Thoughts on Vows...
Feeling better today. Praise God! So, it's time to write something well-deserved.
I am proud of my wife this last week. She has been getting away from the chaos to get some refreshment. With dinner or lunch plans on Monday and Wednesday, and being blessed with a visit from a friend in Houston, where they got to get away to a bed and breakfast for some relaxation has been very good for her.
You see, she takes care of 7 kids, manages their homeschooling, private classes, cares for the home, manages diapers, manages meals, manages... manages... manages. To top all of these she has a husband who is about 50% on good days due to the cancer and treatments. She makes him special meals, rubs his back when he can't sleep, prays with him, cries with him and on and on.
To add to the difficulty, the pain and discomfort of the treatments and the cancer symptoms leaves me with a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality. One moment I'm angry, even to the point of swearing over meaningless things, and the next moment, when the meds kick in, I can get relaxed and lovey. I don't know how she keeps sane with me. A few days ago, during one of my sedated moments, I made sure to thank her for all her love and what she is doing for us... apologizing for my behavior. You know what this woman said? Got a Kleenex?
"I said yes." [Selah]
[Selah is one of the annotations in the Psalms calling for reflection for something said.]
On July 13, 1996, a special thing happened. We stood before 300 friends and family and the Lord to declare a commitment to each other. This is what she said to me:
I'm glad to testify to God's goodness through my wife. They were not meaningless or idle words for her. For nearly 22 years, she has steadfastly pursued honoring God with her vows. And, I am truly blessed as a result. You see, she sees all the evils that try to intercede themselves into our marriage not as something to avoid, ignore, rationalize or excuse, but as something where she can glorify God. Glorify God she does.
Funny thing... I used to joke that God gave us 6 girls because He needed to teach me to be more gentle and loving. If there is a reason I could conjecture, I'm confident that when a woman like this comes along, it's imperative to multiply such character as much as possible. Multiply it has. I see her beautiful qualities radiating in our girls. It is pure joy to see. I see her determination and capabilities echoing in our first, her Christlike qualities echoing in our 2nd, her compassion and warmth echoing in our third, her gentle sweetness echoing in our fourth, her sharp mind and playful personality echoing in our fifth, and the sixth is too early to call, but I hope to live long enough to see my wife echoing in her as well.
I am a blessed man. If there is a woman on earth who doesn't deserve what she is enduring, it's my wife. But, if there is a woman who is more than capable in Christ's strength of enduring and declaring victory in Jesus in it, it's my wife.
It's because, she is this:
"'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears Yahweh is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."