Spouse

I have definitely messed up in raising our kids and in my marriage.  I don't believe in do over's because I believe God uses our mess up's for our good and His glory.   If I did believe in do over's one of the things I would do over is pray for our sons future wives when they were younger. 

My cousin told me she used to pray all of the time for her children's future spouses, and I thought it was a good idea, but I did not stick with it.  I think my focus was so much on them growing up and on them I did not think to pray about the important people who would come into their grown up lives.

Our oldest son got married at 19 and was divorced at 21.  I must say it really was not his fault in the marriage, she was the wrong person and he should have never married her.  He tried to work out the marriage, but she wanted none of it.  It left a scar on him, but as I said in the first part of this blog I don't believe in do over's, God used this for our son's good and God's glory.

I also have a lot of friends who shake their heads and regret the wives their sons picked.  They say the wife is either not a good mother to their grandchildren, treat their sons poorly or just plain old nasty.  The spouse of your child will impact your relationship with them when they are grown.

After our son got divorced I was concerned he would never want another relationship.  I finally asked him after a year or so if he thought he would ever get in a relationship.  He told me he was not afraid of another relationship, he just has not found anyone worth the effort yet.  That made me happy and I knew he was healing. 

I finally got my act together and started praying for God to bless our son with a wonderful wife.  I prayed that she would love Jesus more than him, love him second and be a good mother to their children.  I prayed that for a few years. 

I got a phone call from our oldest son (who hardly ever calls, it is either email or text) he said he called because he has been so busy and did not have time to email (that usually did not bother him either).  During our conversation he said he had started dating a girl, just a few dates.  When he told me he had started dating I thought this must be the one.  Within a year he married that special girl.  They got married on our 29th wedding anniversary and her parents wedding anniversary.

His wife loves Jesus more than our son, loves our son, loves to cook, understands our disfunctional family and wants to be a stay at home mom.  God has answered my prayer, a prayer I probably should have been praying when our children were young.  God even answers our late prayers.

Now I am praying the same prayer for our youngest son.  I have great hopes for him now.

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.