The Kind of Wife I Want To Be

An excellent wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.    Proverbs 31:10-12

I just kissed my son goodnight, and I find myself wondering when, if ever, I will have this opportunity again...

He leaves tomorrow to return to the mission field... far away.  That is where God has called him, and while I never want to stand in the way of my son following the Lord, I am sad that he is going away.  His visit has been wonderful, and entirely too short.  But really, it could never be long enough to satisfy this mama's heart.  And so I am thankful...

Thankful for

• the days we've had
• places we've gone
• the movies we've watched
• the games we've played
• the meals we've shared
• the laughter
• the late nights
• the hugs
• and one last night to kiss his head and rub his back after he already dozed off halfway through the movie and right in the middle of a game of Mexican Train.

What if this was it - the last time I get to kiss him goodnight as he sleeps?  I have long prayed for the young lady who will someday become his wife.  What if God brings her to him soon?  Someday it will be her job to kiss my boy goodnight...

And it hits me like a ton of bricks!

Am I being the wife to my husband that I pray my future daughter-in-law will someday be to my son?

The answer shames me.

I often see the memes on Facebook challenging men to show their daughters how a lady deserves to be treated, and I "amen" those challenges very loudly in my head.  But where is the call for women to demonstrate for their sons how a woman should treat a man?  Maybe we think we don't need reminding because it's so easy to love our sons? But what about our husbands? Not always so easy...

I confess I have not done a very good job on this front.  I have failed on so many levels to show my son how a man deserves to be treated.  I have failed to show my daughter how a wife should treat her husband.  Sure, I've modeled  commitment... most of the time.  Love, sacrifice, patience... all at times.  I could justify all those other times - when I was impatient, unloving, selfish, critical - except that there is no justification.

Because what I am coming to understand this night is that everything I pray my son will someday find in his wife - those are the qualities my husband deserves in his wife.  Which means I have work to do!

It's a matter of perspective - a perspective I had never considered...

And it is...

Just  a thought...