They're Watching!

 Grammy & Papa, married 42 years

Grandson Luke Taking Note

Today's verse:  "This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."  Ephesians 5:32-33

I was honored last week because someone asked to meet with me to talk about marriage.  She's struggling in her marriage, and wanted to "gather information" on how to have a good marriage, and she saw Ken and I as a couple who appeared to have it all together.  I was honored.  I do love my husband.  Though I had to admit to this woman, that as with every other married couple, we do have our struggles and bad days.  We've just committed to working hard, and staying together forever. 

What a reminder though that people are watching.  They are looking for people who are happy and successful in their marriages, to be examples of how it "should" be in their life.  We live in a world where it's easy to give up, change our minds, and break commitments.  Marriage, too often, is not a sacred covenant to be kept and worked at. 

Even greater, our children are watching.  They are keeping an eye out for how we work through conflict, show love and respect, have fun together, communicate, and help one another.  Every day becomes a lesson on what marriage can be in their lives.  What pressure sometimes. 

I love that my children have two sets of grandparents who have worked hard, and stayed married through thick and thin.  I'm even grateful that their parents have chosen to work hard at our marriage, and have 20+ years under our belt.  Though these marriages aren't marked by perfection, Alyssa and Kyle have beautiful examples of how God designed marriage to be.  Forever.

Oh Lord, this is the day you have made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!  I'm thankful for another day to draw closer to you, and closer to my family.  I'm so grateful that you are the giver of love and marriage.  You designed it to be a life-giving, joy-filling, supportive, and a forever relationship in our lives.  Your Word shows us how love and respect are the characteristics you designed God-filled marriages to be marked by.  In our own selfishness, love and respect, are sometimes hard things to live by.  Lord, as parents, who our children are watching every day, help us to reflect how to show love and respect every day.  May they see in our marriage what it looks like to have a healthy, fully-committed relationship.  I pray for our children's future spouses, and the marriages that they will have.  I pray that they find a spouse who follows you, and wants to live a marriage with you at the center.  I pray that our children want to hold on to the example of working hard through each high and low in their marriage, never giving up too easily.  Lord, I truly pray for spouses who bring abundant happiness, lifelong joy, and abiding love.  Though it is sometimes hard work, what joy marriage can bring to one's life.