An Exhortation to Young Wives

Dear Darlene,

I read your article about the woman who’s husband would set up his saw in their bedroom and how his wife would look past his faults.

I wish I had been that woman. I went into marriage with the story book idea of living happily ever after. When my ‘knight in shining armor’ turned out to be just a local peasant, I turned bitter. I was constantly on his case trying to change him into the person I wanted him to be. Every little thing he did that displeased me became blown out of proportion and I made sure to point his faults out constantly.

I went through years of hell wishing I had never married him and wishing he were someone else. I never really took a good long look at myself or saw what a nag I had become. I got angry when others would say how ‘hen pecked’ my husband had become, and I would think that they didn’t really know this man like I did.

When Jesus came into my life I began to see my faults and began to change a lot of my actions. I finally learned to live in contentment and be thankful for the great man I had. I couldn’t believe how he stood by me all those years.

Suddenly my husband passed away after 35 years of marriage, and now I am alone.

I am writing this in the hopes that some of the younger women will change their minds and attitudes before it's too late. For every fault you see in your husband you will find as many, or more, in yourself. Learn to be content with what you have and build on that foundation.

The funny thing is that those little things he used to do--the things that would annoy me so much--are the things that I miss the most now. I miss him leaving his clothes lying around. I miss him taking so much time in the bathroom. I miss having to clean up after him. But most of all--I miss him.

I wish I could have started out my marriage with God in control, because I wouldn’t have so many regrets today.

We don’t realize what we have till it is taken from us.

Anonymous



The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour
as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given
to much wine, teachers of good things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,

to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands, that the word
of God be not blasphemed.
~ Titus 2:3-5



Have you been to "Women Living Well?" She's started a new meme today called "Living Well Wednesdays," where you can find women encouraging each other in their faith.



For comments or questions, contact me at:
darlene[at]darleneschacht.net

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