free 10 day trial that includes the ability to communicate with other members.
ChristianCafe.com allows singles to get started right away. Christian singles can fill out a profile and start communicating with other Christian singles immediately – and free! (during the free trial period). eHarmony requires filling out an extensive personality profile which could take up to an hour, and then users must wait for new matches to be sent to them. Even then, users have to pay to even see photos of their matches, let alone being able to contact them.
I also found that there testimonials go back to January of 2002, so they have been helping people get together for over 7 years. 
But I still think the best part is the free trial offer. The site says that with a free trial you can profile and browse thousands of profiles of other Christian singles. Their free trial includes a lot, including, posting a profile and communicating with other singles using email, winks or quick messaging. The free trial includes access to send and read email; have full search capability; view full size photos; and view ‘Who’s Online’ and, communicate with them.
I think this is perhaps their best selling point. Someone can try it for free and see all that they have to offer and use it and see if it is indeed the service they are looking for.
If this is a service that you have been looking for, then go to the site and check it out for yourself; just Click Here
If you do decide to use the service, please let us know about it; if you like it or not. Come back to this post and type a comment below.
And, if you have any comments about Christian dating services, please put them below. Let us know what you know or have experienced.
[The Bible is an “Eastern” book. It was written many years ago in the “East” which today we refer to as “The Middle East.” As such, there are many customs and idioms that are not familiar to the “Western” mind.]
The month of June is traditionally a month when there are a lot of weddings. So, let’s get some insight into what to wear to a wedding in Bible times.
Jesus spoke a parable about a guest at a wedding who did not have on a proper wedding garment. This parable about a guest who was improperly dressed has caused confusion to many readers. Understanding the customs of the lands and times in which the Bible was written gives great insight to this parable.
In the parable, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, we learn is that this particular wedding was the marriage of a king’s son. This is the key to the parable.
In Bible times affluent people owned what is referred to as wedding garments, or, wedding robes. This attire for weddings indicated a person’s social standing. The more affluent people wore elaborate decorations on their wedding garments. Many times this clothing was passed down in the family.
Many weddings in our culture today do not specify a dress code. I have officiated at weddings where some male guests did not wear a coat or a tie. I have even seen this at what we would call a “formal” wedding. Never have I seen anyone escorted out of a wedding for improper attire.
But in Bible times, they attended weddings wearing their wedding robe. In the parable, there was a man who was attending without the proper wedding garment.
Now there are those who might argue that perhaps this man could not afford the proper attire for the wedding. They might argue, “Well at least he showed up for the wedding. Why was he escorted out?”
I mentioned that the key to this parable was that it was the marriage of a king’s son. In Bible times if you were invited to a wedding given by a king for the marriage of one of his children, you did not wear your own wedding robe. Attending that marriage with your own wedding robe would be a great insult, because the king would provide a wedding robe for all the guests.
The king would make careful arrangements to see that all the guests were given a wedding robe for the occasion. The garments would be delivered to each guest. Everyone who attended would then be wearing the attire provided for them by the king.
So when you attended a wedding given by a king, you didn’t come showing your own social standing, wealth, or prestige, but rather you were showing the king’s power and prestige.
Those hearing Jesus speak this parable understood what he was saying. They 
lived in this culture and practiced these customs. They understood that this man was not too poor to acquire a proper garment. They understood that this was not a mistake, but a deliberate act by the man in refusing what the king provided. They understood why the king ordered him to be thrown out of the wedding.
The last verse of the parable is often misunderstood. It reads, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
If you are “called” to a wedding, then you have been invited. It would be better understood as, “Many are invited…” Many are invited, but few have chosen to accept the invitation and put on the robe that was provided them.
Jesus was teaching about the kingdom of God. Because God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Those that accept Christ are made righteous. You could say that they are clothed in God’s righteousness. You can’t earn your own righteousness; it is freely given to you because of the work of Christ.
The invitation by the King is to all of mankind. Some will choose to accept Christ; others will not.
The king was not unfair or cruel. He had extended the man the invitation and provided the robe for him. The man refused to wear the robe which was an insult to the king.
Many wonder if they are one of the “few chosen.” The choosing was whether the man would wear the robe that the king provided. It was a free will decision by that man to accept the invitation and to wear the robe.
The “chosen” are those who choose to accept what God has to offer. Otherwise, many would be called or invited, and then God would pick and choose who gets to stay and who has to leave. There are some who think that’s the way God operates! If that were true, then we would have no free will to decide. But God never takes away your free will.
This parable is about the kingdom of heaven. The choosing is by the individual, whether he is going to accept what God has extended in Christ or not accept it. Will you accept the righteousness that God has extended to you?
The choice is up to the individual. Will you accept the invitation that He extended in Christ and put on what has been given you free of charge? Or will you reject the invitation?
It is not of our own abilities, but rather the King’s abilities. Doing your own works to make yourself righteous before God is to refuse the righteousness that He has already freely made available to you through the completed work of Christ. Few have chosen to accept both the invitation and all that God has freely extended in Christ.
So, how do you know if you are one of the few? Make the choice! Accept God’s invitation which is to all of mankind. And, accept His righteousness which is freely yours thorough the completed work of Christ.
Matthew 22:1-14
And Jesus answered and spoke unto them again by parables, and said,The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Then said he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
And he said unto him, Friend, how came you in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Please leave a comment about wedding customs you know about, or any comment about this article. We’d love to hear what you have to say.
For more “Eastern Eye” articles, Click Here, or click The Eastern Eye tab above.
Mike Verdicchio
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There are a number of books that you can read to get insight on customs, manners, idioms and meanings from the eastern culture in which the Bible was written. The best I know of were written by by Bishop K. C. Pillai. I have had the pleasure of listening to recorded teaching by him.
He wrote three books, and they are hard to find, and are usually over priced. But, if you want to you can check this link to see what Amazon has to offer. Light Through an Eastern Window
Another great resource that I have used for years is a book called, “Manners and Customs of the Bible,” by James Freeman. Mine was printed in 1972 and I know they have newer additions. For the newest edition, just click the link and it will take you to Amazon. The New Manners and Customs of the Bible (Pure Gold Classics)
