Tuesday, March 13, 2007

The greater lessons in life


I'm sure that you can think of a time when your grandparent told you something that changed you. I can remember lots of great lessons about life from my grandmother and many of them she never spoke. Let me first say that I adore my grandmother. She is the most amazing wife/mother/grandmother that I know. I believe that the reason for success in her marriage is her tremendous respect for my grandfather.
My grandmother has always ironed all of my grandfather's clothes even his handkerchiefs. The funny part is that he is a cotton farmer and works in the field on a tractor. I have never really understood that, but that is just how it has always been. Once I asked her if she ever got tired of always ironing his work clothes. She told me that when she ironed his shirt, she would think of how strong he was. She would think about how blessed she was to have a strong husband that could work and take care of her. She would think of his shoulders and how she liked to lean on him. She would work down the shirt thinking about her blessings as a wife and about how much she adored him. I have never ironed the same since (of course I rarely iron - dry cleaning). I think the point is that she chose not to see this as a chore, but as a way to reflect on him and count her blessings. I have NEVER heard my grandmother say an unkind word about my grandfather. I have NEVER seen her show him disrespect. And I have seen the way that he loves her by the way he looks at her. That is exactly the way a "Godly marriage" should look!

12 comments:

Neva said...

Oh, Monica
I loved this post. Your grandmother learned and taught a lesson I didn't learn until I buried my first husband. Love is not a chore. She sounds like a very wise woman and a real blessing to you.
Peace
Neva

TREY MORGAN said...

Monica... I loved the story today. How awesome. Maybe it's because I know your grandparents.

Can I have permission to share the story?

Please?

The Preacher's Household: said...

Beautiful story, if I ever iron for James, I will think of it. This is why we are encouraged to learn from the older women. Thank you for sharing!
Kathy

Mommysmart said...

Thanks for the comments!

Trey, of course, you can use this one. You might embarass my grandmother, but I would love to brag about her to anyone that will listen.

TREY MORGAN said...

I just can't get over this story. Man, this is a love story you've written. Warms my heart.

Mommysmart said...

Thanks everyone! I feel so blessed to have watched the greatest love story unfold before my eyes. You can't make up stories as good as theirs.

I recently recorded them talking about their life together. I hope to complete my DVD soon and then I will find a way to link it to my blog. They were married so young (eloped) and have raised 6 children and have done it all with faith in God and love for each other. When I read "how to" books about marriage and even all scripture about the subject, I find that they have lived that way.

May God bless all of our marriages!

Stachia said...

Monica ----What an awesome post. I love Ma & Pappy and they have just adopted me into their lives and I am so blessed. One note about my Grandmother, my Granddaddy contracted TB when my Mother and her brother and sister were small and that time a person with TB was sent to a sanitarium to get well. However, my Mom (Grandmother) said he would get better faster with those that loved him around him. So by herself she built the little house. A one room effiecency apartment next to their house then created a buzzer system that allowed Grandaddy to buzz the main house when he needed something. She went to work outside of the home, raised her kids, and nursed Grandaddy back to health. Grandaddy was a blacksmith and Mom even became a better welder than he was and kept his business going. I think we are both blessed to come from such good stock. God has truly blessed us!
Stachia

Anonymous said...

I had a pretty tramatic grandparent relationship, but I wanted so say thank you for reminding me to count the blessings where my husband and life are concerned. Sometimes I forget that. And it’s amazing how many warts you see when you look for them.

Anonymous said...

I had a pretty tramatic grandparent relationship, but I wanted so say thank you for reminding me to count the blessings where my husband and life are concerned. Sometimes I forget that. And it’s amazing how many warts you see when you look for them.

Anonymous said...

Sorry I hit the button 2x's

Mommysmart said...

Stachia,

Wow! That is an amazing story of living your marriage vows. Thanks for sharing that. There are some strong women in our backgrounds.

Monalea,

I think that no matter what our past is filled with we still get to choose our present and future. That is why I love to read stories about the positives in life.

Thanks for the comments!

Anonymous said...

Monica,
I loved your comment "no matter what our past is filled with we still get to choose our present and future." I think I'm going to memorize this. Thank you!