Last July, Pat and I and our younger three children drove south to visit our son, James, and his wife in South Carolina. We left my parents house in Virginia while it was still dark because a hurricane was due to make landfall and travel up the eastern coast. We hoped to drive south of the hurricane. That worked as planned.
We reached that wonderful tourist trap, South of the Border, in time for a much needed rest stop. We wandered around their gift shop and then decided to head across the street to the Waffle House for breakfast. You KNOW you are in the South when you see a Waffle House or a church on every corner.
We piled back out of the car with visions of buttery syrup covered waffles in mind. The five of us walked in. It was July. It was hot. We all had on shorts.
We were greeted by three Waffle House waitresses leaning over the counter. These Southern ladies had eyes for only one person in the crowd.
“OOOWWEE, Sir. You have some mighty fine legs. Mighty fine.” Pat laughed. The other two ladies giggled appreciatively and continued to goggle at the legs on display.
I thought, “Hello, did you notice the three kids and the WIFE that came in with those mighty fine legs?”
But wait there’s more. The waitress leaned even further over the counter still peering at those mighty fine legs, “Why, those legs should be in a magazine.”
Pat made a leg at his admirers and laughingly wondered what kind of magazine it would be. Then we were escorted to a table and those mighty fine legs were tucked under it. Our waffles were sweeter for teasing Pat.
A marriage is made of a million little shared moments. Those small everyday things. The kiss in the morning. The look across a room. The tender touch. Singing side by side in church. There are moments full of beauty and laughter, shared dinners, campfires, and stars. There are giggles over waffles and syrup and mighty fine legs. Of course there is also, sunburn, Pepto Bismal, bee stings, and trying to get everyone out of the house on time.
Last week, Pat left me standing on line with a grocery cart to retrieve something that we had forgotten in the depths of a big box store. It was crowded. I saw Pat looking for me and I noticed the way his face changed when he found me. He smiled like he hadn’t seen me in days instead of minutes. Those are the treasured moments that make up a marriage.
The relationship a married couple have with each other is the same as the relationship God desires with each of us.
But now, O Israel, the Lord who created you says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fires of oppression, you will not be burned up: the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. ... you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. ~ Isaiah 43: 1-4So, to my dear husband, you are precious to me, and I love you, all the way down to your “mighty fine legs!”
No comments:
Post a Comment