Living in the Storm: Love Changes Things!

The Queen Mother had planned on staying with her subjects this weekend, but her everyday Prince Charming rode in in his white Camry and whisked her away from us to SDC. Why you ask? Because love changes things.

You see this weekend is not just an ordinary weekend in the lives of my mom and dad, this Saturday they will celebrate 39 years of marriage. My dad knew this weeks ago when he originally planned the trip, and since days and dates aren't really a big deal for mom he thought they would celebrate either before or after he left. But love changes things.

If you pull back the curtains of my parent's life as it is right now you will see things that you probably could have seen 39 years ago. Laughter. Lots of laughter. A home filled with constant people, warmth, and phone calls. Pictures of a life time of friends hanging on the refrigerator. Sticky notes with dad's hand writing all over the place. Their master bed all made up. And love. Noticeable love.

Some glimpses you would catch if the curtains were pulled,  I imagine mom and dad never dreamed of taking place. Dad, as he gently lifts mom's broken body onto a plastic stool to bathe her with his farmer boy hands, and his preacher man's heart.  As his solid, confident, voice reads her her bible study because she can no longer read.  As he chops her food into bite size pieces and places her bib around her neck for meal time. As he intentionally places her hands in her lap so her wheel chair wheels don't tear up her time worn hands. And as he pulls the blankets to cover his beloved, a frail reflection of the woman he married 39 years ago, as the sun sets. How can anyone's heart survive such heart wrenching darkness, you ask? Because love changes things.

My brother Zach recently made a statement after observing mom and dad that he hopes us married people know what love is.  I thought it was deeply profound.  After 10 1/2 years a marriage I thought I had some pretty firm grasps on what love was. But after watching up close and personal these last 8 months how my Daddy loves my Mama, I fear I have much to learn.

I can't read my dad's mind. I wish I could sometimes (* wink, wink* Dad) but what I know is that after being a first hand witness over the last 30 years of my life, my dad wanted to be with my mom this Saturday because love changes things. My mom will no sooner remember this act then she will remember the numbers of the multiplication chart. But he will always know. I will always know. You, my dear readers, will always know that the love of this man is neither deterred nor diminished by the ugliness of disease.

Happy Anniversary seems so inadequate in this situation.  Thank you for being a continual example of how a God inspired, a God centered, a God powered, and a God blessed marriage should look.  Thank you for pouring love onto each other, day after day, year after year. Thank you for laying down your lives for each other. For not giving up on each other. For constantly pursuing Jesus and each other. Thank for saturating each other in grace and forgiveness so that love had a place to grow. Thank you for allowing love to change you.

~s