A Mercy-Filled Marriage

 

I had to laugh on Saturday afternoon.

After making Trevor and I a big breakfast in the morning, I had to hurry down to my office to finish writing for a hard deadline I was facing for an upcoming speaking engagement this week.

It was a nice surprise to come upstairs hours later to a cleaned up kitchen.  
Everything was neatly rinsed and put away.

When I went to make dinner later in the evening, I grabbed for the cooking spray and I couldn’t find it.

“We have some - I know we do!”  I thought to myself.  “I just used it this morning.”
But it was nowhere to be found.

And then I remembered.
Trevor put things away from breakfast.
He probably put it back in the wrong cupboard.

He was outside mowing at the time… and so began the search for the Pam.

I chuckled to myself when I considered all the places it could be.
Big Pantry - no.
Little Pantry - no.
Spices Cupboard - no.
REFRIGERATOR???  - nope.  (That’s good.)

And then one more look.
One last peak into another cooking cupboard - yes.  There it was.
Standing in all confidence like it belonged there.

And I laughed out loud.
Because the kitchen… it’s my domain.
My territory - where no man typically goes.  (lol)

But on this day he did.
And he had tried.

And all was well.

Because the truth is that earlier marital years might have brought frustration… irritation… anger even.

In the naiveté of wedded “bliss” I might have missed the opportunity to extend grace.
And with now over two decades of matrimony experience, I can choose to let go of the things that don’t matter.  And count it all joy that God hand delivered me the sweetest soul to do life with.

Oh young married couples can I give you some advice today?
Stop the blame game.
Don’t look for all they lack.
Be grateful for the silly days that might feel like interruption... setback…. inconvenience… and rejoice that God loved you enough to provide you with a gift so imperfect as your spouse.
Rejoice in the ways you are growing together, learning together, mistaking together, and living your best life… together.

Laugh at the blunders… smile at the oversights… delight in the journey.

These really… REALLY are the best days.  And soon enough we’ll look back and realize that the small, trivial irritants are just that - small, and trivial, and they will always be outnumbered by the JOY of a mercy-filled marriage!