My friend told me of a quote she has hanging in her house….
”All because two people fell in love and decided to work really hard at staying that way.”
She was thoughtful enough to send a copy for me to have.
I believe in marriage. I believe it’s ordained of God and has the potential for more joy than any other relationship.
On the subject of marriage I am the opposite of an expert…( whatever that is). I have no authority on the matter, just 20 years experience of working hard at something worth working for. I’ve failed over and over and at times I’ve asked why am I not better at this yet? Real communication that is kind, yet leaves you feeling vulnerable is like water to a house plant you don’t want to die. Your faith has everything to do with it. The thing I am an expert on is my love for Jeremy. I’m also kind of an expert on him. I know his weaknesses and he knows mine. I’ve been there through his greatest challenges and he’s helped me through mine. I know I am better because of him. I know his soul; I know I can trust him with mine. He calms my troubled heart and makes me laugh more than anyone else. I’ve got a lot to learn, but I know enough about what true love looks like. It looks like the old couple still holding hands. It looks like the worried faces of parents over a child or how they are going to pay the bills. It looks like best friends who still laugh at each other’s dumb jokes, and whose gaze lingers longer on you than any other person. It’s truly seeing a person the way Jesus sees them, and at times having your “come to Jesus” moments together. Recently we were writing what we were thankful for and Jeremy’s list included “my hot bod” and “my brain” while I had things like Jesus Christ and prayer…(actually, he had those things on his list too) While I am grateful for that brilliant brain and hot body of his, I’m glad were different. We think differently, we have different talents and even interests. He could not sit through pride and prejudice and I don’t want to sit through anymore anime. The prescription to any sick relationship is love. No one is immune from satans influence and he’s hell bent on destroying families because he knows how little time he has left. But it’s plain, simple everyday love like a text, a ten minute walk, praying together and for each other, making him a lunch or sending a funny meme that thwarts the plan of the evil one. Some miserable lonely eternal bachelor who gnashes his teeth will never have a chance to steal my eternal ecstasy! I’ll stick with the” happily ever after “ending.
p.s. as I write I think of my friends who I love deeply and who have done everything possible yet had to end their marriage. I don’t write this with the intent to hurt your tender hearts. You are some of my heroes in the trials you’ve had to face. My trials are different, but we are the same beloved daughters and sons of God.