Blind Love and Blessings

What follows is the introduction to a love story between a man, a woman, their family, and God.

One early spring morning my husband and I were looking out the window at our bird feeders when a male cardinal appeared with his mate. He sported the kind of brilliant red plumage that often causes me to run for the camera. The female, on the other hand, was not so lovely, but her lack of beauty went beyond the muted colors for which female cardinals are known. She was grossly disfigured! Scars covered her body and even her crowning glory, the feathered crest that identifies the finch species, was absent. She looked as though she had survived a battle with hedge clippers and perhaps she had.

While we watched the pair eat – first the female and then the male – my husband said jokingly, “What does he see in her?!” This question is one that I often ponder but rarely in conjunction with birds. As I slowly turned to give my own mate a meaningful look I felt the Lord prodding, “It’s time to talk about it.” 

Talk about it? Really? I wasn’t easily convinced so it has taken time to decipher whether this was the leading of the Lord or just preoccupation with something that could easily be mistaken for a heavenly nudge. This state of indecision was such that I searched the scriptures for almost a year. You see, it wasn’t this spring that Pastor Dad and I were looking at the cardinals. It was last year. I haven’t seen her recently and she is unmistakable! I tell you all this to say that I really don't want to tell you all this at all!

But God is good and after much prayer and Bible study I think I understand why this story must be told. Somehow God will get glory from it. And somewhere someone needs this information. Isn’t that what everything that touches our life is supposed to do? Glorify God and help others? Perhaps it is by helping others that we glorify God. I don’t know. I only know that it is our responsibility to tell and it is up to God to do with it as He wills. If I'm wrong and the Lord wasn't prodding the only thing I have to lose is a bit of dignity, but if the Lord was nudging and I don't tell I will be disobedient to His leading. I'd rather risk my dignity.

My husband and I have agreed to relate the story by telling it through two different perspectives, his and mine, and by means of two different blogs, his and mine. We agree that it is risky to leave ourselves open to either criticism and/or voyeurism but it seems the only way to give the glory to our God. To not talk about the things the Lord has taught us is to fail to acknowledge God’s goodness.

And that reveals another problem. There is always the fear that someone will think the motive is self-exultation. Such a thing seems sadomasochistic, but I know we all must stand vigilant to be able to avoid pride so we covet your prayers in this matter. Pray that we do not forget that it is God who sustains us through His grace.

If I was clever I would give our story the title of “The Love Between the Man of the Cloth and the Woman in the Hat” with the subtitle “How God taught a pastor and his wife lessons in Righteousness, Relationships, and Reality.” Or maybe the subtitle would be “. . . lessons in Faith, Family, and Facades” or even “. . . lessons in Burdens, Blessings, and Beauty.” (This paragraph was included to show that my sense of humor has not suffered while wrestling with the nudging.)  J

These articles will not appear according to any certain schedule but will be available as we're able to produce them. They will be linked between this blog and Pastor Dad’s (Exception Noted). Also, they will not be the sole topic of discussion. Just as our lives continue with a certain sense of normalcy, so will our blogs. Together Pastor Dad and I invite you to share in our attempt to “tell [you] how great things the Lord hath done for [us] and hath had compassion on [us]. “ (Mark 5:19)

I am closing this introductory article with a music video of the song that reminds me of the many prayers I prayed asking God to bless in this situation. He did bless, just not in the way I anticipated.