Thought for the day
Author of this story is unknown.
My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of then discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more.
They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring. "Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.T
here was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows. "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace.
This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture. It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparent's game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love -- one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience.
Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble. My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome an old man he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em." Before every meal they bowed heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.
But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared 10 years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that color so she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. Now the cancer was once again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they still went to church every Sunday morning. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.
"Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time. Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.
Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. For I knew then that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.
S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You.
Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for letting me see. What a beautiful story! And what a valuable lesson is contained here about the importance of true and lasting love in a marriage relationship. But allow me to head in a different direction for just a moment.
When Jesus was crucified, a sign was posted above his head which said, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." That sign was posted by Pilate. Had God posted the sign, it would have been appropriate for it to say, "Shmily." For indeed the cross shows us just how much love God had for us. "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (I John 4:9)" But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
If you ever question God's love for you, take a close look at the cross and listen as God says to us,
"See How Much I Love You."
Verses
1 Peter 5:7
Throw all your cares on Him, for He will take care of you.
Psalm 30:2
O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You have healed me.
1 Corinthians 10:13
You have not so far been waylaid by any temptation that is not common to all humanity. God is to be relied upon: He will not let you be tempted above your capacity to resist. When He allows you to be tempted He will always provide some way out of it, so that you need not be overcome.
Philemon 1:22
But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you.
Romans 10:12
There is no distinction made here between Jew and Gentile; all alike have one Lord, and he has enough and to spare for all those who call upon him.
Prayer
Father, though Satan has a sinister and deceitful scheme for our lives we will not fear. Your guidance for us in discerning his evil schemes is revealed throughout the entire Bible. Not only do we receive warning through the prophets, the disciples and other people of faith, but we see Jesus as the supreme example of One who resisted the temptations of the evil one. His time of testing in the wilderness and in the garden of Gethsemane reveal that resistance to temptation brings present and future reward. Though Satan wants me so that he can destroy me, You want me so that You can save me, here and now, and in the hereafter. Thank You for providing spiritual armor that protects me from the evil one. Amen.
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