Saturday, March 11, 2017

Beloved...



This week we had a cool night, the first in many months so I didn't stir my beloved at the normal hour but let him sleep a little longer as I brewed coffee and sliced fruit to serve with thick slices of peanut butter and banana smothered toast.

As I stirred my husband to wake and prepare for work that morning I could see he was more refreshed than usual. Our minds and bodies rest more deeply when sleeping through a night with windows wide open, especially when the gentle patter of rain rings a melody on the tin roof, but it's so rare an experience these days that this one cool wet night was appreciated more than I can say.

I made the bed while he showered and dressed, then set the dining table for breakfast, poured the coffee, sat...and waited. No husband.
Where was he? Breakfast is not leisurely on a weekday morning as he needs to be out the door and off to work on time and I'd already taken some of those precious minutes by leaving him to sleep a bit later.

Then a noise from under the house made me jump.

Down the back steps and around into the carport I found my beloved under the hood of my little yellow car. Knowing I planned to drive north of town and visit a friend that day, he wanted to check the oil, water and tyre pressure to assure himself the car wouldn't fail me, that I'd arrive safe and sound at my destination and return home again that afternoon. The noise I'd heard from the breakfast table was his air compressor inflating the car tyres as they were a bit low. 

That's one of the many things I love about my husband.
He cares, and it's not so much in words but in the many acts of love he shows me each and every day. Love is a verb to him, an action, a response which shows the depth of care and concern and gratitude he feels towards me, his wife of twenty five years.

My beloved is not a man of gushing displays or eloquent speeches of heartfelt emotion, he's solid as a rock, dependable, and uncompromising in his devotion to our Lord and our marriage. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but a man who made an oath at the altar to love, honour and protect me as long as we both shall live and to this day endeavours to follow through.

I have learnt a lot from this imperfect man.
But mostly, having come from a family line littered with divorce, I have learnt about marital commitment.
How to walk through the valleys of life side by side, to help each other climb the many mountains of trial, to celebrate every victory and blessing, to trust God that as long as we allow Him to be the glue which binds our separate lives together as one, we will be okay. 
I have learned not to give up, that there will be many seasons in a marriage but spring always returns, and if we sow generously with grace and mercy and forgiveness and kindness we will reap more love than our hearts can hold. 

Marriage is more about giving than taking and my husband was the first example I ever saw of this.
Today I just wanted to share about him...to honour him, my dearly beloved.

Blessings,



22 comments:

Lin said...

You are a very fortunate lady - long may you be happy together. xx

Baa. xxx said...

Honour and blessing to him, may he know how much you and God love him.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post to read Jenny, and so much love you have shown in honouring your husband in this way.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Sue
WA

kallii said...

Are you sure his name isn't Steve? I think we married the same man. My Steve does the same things, so blessed to be so loved and spoiled too :)

Robin in New Jersey said...

Thank you for sharing. You are blessed! Mr. E is a treasure for sure.

Feathers in my Nest said...

What a wonderful post. How very fortunate you are..I Love men that provide & protect their family.

Speaking of cold, it's 8* here this morning & a lovely Nor'easter is coming on Tuesday...Happy Spring.

Sandy said...

What a lovely tribute to your husband...you are loved ♡

Sherry said...

You are blessed, as am I. The Lord is good....

allthingzsewn said...

Indeed, God has blessed you both.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful testament to marriage!! Bless you both!❤

A Joyful Cottage said...

A beautiful tribute to your husband, Jenny. This theme of how a man shows his love to his wife through actions such as what you described seems to be something the Lord really wants me "to get". This is my second marriage, after 36 years of marriage to a wonderful man who went home to the Lord in 2007, and I am very blessed to have remarried in 2010 to a man who sounds so much like your husband. He is very much a protector, always concerned about my safety and welfare. Unlike my late husband, he is not particularly sentimental and it has taken me time to adjust my thinking to realize what you shared today. Also, last night I watched a Hallmark movie where the mother was saying much to her daughter about how the hard work of the daughter's husband and will to provide was a great indicator of his love for her (the daughter was lamenting the lack of romantic notions from her husband). Anyway, sorry this is so long, but your post struck a cord. Thank you for sharing this. Hugs, Nancy

Debra said...

Jenny, you are truly blessed. I have been fortunate as well, married to a wonderful, caring, and devoted man for almost 43 years, who has taught me a lot about living a contented life.

Lorraine Barnett said...

What a wonderful tribute to your husband, your Beloved! I identify with the words you shared. I have been married to my husband for 46 years and it just gets better every year! We, too, have had the bumps in the road, but the journey has been together. I am so happy and content to be able to be an example to the young ones. I worked many years in a pregnancy center that saw hundreds of young girls troop through for pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, an encouraging word and parenting classes. I loved sharing with them my years of marriage. So many had never seen a marriage! Those of us who have a blessed marriage need to speak out. Thank you for doing so today! God bless our precious husbands!!

barbara woods said...

we used to sleep with ours open until they build chicken houses near us , now the stink comes in so we can't

Sherry said...

Thanks for writing this post. It was a blessing to read this and be reminded of the blessing my husband of almost 45 years is to me and our family.

Anonymous said...

Thank You Jenny! I love when so unexpectedly something reminds you how that man in your life is the caring, loving, devoted half that you took those vows with....for me it will be 50 yrs this Dec. So thank you for giving me that today. We are blessed women to have such treasures!

Thank you,

Peggy

Anonymous said...

That's the perfect sweetness of a good marriage. I really liked this post. Thanks, Jenny.

Createology said...

This tribute to honor your Beloved husband is such a wonderful way of also letting others know that any relationship is a work in progress at all times. I am still learning each and every day to give more than I take. I cherish my husband and finallly know I have the best man ever! Love and be loved Jenny Dear...XO

Sandy said...

My beloved moved to heaven two years ago and I cannot put into words the emptiness, the loss that I face every day. Things he would do for me that I now have to do for myself are a daily reminder of the many ways he showed me his love. Cherish your husband and never let a day go by that you don't show him or tell him how very precious he is to you. If only I could go back.......

Winifred said...

That's a lovely post Jennifer. It's so easy to take each other for granted so it's wonderful to see how you both care so much.

Debby said...

Thank you Jenny for your lovely post. I have such a Beloved as you describe. What a blessing!

Allie-oops Designs said...

Both of you are blessed, and a blessing - I thank God for you both every day!