"I need a wife" the young man quipped

Yesterday I got to spend the day with my 20-year old son. He moved into his "bachelor pad" with a buddy earier this year, leaving his father and I empty-nesters. Grant has recently fallen prey to a nasty virus that's had him down and out of commission for seven days now. On Day 6 we finally convinced him to come home and let us love on him a bit.

Despite his flu-like symptoms, we had a pretty nice day together. (I think the Nyquil helped his mood.) As he sat at the counter eating the snack I prepared for him, he quipped, "I need a wife." "Oh yeah?" I replied. He went on, "I need a full time wife so I have help with the groceries so I can eat right, someone to help me keep the house clean ..." and on he went. Almost always one to miss a teaching point, I quipped back "Try being a single mom." He assured me he'd never be a single mom.

Despite the fact that he has not yet made a commitment to follow God's word as a compass for his life, Grant touched on a very important fact that we should never forget. Man needs a helpmate. It's not that he needs a woman to complete him - those who follow Christ are complete in Him. But, this life can be tough. (I can hear the "Amens" to that point.) We need a partner to do life with, someone who is fully devoted to us, in the good times and the bad times.

Remember in the second chapter of Genesis, when God painstakingly created, painted and populated our world? He said everything in it was good. There was only one element about creation that God did not like, and that was the fact that the man - Adam - was alone. God created us for relationship ... in his image. (Hmmm ... sounds like another blog.) God recognized that Adam was lonely and there was no other creature on earth like him. So, God created Eve out of Adam's side, to be his helpmate. By God's design, marriage is the perfect plan for mankind to be able to get the most fulfillment out of life.

Our desire at Cache' Connections is to help you find that helpmate for life. As 20+ and 30+ veterans of the institution of marriage, Kim and I can attest that it's not always easy. The classrooms of selflessness, compromise and servant-hood are not always our favorite venues. But they are great arenas for us to become more like Christ, the perfect example of a servant - another divine purpose of marriage.

Yes, Grant, you do need a wife. Maybe not now. Maybe not just a grocery-getter. But you are beginning to get the picture that God painted for you. Get well soon my dear son!

~ Linda
Cache' Connections