Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

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A Reminder to Remember

February 8, 2024 by Ellen Leave a Comment

“Honey, do you still love me,” I asked my husband, after over two decades of marriage. 

“Well, of course. Why?”

“You used to carry a picture of me in your wallet. Then I got replaced by the grandkids. And that’s ok. But now? It’s THE CAR!”

My hubby is a gearhead guy. A Mustang man. He loves classic cars, especially his 1969 Mustang Mach 1 with its 390 engine and automatic transmission. All that’s nice, but what’s important to me is this: It is Calypso Coral. A pretty peachy-orange color. Like a beautiful sunset.

We often joke that he has forgotten his first love, but when we’re talking about cars, it’s all in good fun. However, God warns us in scripture that we “have abandoned the love you had at first (Revelation 2:4).” We so easily forget His goodness, and turn our backs on Him. We don’t remember His faithfulness. 

Look at Aaron, Moses’ brother.  

 “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.” (Exodus 24:9-11 NIV)

 

Aaron and a few other Israelite leaders went up Mount Sinai with Moses and met with God. Not only that, but they shared a meal with Him! Can you imagine the awe and wonder they must have felt? They were in the presence of almighty God! And they ate supper with Him. I don’t think I would’ve been able to eat anything. The nerves!

Not long after this, Moses met with God again on the mountain, this time without Aaron. It took longer than the people in camp thought it should. So they began complaining to Aaron, who was in charge.

“Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1 NASB)

Aaron gathers all the gold jewelry and makes a golden calf for the people to worship! Not only that, he tells Moses: I threw the gold into the fire, and out came this calf (Ex. 32:24)! 

Really Aaron? That golden calf just so happened to jump out of the fire? You didn’t mold a blob of gold into a calf-looking idol?

We tend to judge Aaron. But we are also quick to forget all God has done for us. The minute a trial of any sort comes our way, we are wringing our hands, wondering what we will do. We don’t remember that God brought us out of a fire last week. 

Oh how soon we forget. That’s why Scripture reminds us over and over to recall what God has done. (Deuteronomy is an especially good place to see what God wants us to remember). God has to continually remind us to remember.

Make it a practice to remember. Think about all Jesus has done for you. Remember His love for you. Remember He has given you His Holy Spirit. 

Yes, remember your first love.

For His glory,

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Twenty Years Strong Today!

May 25, 2016 by Ellen 4 Comments

Today marks twenty years – count ‘em, TWENTY YEARS – that John and I have been married. Who woulda thunk it? Last year, I regaled you with stories of our wedding and honeymoon. This year, I’ll share an anniversary story or two! I hope you enjoy them as much as I love telling them.

Wedding bells rang for us on May 25, 1996. ALMOST six months after the wedding (November 12, 1996), I emailed John to tell him I had a little surprise to give him for our six month anniversary (World’s Finest Chocolate candy bar WITH almonds – he loves them!).

John told his co-worker: “Ellen has a present for me. Today is our six month anniversary!”

“I thought y’all got married at the end of the month – like around Memorial Day?”

“You’re right! We got married on the 25th of May…”

Back at my job, I’m in ignorant bliss. I can’t wait to get home and give my new hubby his present. I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself. That’s why I had to e-mail him. I wanted him to know I thought about him on our first milestone. I mean, six months – what an accomplishment!

At 5:30 that afternoon, I walk in the door of our home, candy bar hidden behind my back. I was grinning from ear to ear. Then I saw John’s face. In that instant, I realized what I had done. I messed up BIG TIME! I got the day confused with my ex-anniversary date! OH NO! Was my face red! But, he forgave me and ate his candy bar anyway.
 On our one year anniversary, I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers at work. I opened the card, anticipating a sentimental message from my sweet man. The card read “Thank you for the best 12 years of my life! Love, John”

12 YEARS?!?! How about 12 MONTHS!!!

Oops! The florist messed up the message…or was it payback for the six month anniversary fiasco on the 12th of November?!?

 

With that not so stellar beginning to our marriage, some people may have thought we would never make it twenty years. Praise God, we did!

Overall, it’s been a wonderful and fun twenty years. Yes, we’ve had some bumps in the road, but we didn’t let them drag us down. The most important thing we have done for our marriage, is to place Jesus Christ at the center. Has this been easy? Are we perfect at this? No, but with God’s grace, we persevere.

I was thinking about our twenty years together last week, while driving to work. I wept with joy, so thankful for the man God brought into my life to be my forever husband. Scripture tells us to remember the things God has done for us. I am remembering today that He placed a wonderful man in my life, to be my husband, to have and to hold until death do us part.

 

Happy 20 years, John Chauvin!

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