When a married couple thinks of their wedding bands it can
bring some tender moments and thoughts.
After years of wearing the bands they become almost a part of you. Then when you think of all they symbolize (I tear up when I think about all they symbolize). Therefore, the wedding bands a husband and wife wear are very valuable. A little over four and a half years ago my husband and I made the painful choice to sell our wedding bands at a pawn shop. Now often times you hear of someone doing this because their marriage is over or some reason like that. Vic and I were and still are very much married. We experienced a business failure earlier in the year and we were truly bankrupt. Caleb and Simeon were both in diapers and we were out of diapers, there was no food in the house, and there was no money in the bank. We did not have two nickels to rub
together. We had already sold everything of value that we owned. The only thing left was our wedding bands. I remember on our way to the pawn shop saying, “It is only our rings, not our
marriage.” I would say it over and over again. I still hurt from that sacrifice. I still find myself looking down at that finger missing the rings. There were many times when I was still in the
workforce when my clients would ask why if I was married I did not wear wedding rings. I still often times feel this gaping whole over their not residing on my finger. I find myself being envious and jealous over women who still have their wedding rings and find myself coveting them and their lives once in a while.
Then I read January’s issue of the Eternal Encouragement Newsletter (Serenity for your Soul). Author Lorrie Flem confessed that when she was first married how she would spend so much time noticing what she didn’t have. This affected her ability as a wife and homemaker in a negative way. It was when I read this that I was convicted of this very thought pattern. I realized
have been focusing so much on the ring not on my finger that I have been missing some of the wonderful blessings in my marriage. I decided I would confess this to the Lord and then started making mental lists of all the blessings I do have in my life. It was then that I realized that
through that business failure our family did indeed lose a lot. However, I now see that things we lost were the things that were not the important things. The Lord stripped away nonessentials and left us with the things that matter most. I did not lose my relationship with the Lord. I did not lose my salvation. I still have my husband and two terrific little boys. All the things that matter I still have. This realization has brought peace to my life and has made our home life
happier. I don’t know if my wedding rings will ever be replaced, but somehow when I see the blessings in my life their replacement loses much priority.
Lorrie's words usually hit me right where I am in my life and offers just the words I need to
challenge me to become the best wife and mother that I can be. If you would like to explore Eternal Encouragement for yourself then go to their website http://www.eemagazine.com/ Once you have explored the site I know you will want to sign up for the free newsletter. If you go down about the middle of the page you will find the form to fill out to receive encouragement right to your inbox. An added bonus is that you will also receive the free e-book Organizing Happiness when you sign up. I know you will not want to miss out on any of these opportunities.
Note: I receive Serenity for your Soul as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program in exchange for my honest review.
