Although I haven’t officially chosen a word for 2013 (intentionality shall be my word du jour for many moons to come I think), I have been recently meditating upon the beautiful word:
Solace
Pretty, isn’t it? Kind of rolls off the tongue like molten chocolate, and when you turn it gently over and over in your mind, it somehow wraps you in an emotional blanket of warmth and peace. – I’ve written down this road before, but with the advent of the New Year, it is, once again, fresh in my mind…
The need to find earthly solace.
This world is such a vicious place. Full of pain, greed, death, disappointment, pride, selfishness, cruelty, betrayal, rudeness… At every turn, we face a battle. And though we know that so is the nature of a fallen world, we can often become weary.
One of my desires, a thing I want to be intentional about this year, is to be a person of, and create a place for, solace for my husband. Would that our home be a haven of order and comfort for him to come back to every night. Where he can rest and revive after a hard day, and feel surrounded by beautiful things that he enjoys as much as I do. I want to be a soul who is like healing balm to his heart after a hard day of obnoxious customers, and critical businessmen. Someone who unfailingly accepts him for who he is, and doesn’t try to change him. Who cares for not only his physical needs of food and clothing, but his emotional needs of affirmation and worth. I want to listen with patience, discuss with respect, and love with my whole heart. -
I want to consciously keep the fences in good repair that fend off: chaos, disorder, accusation, distraction, criticism, anger, and entitled living from our marriage.
The rest of the world may criticize, attack, and challenge our joy, but God has provided this amazing institution of marriage, that, should we choose to use it thus, can be a beautiful safe harbor… A healing solace for our souls.
What about you? Do you desire to make your marriage and home a place of solace?
What a beautiful way to look at the life of a marriage. Bud and I will be married 49 years in June and I too will remember solace. Thank you for bringing peace to my heart this morning with your beautiful writing
Congratulations on your 49 years Barbara! That is such a wonderful inspiration
I love this. You took these abstract thoughts that run through my head and put them on paper. My husband comes from a home where there was never a real marriage. And while his father always stayed out with his friends, his mom never cared to make their home a haven, either. I saw this when I started dating him and I understood why he didn’t have any connection to his home. I came from a home of solace. A beautiful, warm, homemade afternoon snack and family time after dinner type of home. I didn’t even appreciate it until I started looking at how it changed my husband. And sometimes it is just SO HARD to keep a grasp of that solace. Shoot. Dirty laundry on the floor is not solace. Nor are dirty dishes. but creating that solace, that “home” in the home is what makes you a family and not just two people living together. Family is much more than the titles. It’s the feeling.
So true Tina…it IS hard! Takes intentionality for sure. I know Alex is so blessed to have a wife who provides a “shelter from the storm” for him! You were such a wonderful example of this at Christmastime especially…
Wow! What a beautiful perspective on marriage. I loved this post, Kristin! Very thought provoking…this goes hand in hand with your theme of intentional living, because Lord knows to live this out and make our homes a place of solace for our husbands we’d have to be intentional.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Danielle! Thank you for your sweet words