My husband and I had a tough week. With a very unexpected and sudden family death, it felt like we were plucked out of regular life and thrown into an obstacle course: Instead of the ease and familiarity of checking e-mails, I was jumping over barricades of family grief. When I would typically be cooking dinner, I was instead hanging upside down from a trapeze over a pit of fire. Normal life was nowhere to be found.
As we sat back and tried to gather strength from our God and each other, I was reminded of a walk we took just a few weekends ago.
My husband loves walks. If we both have a very exhausting day, my natural state is to lie on the couch, eat potato chips, and watch re-runs of Seinfeld. My husband, however, can think of nothing better on a tiring day than going on a walk. This is something I have learned to adjust to, understanding it is a great way to serve my spouse. So after a busy weekend, Caleb and I grabbed our tennis shoes and went on a hike through our local metro park, even though I would rather lay down and nap.
The first 45 minutes was full of laughs and conversation as we hiked up hills and got dirt on our shoes. However, as our foreheads became hot with sweat, the sky began to change. Slowly, we began to feel raindrops hit our noses and we looked at each other with a slight panic. Rain? That wasn’t in the forecast. We began to walk with more of a purpose, knowing we were still a few miles away from our car. The faster we walked, the harder it began to rain. Soon, Caleb and I found ourselves in a complete downpour. We sprinted through the mud and laughed as cars drove by and soaked us even more. This was not what we planned!
As Caleb and I got into our car and began to ride home, my husband quietly said, “I’m glad you were with me. It’s a lot more fun to run in the rain when you’re with someone you love.” I couldn’t agree more.
This past week, Caleb and I have been running through a different rainstorm. With funeral arrangements and a mourning family, we are not where we planned. However, I am so glad I am running with someone I love. Trials, struggles, and pain are tough no matter where you are in life, but I keep looking to my side and seeing my dear husband, just as soaked and frustrated as I am. I am thankful for a God who designed marriage to help me through a tough season.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reads,
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
