I don’t know what it has been like where you live, but here in
the Midwest we have seen lots of rain this past week. To make being outside even a little more
miserable, we had high winds on several of the days so walking without getting
soaked was a little difficult.
Last Thursday morning I took my mother-in-law to her cancer
treatment and of course, we drove through very heavy rain. When we left that afternoon to return home it
wasn’t raining very hard, but the closer we got to the retirement home, the
harder it came down. I pulled up in
front of Mom’s building under the covered area to let her out and then I knew I
would need to park my car in the lot and walk back in the rain. As I came around the back of my vehicle to
open her door, I saw Dan walking towards us.
He had been waiting in the lot until we arrived, so that he could park
my car for me so that I wouldn’t get wet.
When we left the retirement home, it was still raining and
windy. Dan asked me if my car needed gas
and I said that it did. So he handed me
the keys to his truck to take and he took my car and filled it with gas on the
way home. He chose to be out in the
nasty elements again, so that I wouldn’t have to.
Dan’s actions that day made me think about some of the other
things he does for me. Many days I wear
a Tens unit. If you aren’t familiar with
what that is, it’s a small device that works by sending stimulating pulses
across the surface of the skin on my back along the nerves. The stimulating
pulses help prevent pain signals from reaching my brain. It also helps stimulate my body to
produce higher levels of its own natural painkillers, called Endorphins. Since I live with chronic pain, this device is
a lifesaver. Whenever I need this
attached to my body, Dan patiently hooks me up.
Not once when I have gone to him to have this done, has he acted
irritated or made me feel like I was bothering him.
I have shared in the past that we use essential oils in our home
and they have also been a help to me with my health. One of the things we take every day is an
antioxidant drink that has wolfberries and essential oils in it. Dan knows how much this helps support muscle relaxation in
my legs so that I can sleep so every evening, without me saying anything, he
pours us each a “shot” of it and brings me mine. He wouldn’t have to do this. He could just let me get my own, or wait for
me to bring him his, but instead he serves me in this way.
These are just some of the things that Dan does for me, that no
one else ever sees. He doesn’t do them
to get recognition or to put on a “show” in front of others; he does them
because he loves me. He took our vows
seriously over 35 years ago, when he said he would love me for better or for
worse. Believe me, in our marriage that
has been a lot of “worse” with my health, causing Dan to have to care for me
often. But he hasn’t complained or made
me feel like I was a bother. I’m sure
there have been times when walking away has probably looked pretty enticing,
but instead he has chosen to stay and serve me instead.
I feel today that there is someone who is thinking about walking
away from his or her vows. There is someone
who thinks that things would be so much easier if they would end their marriage
and move on to greener pastures. I want
to encourage you today to not give in to Satan’s ploy to destroy your
marriage. You may have also wed someone
who has brought more “worse” into your daily life due to health problems,
emotional problems or maybe financial problems. Instead of turning your back on your mate, I
want to urge you to continue serving them instead. Oftentimes, it doesn’t have to be big, showy
things that you need to do, but little ways that you can show the one you fell
in love with, that you still love them and you aren’t giving up.
Before I get e-mails, I do know that there are circumstances
that warrant a divorce. I know there are
situations of abuse and infidelity where it is necessary for a spouse to
leave. I am not referring to these
situations. Unfortunately, there are too
many couples that are going their own separate ways, just because they just
want something or someone different.
Satan is on the attack on marriages today and it is high time
that each of us makes sure that he does not win in our home. We need to do all we can to show our spouse
that he or she is the one of which we are committed and then do what we can to
demonstrate our love. I can tell you,
coming from the one who is on the receiving end of these acts of love, it is
very humbling. It is easy to feel that I
am not deserving of this kind of understanding and care, and I don’t want to
take the relationship that we have for granted.
None of us are promised tomorrow, so we better take advantage of today to
do what we can to fulfill our sacred vows.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful
or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable,
and it keeps no record of being wronged.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
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