Marriage Mondays ~ Mr. & Mrs. D

Before you read this, know that I'm praying for YOU. I may not know every name, but I am praying for each reader of Marriage Mondays here at Come Have a Peace. I pray these glimpses of truth in everyday events will encourage and enable you to experience the miracle of two becoming one. When you finish reading, I pray you'll see one way today's truth might make your marriage different ... sweeter.

We were trying to hang on to the last days of summer, so we packed the camping gear in what felt like 200 degree heat and ran to the mountains in hopes of cooler air. While Jeff went out for a late morning run, I lingered over a stack of books and shared a nap with the dog. A few campsites away, I noticed a little truck struggling to park its pop up camper, while an old man stood on the side of the lot. From a distance he looked a little like a stork, but he was clearly of no help to the driver. A ranger finally helped the pair, but left them to wrestle with the set up to no avail. About that time Jeff returned, and I pointed out the struggling camper couple. We decided to head for a final swim, purposely walking by the suffering scene.

We arrived to find an older woman crouched on a cushion under the camper, struggling with metal poles. No sooner had we approached than they received Jeff's offer of help like a long lost son had come home. In no time at all Jeff gave a quick lesson, sprinkled with lots of muscle, to the grateful pair. We chatted as they worked.

The couple had been married almost 60 yrs. The husband dealt with macular degeneration in both eyes, diabetes, and other health issues leaving him fragile. His wife said her hubby longed to go camping, so this summer they purchased the small pop-up, and she began to learn (at 75!!) how to hitch & tow a small camper. Now she was determined to learn to set it up and give her husband a gift for his golden years. Her love for him was clear.

While Mrs. D told me about their kids & grandkids, Mr. D told Jeff about life from his point of view, praising his gutsy wife for her willingness to learn for his sake = motivation for him to stand nearby in patient cheering for her success. He also told Jeff that he had known all along ;) where the poles needed to go ... "but she wouldn't listen to me." He said, "You know, sometimes you KNOW you're right, and if you are, it will eventually be clear." :) His love for her was clear.

After a dip in the river, we had supper, packed up, said goodbyes to Mr. & Mrs. D, and headed home. It's hard to find silver haired examples of husbands and wives, more in love than 58 years before, still sacrificing their comfort, still trying to be patient with each other, still doing whatever it takes to make the OTHER one's life a JOY. I want to be that way!

The Apostle Paul was never married, but he really "got" the essence of living like Mr. & Mrs. D:

Phil. 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

I want to be that way! If I dream of being a 75 yr old gal willing to help make my husband's dreams possible, the kind of gal whose husband watches in admiration and patient adoration as I look out for his interests, then TODAY I'd better take stock of whether or not I'm practicing those habits. I watched Mrs. D spend 1/2 hr. backing into that campsite, and it takes time to maneuver yourself into the position you want to be in. What I do today determines where my marriage will be in the future.

Do you know what kind of wife you want to be 30 years from now? What are you doing today to get yourself there? With God's help, I know we can get there!

Tomorrow I'm going to share a recipe (with pics) from one of our nights camping - Coconut Curry Chicken and Vegetables with Couscous. My daughter actually made the meal! I hope you'll check back. If you're not subscribed to get updates by email, be sure to click on the link that says "Peace in Your Email" so you don't miss out.