2014-03-30 Husbands Man-up

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

March 30, 2014

This is a letter to our friends –

Husbands, Man-Up!

What do you do when a thought keeps returning? For me – I take it as a prompting to pray over it. Then, if it persists, I usually write it (like this). The last thing – before I post it – I print out a copy and ask my wife, Frances, for her opinion.

This column is written by an 85 year old American, fortunate in being married to his closest friend for 60 years! That, I believe, gives me the platform to write – “Husbands, Man-Up”.

As I look at modern American culture, I see marriages and pseudo-marriages of all sorts. I can observe the external, but have no way of knowing the true (i.e. internal) quality. Thus – I’ll add, “If the shoe fits – wear it!”

Men – Here is one simple thing I have found that you MUST deal with – God exists.

I’m not suggesting you do anything, other than sit down with yourself and get this clearly understood. I don’t mean, “Go to church,” or, “Perform some sort of ritual.” Just decide to admit what you know is true.

American society is degrading because we need stronger families. I suggest YOU do this –

Make a regular time each day, to sit with your wife and kids. (I can guarantee it will be “inconvenient” at the beginning.) Just make it happen! Take out a Bible and you read something out loud.

There are books with the Bible broken into 365 selections, one for each day in a year. We have worn out several of them. Another idea – if you have kids. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. Before sending the kids off to bed, everyone takes a turn reading a proverb from the chapter that matches the day of the month. My son always seemed to get, “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” and my wife seemed to get the one about nagging on the housetop! If we had visitors, when the kids were ready for bed, we just included the guests in the circle!

Caveats come to mind –

· “My wife is the ‘spiritual’ one in the family.” Odds are, that is by default! Man-up hubby! Take your place. She may buck a little, but in the end, she’ll be proud.

· “We come from different faiths, it causes discord.” Friend, God doesn’t belong to a denomination. He isn’t even “religious”!

· “I’m embarrassed. I don’t know anything about God, or the Bible.” Well – That is a problem. Do you suppose daily reading of words God inspired men to write might solve that?

· “Thanks, but I can lead my family without God’s help.” Man-to-man, you know better!

There it is- I have it off my chest. Do you want a stronger family? Do you want to save your family? Do you want your kids to be secure in a dark world?

Then man-up!

Take your place as a real man.

No man is tall among men until he is humble before God.

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/