Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Life... A Precious Breath from God

To have and to hold
... From this day forward...
For better or for worse
... For Richer, For poorer...
In Sickness and in Health
...To love and to cherish...
Till death do us part

Today I saw something beautiful. No, it was not the kind of beauty which is in the eye of the beholder, but the kind of beauty that God has presented to us through His s
on the Christ child. The kind of beauty that was meant to be; a marriage that exemplifies Gods unconditional, never ending love for His children. I saw one of the deepest loves I have ever seen in a marriage, and it wasn't at a wedding, nor home nor at a friends house, but I saw it in public. Let me share this story with you.

I was at work today at the bookstore waiting for the next customer to come up so I could help him make a purchase. A male customer came up to the bookseller next to me as she began to ring up his items, and as this happened I was greeted by a silky eyed, red-haired, elderly woman at my register. She began talking to me saying something along the lines of, "Hi, yes today it's fun and the party is starting. They all say the kids will be fine and I act like a baby sometimes (laughs)." Well, it wasn't long before I realized that this woman, being elderly, probably had Alzheimers and just seemed to be a little lost in her sweet mind. She continued talking to me, and
laughing with me and telling me some random, discombobulated information. Then she started singing, and though I wouldn't encourage her to try out for American Idol, I witnessed a beautiful love. The man that was being checked out at the register beside me was her husband; he was a husband who loved his wife so much, more than I've ever seen. He came closer to me and said, "When I'm out with my wife, I don't plan time." This was as the woman went to all the customers in line and shook their hands saying how nice it was to see them again and how she couldn't wait to see them again. Her husband finally called her over to himself with so much love, respect and patience in his eyes, heart and soul. As the wife went over there, she stopped at my register and shook my hand and left me with these words,

"Enjoy that good birthday cake."

I'll never forget it. I'll never forget seeing the love in that husbands eyes for his wife. He was not ashamed or embarrassed. He did not apologize for her... just loved her for who she really was in that very moment. Though she was different, He mentioned how she was still that same 27 year old woman he married 50ish years ago. It was the most beautiful love I have ever seen.

So what does it take for us to love? Love is not conditional, it is constant and it does not change. We can offer love through patience and must do this. Our Heavenly Father has done this through his son Christ Jesus. This has been an example to me and I hope to many how to love for better or worse, richer poorer, sickness and health, to love and cherish and till death do us part. So. let us love, because God has first loved us.

2 comments:

  1. ah what an encouraging story... so there ARE good men out there!! :)

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  2. how adorable. it's so nice to see sickness-- something that can be so awkward, unpleasant, draining-- responded to as it should be in that sort of relationship. loved this story; thanks for sharing.

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