Grateful For Life

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Debi Walter

Today is the one day a year where I pause and thank God for giving me life.  Today is my birthday.  The day my Mom labored to bring me into the world.  I’m grateful she was willing to do this for me.  Having three children of my own I realize the pain that accompanies birth.  But it was SO worth it.  I can’t imaging life without my kids.

Marriage is also a relationship that certainly brings pain and difficulty.  The forging of two lives into one comes with a price – it costs the husband and wife their independence. Tom and I are no longer free to go and do as we want without regard for the other.  We have made vows which tied our choices and the consequences together forever.  Sadly, many couples don’t realize the sacrifice involved in the marriage relationship.  Rather than push through their differences and work hard to find resolve, they quit.

Oh, but what joy Tom and I have discovered by enduring through the suffering.  As we’ve pushed through the miscommunication, the conflict and the hurt that all marriages face – we’ve found new life. Like the cry of a newborn baby gasping its first breath, we breathe in the fresh air of forgiveness and new life is born into our relationship as a result.

Have you suffered long and hard?  Have you reached a place where it seems there is no solution?  Have you continued to communicate through the problem even though it hurts?  May we encourage you to PRESS ON!  There is joy and a deeper sense of oneness to be discovered on the other side.

I am grateful today for my life and the life God has breathed into our marriage.  Both are for His glory to use as He will.

What are you grateful for this day?

This is post #17 in The Ultimate Blog Challenge to post everyday in July.

About Debi Walter

Tom and Debi have been sharing encouragements through their blogs for many years. Marriage, Reading God's Word and documenting family history is our focus. Growing in our relationship with the Lord is primary in all we say, write or do. We are grateful for all who desire to join us in the same endeavors.
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6 Responses to Grateful For Life

  1. Gina Lawson says:
    July 17, 2011 at 1:26 pm

    Debi, your explanation of marriage was exactly how I have tried to explain it , though unsucessfully I might add. I love making my choices with Mark but having been an independant woman since the age of 17, it was others who found it difficult that I could no longer drop everything and rush to their aid, or offer to babysit at a moments notice. Admittedly I initially found that hard too, having to ask if it would be ok to do something and having to ask someone elses opinion befor I purchased something for the house, but now we’ve got throught the hard bit I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration to marriage. xx

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    • Debi Walter says:
      July 17, 2011 at 5:05 pm

      Thank you for commenting, Gina! I’m glad you’ve found this post helpful, and I’m really glad to have met you!

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  2. Lori says:
    July 18, 2011 at 8:39 am

    Anything worth having will cost something. I think you sum up that concept beautifully, Debi: “The forging of two lives into one comes with a price – it costs the husband and wife their independence.”

    It’s funny – not “haha” funny, but interesting funny – Robert and I are watching a young couple develop in their marriage and they’re working on being connected to each other, and independent from everyone and everything else. (including their parents – us. 😉 ) And it’s up to us, as the parents, to let go – to allow them to cleave to each other and be independent away from us.

    I’m grateful our parents gave us the freedom to become independent from them – 27 years ago – and learn how to be connected to each other.

    I’m grateful our son and daughter-in-love are independent from us and are developing their own “sense of oneness” as a couple.

    ~~~

    P.S. – Happy birthday, Debi! Praying the year ahead is filled with happy surprises and joy-filled adventures!

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    • Debi Walter says:
      July 18, 2011 at 11:39 am

      Lori – You’re so right. We have to give our children freedom to become one – apart from us. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to bite my tongue to keep from adding my opinion in a decision that was solely theirs to make. God helps us train them, and He helps us let go. I met a lady at the WordCamp Saturday who said something that surprised me: “My daughter is currently living in Israel following her dream, I guess that means I did a good job as her mom!” She said this with a smile. Honestly, it’s not so easy for me to do this, but God is helping me.

      I call my son’s wife my “daughter-in-love” too. 🙂 Thanks for the sweet birthday wishes. I pray my year will be as you have wished. If yesterday is any indicator – it will be. My husband will make sure of it! I am blessed indeed.

      Thanks for commenting – I love hearing from you!
      Debi

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  3. Sharon O says:
    July 18, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    I am grateful for a God who is so patient with me and a husband who loves me through sickness and health.

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