Man, sometimes I get it all wrong. “Barrett, Im persnickety (OK, I totally used the thesaurus for that because my other word choice was too crass). Can you take off your shoes before going into the bathroom? The floors are wet and I just cleaned the rugs.” He gave me an exasperated look and I knew that my request got his goad. Ugh…
The next day I heard about two dear couples in my church and my petty thoughts were pierced. The first couple were very active in their dating years, running together and enjoying the sweetness of the outdoors and the testing their bodies. The guy went home for a break and went on a run despite the strong whipping winds. When he didn’t come back after dark, his dad went to look for him. He found him trapped by his torso under a wind fallen tree within shouting distance of the house. The tree cut off circulation to his legs and one ended up getting amputated. The couple eventually married and have a joy filled family despite bone issues that have come of late. They enjoy being busy and active in every way they can with their kids and work and continue to be such a testimony to living under God’s sovereignty and choosing grace and love instead of bitterness.
The husband of the second couple has cystic fibrosis which is a devastating disease that usually takes the life of its victim early on. I remember seeing pictures of mom’s pounding the backs of their kids to relieve the built up mucous and hearing the strangling coughs from their weary children. It also makes it impossible to have kids and usually calls for a double lung transplant (if they live that long) that will extend the persons life by 5 years. Well, despite knowing all of this and hearing her family and friends warn against marrying him, she did! They often walk our neighborhood hand in hand calling it Narnia due to the soft glowing lanterns. She spent hours writing addresses on our wedding invitations, and he is studying at seminary despite not knowing the time he has left. He had his transplant 3 years ago and they treat each day as a gift of God to have one another.
Um, then there’s me worrying about wet rugs and timing the coffee just right for pancakes. Man, Im so thankful for these couple and how they exhibit living in God’s grace joyfully! They look for the positives instead of worrying about insignificant things. They desire to encourage one another in Christ and to help their friends for God’s glory. I pray I will do the same.