marry above yourself

my dad always says how he married above himself when he married my mom.

he always raves about my mom’s talents and strengths and how impressed he is with her. he tells me about the lessons he has learned from my mom and how she has made him a better person just by being her.

recently he told me: “I have to tell you, dearest daughter, that I definitely married way above myself! In the past year and half I have seen your Mom with totally different eyes; she is incredibly multi-talented, incredibly patient, and so willing to give of her time and talents.”

I have thought a lot about that phrase “marry above yourself”

and I completely agree with it.

I also believe I “married above myself”

at the end of this last semester, me and Adam’s plans for the future started to feel like they were unraveling. regardless of our hard work, preparation and long-last dreaming, we were not seeing the results we have long awaited.

now, faith has always been difficult for me. I know the Lord will provide. I know things will work out for the best. and yet the fact that I don’t know exactly how it will work out gives me great anxiety.

I’m a planner/list-maker/goal-setter/high-flyin’ dreamer. I like to know what’s going to happen before it happens.

this is why I read through books so fast. and why I lost all hope in finishing  The Work and the Glory books from start to finish. I cannot stand the anticipation of what is to come and instead want to get to the solution as fast as I can.

I’m impatient see?

but not Adam.
no.

Adam comes to me with solutions. Adam pushes forward and doesn’t lose hope.

Adam is a man of great faith.

I know he has his own doubts and worries that he doesn’t want me to see. he tries to stay strong for me. and I love that about him.

but he also will always truly believe everything will be alright.

unlike me. I wear my emotions on my sleeve, lock myself in the bathroom, cry out and curse God for everything that goes wrong in my life.

Adam tells me to look for the blessings. he speaks calmly and rationally and immediately has an “in-case of emergency back-up plan” readily available.

he doesn’t look back but continues to look forward.

forward with faith.

yes, I truly married above myself when I married Adam. and I am reminded quite frequently of how getting married to him was the best decision I have ever made.