Becoming a Francis
Ephesians 5:22-33
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Every girl dreams of her wedding day, but not only that, she dreams of what her future family will be like. Will they like her? Will they treat her like family? Will they even love her as their own?
We all hope and pray for a family that we will mesh well with, a family who we will feel as comfortable in as our own, and fortunately I was blessed with that.
I first met my husbands parents when we were in middle school at a family event that both of our families attended. I had no idea at the time that they would be my future in laws. When you live in a small town everyone knows everyone in one way or another. The fact that I had previously known them made it a little easier to feel comfortable, but it sure didn't keep me from feeling extra nervous for the first time I "met" his family as his girlfriend.
I remember it very vividly, we were at Happy Joes (where he ironically proposed 5 years later) for his cousins birthday and I was scared to death to even eat. I'm not sure why I was so nervous seeing as I had already known them, but I guess it's just one of those things.
I never imagined where things would go from there, these people became my other family. I don't remember a single school event that my father in law didn't make time for, even events that were just for me. That stuck so strongly in my head because it meant so much to me. I always appreciated seeing people out in the crowd to cheer me on.
Then there is my mother in law, who I can honestly say is probably one of my best friends, and unfortunately not many women have that kind of relationship with their mother in laws. I know I can always be open with her and she won't judge me for it.
I have some awesome brother in law's as well, I actually have a better relationship with one of them than my own brothers even. I can't wait to see them as uncles, even though the youngest keeps telling me that he's going to teach Noah how to use matches as soon as he meets him. ;P
As for my husbands extended family, I feel just as much a part of the family when I'm around them as I do my own family. Sometimes I think they even forget that I haven't been around forever. ;)
One of the most important things to me in finding a husband was finding a Christian husband and the fact that he has a Christian family as well was even better. When you are raised with the same beliefs it makes life a lot easier, and I am so very thankful that God guided me to this family.
My husband's family has been hit with some hard spots this last year and we are currently awaiting an open heart surgery for my father in law. I love seeing all of the family come together as support as well as the community, it just shows how awesome my in law's are and how many people care. Everyone's prayers are greatly appreciated! <3
Until next time. <3
