The other day, Spouse and I were holding hands in the car and I just had to snap this picture:
While it's not really an artistically beautiful photograph, it is a disturbingly accurate likeness of our marriage.
Notice that we are gripping on. By God's grace, we are both gripping at the same time right now; although, I would be lying if I told you that it's always been this way. If not for sheer determination to continue gripping when the other wasn't, we would be any number of marriage statistics: divorced, separated, in a lifeless, miserable marriage, incarcerated, singing Cher songs to drown our misery...who knows?
Those times of not gripping come from a variety of places. There have been times of selfishness that have left us doing nothing but holding on to ourselves. There have been weeks and months of holding on to babies. These seasons are not necessarily for lack of desire to grip, they may simply be a reflection of urgency rather than importance. I know of semi-recent times periods that left me so exhausted that my grip just wasn't very strong--I just didn't have the strength. What I also know is that the Lord gave my Spouse extra-strength so that he could grip for the both of us. I am so grateful for this season of grippin' together.
Notice we both have cuts. Oh, Sweet Reader, do we. We showed up to this party with quite a few cuts. We've cut each other. When things were really ugly, we aimed for the old cuts. We were a good aim. Not awesome. Oh, but by His wounds we are healed. Nothing but grace, People. No longer do we want to go for blood. We want healing and growth and togetherness.
Notice the regular background. It's a regular car and a regular phone charger and regular jeans. Nothing that screams "Extraordinary!" This is very much our now. Regular. Schooling. Cleaning. Regular. Working. Swim. Gymnastics. Regular.
2013 doesn't look a thing like 2012 and feels sometimes quite mundane. But, we are doing it.
And, honestly, it's hilarity amidst the mundane. We laugh a lot.
Notice that the gripping is intentional. The background might look boring, but we are doing the thing. I mean, look at me, for the love of Tetris! I'm gripping his thumb like a joystick. On purpose!
We are purposeful about our Jesus, our marriage, our parenting and our home. In. That. Order.
It was not always this way. Grace. Just grace.
And, that's the picture of us gettin' a grip.
Sometimes that's all you can do, isn't it?
Get a grip.
Thank you! That is all.
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