I Heart Scott

So, I am a little irked by something that happened today. I shared to my coworkers a prayer-request during our mandatory devotion that Scott will be out of town for 2 months, this is the first time we have been apart for any length of time, and that we could both use some encouragement. A coworker replied, "Dont worry, one day you'll love it when he's gone!" I realize this is a casual, funny response but I feel like I hear it too often from married people older than myself. I think we really should be careful how we speak. Myself included! And, mind you, this coworker is fabulously wonderful and a sweet, sweet Christian woman who was just trying to make me smile. And, Im sure I have said similar things.

I think what ultimately worries me is how lightly we take our marriages. My dearest friend Cat and I have been discussing the rampant adultery we have been seeing all too often in people we know's marriages. It just makes me absolutely sick. I know it is only by the grace of God that Scott and I continue to be faithful and love each other more every day, and that is what I pray in everyone's marriages. I just hate that adultery is out there, along with other marital issues. I think this is in Reforming Marriage(and this is often said): Men are always willing to abdicate (give up) their role, and women are always willing to take it. I am so, so weary of men who abdicate their role as a father and a husband, leaving the women to pick up the pieces. I have to pray against being angry at these men. That kind of abdication is unbiblical (as is my anger!). And I am also weary of women thinking independently from their husbands (also unbiblical). Upon marriage, we are made one. So, when one of you is gone, that leaves a half. Easy math, and the reason why I miss my husband. Half of me is not presently here. And I am thankful that I miss my husband and I am not glad to see him gone. And I pray the day never, ever comes when I wish to be apart from Scott.

Now, I know I will get responses of "oh, you're just a newlywed! how cute!" But, I will say, I am uber-thankful for women like Judy, Ashlie, Dinah, Denise, Lisa, Christen, Donna, etc. who understand this and realize it is absolutely a God-given desire to be with your husband, and who encourage me to rest in Christ at this time, not to forget about it and be thankful for time alone. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the women of my church. I dont know what kind of wife I would be without them. And I am also going to be bold (although my mom would hate this) and say I have never seen a better picture of a submissive, gentle, and loving wife than my mommy. She says I dont see her at her worst sometimes, but, regardless, I think the work Christ has accomplished in my parent's life is awesome. Like, really awesome, not just "dude thats awesome."

All this to say, I love my husband and I am thankful for what Christ has accomplished in our marriage. :)

"Submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." Ephesians 5:22-33