The Blushing Penguin

Tonight was opening night at the Lighthouse coffee bar!!! You know, the one that my husband has been working on around the clock for the past several months? Well, it's finally open and so that is where I was hanging out tonight. I had the Mediterranean panini followed by an excellent drink called the Blushing Penguin. I don't remember what all was in it, but I will say it was garnished with whipped topping, white chocolate shavings, and raspberries. Mmmm. I had J take a photo on his iphone, but since I don't have that right now I am just using this generic mug shot that I photographed for the coffee bar website.

The purpose of this coffee bar is to be a ministry, a way to reach out to the community. A place for people to gather and be together. I know it may seem like I have totally strayed from the topic of lessons I have learned about marriage, but it all ties together because marriage is about community. Of course marriage is primarily between you, your spouse, and God at the core, but outside of that there are countless people that have some role in your covenant as well. I am talking about friends, relatives, pastors, councilors and so on. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, you could just as easily say it takes one to support a healthy thriving marriage.

At the beginning of the week I quoted some of the traditional marriage vows, but something that is starting to be incorporated into the modern vows today is saying "your people shall be my people, and your God, my God" taken from the book of Ruth. You don't just marry one person, but in a way you marry into a family or a community. Of course dealing with other people in marriage can be rocky at times, but rocks, when put in the proper place, are great for building. This is one of the many things I have found to be true in my marriage. As a couple we need community, to be surrounded by people that support us and point us closer to God and to each other which is the core that I talked about earlier. Sometimes these are the people that are around your thanksgiving table, or getting together to watch Lost, or sometimes they are at the local coffee bar while you enjoy a blushing penguin.

Mmmmm.