"I do" moments

In sickness and in health …

‘Til death do us part …

I do. 

It sounds very romantic. I suppose that’s the point, right? It’s a wedding. They’re vows of love. And I said them. I said them gazing starry-eyed up into the face of my man.

I won’t lie to you — my steady man and I have a wonderful marriage.  I love that man and can’t imagine spending forever with anyone else. I’m spoiled rotten by being married to the most laid-back, easy-to-please, adoring husband in the world. I always joke that I could hand him a pile of dirt for dinner and he’d gobble it with thanks and praise me up and down and ask for more.

But we’re human. We have down days. Sometimes I don’t smile. Sometimes he doesn’t listen. Sometimes, like last week, we both carry weights of ministry and when we lean hard into each other for help we’re apt to bark back, “Hey, carry your own load!”

*Sigh*

But remember, the gospel of grace. Grace changes everything. And when my phone beeps and the text comes through I lay down my pirate sword and read it and smile:

“I love you. Having a great day. Sorry you always get my down moments.”

I ignore the kids for just a moment, thumbing back my love and remembering my vows:

“When I said “I do” it included the down moments too.”

Who of us doesn’t have down moments?  Who of us doesn’t have days where the fog doesn’t lift? And if each moment is a grace-gift, from God, given for us to bow, empty-handed, and receive, then won’t we have plenty of this grace-gift to give to those most near?

Our husbands. Our children. Whoever sees us brushing our teeth — isn’t there grace enough for them as well?

When we say ‘I do’ we say yes. Yes to this life, these moments, even the down ones.

Yes to humanness. 

When we drink deep of God’s extravagant grace, each day, we can smile easy and say, “Here, have some — I’ve got plenty to share.”

Here’s some grace for humanness, some grace for when you’re weak. Some grace for the down moments, for ‘I do’ moments.

Because that’s when we need it, right?

In the moment. 

We need the grace-well to be full, to the brim. So when down moments bump, it spills, happy grace to cover human frailty.

Sisters, we need grace!

Grace to say ‘I do’ in whatever moments we face this day.

{Get in His word, bow at His feet, drink deep of His grace. Get full, and say ‘I do.’ Thanks for reading.}