What would be on your back?

An excerpt from The Moral Compass by William Bennett...

It happened in Germany, in the Middle Ages, in 1141.  Wolf, Duke of Bavaria, sat trapped inside his castle of Weinsberg.  Outside the walls lay the army of Frederick, the Duke of Swabia and his brother, the Emperor of Konrad. 

The siege had lasted long, and the time had come when Wolf knew he must surrender.  Messengers rode back and forth, terms were proposed, conditions allowed, arrangements completed.  Sadly, Wolf and his officers prepared to give themselves to the their bitter enemy.

But the Wives of Weinsberg were not ready to lose all.  They sent a message to Konrad, asking the emperor to promise safe conduct for all the women in the garrison.  They also asked that they be allowed to take as many of their valuables as they could carry.

The request was freely granted, and soon the castle gates opened.   Out came the ladies - but in a startling fashion.  They carried not gold or jewels.  Each one was bending under the weight of her husband, whom she hoped to save from the vengeance of the victorious host.

Konrad, who was really a generous and merciful man, is said to have been brought to tears by the extraordinary performance.  He hastened to assure the women of their husbands safety and freedom.  Then he invited them all to a banquet and made peace with the Duke of Bavaria.

The castle mount was afterwards known as the Hill of Weibertreue, or Women's Faithfulness.

I love this powerful story.  It is full of love, triumph, self-sacrfice, forgiveness, redemption and more!  The power of love!  I realize that I most likely will not be asked to physically carry my husband.  But am I making the choice to "carry" him in every day life?  Am I choosing to put him before my schedule, before my friends, before my family, before my "me time?" 

Many years ago, I promised to cherish, honor, and respect him 'til death do us part.  Is this the way that I can "carry" him?  A man responds to honor and respect, just as a women responds to love and protection.  This may explain why Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:33 that a husband must love his wife and a wife must respect her husband.  Both commands are unconditional!  Perhaps there are life circumstances that make it difficult to "carry" him with respect.  I am sure many of the Wives of Weisenberg struggled under the burden of their man.  But look at what was gained by their attempt.  Life.  Peace.  An entire kingdom. 

"Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate." - Barnett R. Brickner

Points to Ponder

If you were commanded to surrender and bring only what you could carry,

what would be on your back? 

Shiny Sinks on Thankful Thursday

A couple of years ago, I briefly joined The Fly Lady groupies. I should have stayed with her. My home would be wonderfully clean and organized and I would not still suffer from CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome.) However, it became a little overwhelming for me, so I jumped ship or should I say flew the coop.

The first rule that I learned with the Fly Lady was to SHINE MY SINK! It is amazing how much nicer your kitchen stays when you make sure that your sink stays empty, shiny, and clean. I shared this simple rule with my favorite person whom I share all things with. He took over the task with fervor and has made sure that it stays shiny each and every day since.

Therefore, on this chilly, rainy Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for a husband that SHINES MY SINK! Thanks to him, I rarely have to clean-up the kitchen after cooking a meal or after a baking frenzy. Ladies, sometimes we expect roses, poems and chocolates. But, there is something incredibly romantic about a man that loves you enough to shine your sink!

Perhaps this bit of advice needs to be added to the traditional wedding vows…”I _____, take you ______, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness and I promise to shine your sink each and every day as long as we both shall live.”  ;)

We might be amazed how many marriages might be saved/improved/strenthened  if the husband learned this little secret, and if the wife showed him how much she appreciated it! Thank you, Clark Presson, for shining my sink. This is one of the trillion and one reasons why I love you so much!