Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…

Hebrews 10:23-24

One of the best things about being “retired” is that Rebekah and I get to be together pretty much all the time. Whatever we are doing, whatever else is going on, we can share a relaxed breakfast, stop mid-morning to enjoy a cup of coffee together, sit on the porch to watch the world go by, jump in the car and go to Raleigh, pull some weeds together in the garden, binge-watch something on some streaming service we had forgotten we were paying for – so many ways to enjoy each other’s company….

But all that familiarity does not mean that it is no longer important to do something special once in a while. So I will still ask her out on a date now and then. And she still tends to say yes!

On the road with the grandchildren we must have eaten out at some restaurant at least 20 times over 17 days, so driving over to Greenville to enjoy pub-food for just the two of us Monday evening was a real treat.

I cleaned out the car, we dressed up a little bit and we enjoyed a relaxed evening combining dinner at Christy’s Euro Pub with shopping at Trader Joe’s.

Of course the best thing about going out for dinner is the conversation. We talk all the time, about everything, but this evening we found ourselves more focused on spiritual things. We talked about my post on communion (Served Without Judgement) and how it breaks our hearts that people choose to stand outside of that circle of love when the healing and the nourishment are theirs for the asking. And we talked about her upcoming trip to Pensacola to talk with members of Trinity Presbyterian Church about spiritual life.

I think – I know – that sharing our hearts is key to our constantly growing relationship. We learn from each other all the time. We explore ideas and opinions together, we are honest about our missteps and our confusions, we pray for one another, we laugh and we cry together, we applaud one another’s successes and we “spur one another along to love and good deeds…”

I love that concept from Hebrews 10. Spur one another along, encourage each other – “provoke one-another” as one translations puts it – to love and good deeds.

Spurring one another along rings true a little more than “constantly criticize one-another’s faults…” But that is going to have to be another post.

Peace, and gratitude – DEREK