When I'm not writing for my blog, I am wife, mother, pre-k teacher
and my favorite title to wear is "grammie," given to me by my two grandchildren.
Today I'm going to share with you a future letter to be given to my granddaughter on her wedding day. Why, simply because I want her to know the wedding is for a day
and that marriage is for a lifetime.
My hope is to be there to see her walk down the aisle.
If I'm not, at least I know she will have "grammie's words of wisdom" if she ever needs them.
For My Precious Granddaughter,
As you begin the journey of marriage, there are going to be moments that will never cross your mind until you come face to face with them. My sweet girl, these moments are a part of marriage. None of us are ever truly prepared for all that marriage may bring. My gift to you
are my words of wisdom that hopefully you will bury deep within and take hold of when you need them most. From this day forward it is not about the wedding,
it is all about the marriage.
Moments of Happiness: On your honeymoon you will experience a fairy tale. Absolutely essential, embrace it, enjoy it, cherish it. Reality will set in as soon as you walk through your new home with your husband. Real life begins. Happiness is an emotion my darling and it will come and it will go. Your husband is not responsible for your happiness, you are!
Moments of Sadness: Along with the happy moments there will be sad ones too. To shield each other from sadness, means you lose the opportunity to trust God. He gives and He takes away and there will be moments where you will not understand why He allows circumstances to come into your lives that cause such sadness.
Always trust that He is in control and accept the sadness. It will pass.
Moments of Discontent: This too is fleeting. But, when in the midst of it, can wreck havoc on a relationship. Wanting something so badly that it becomes a necessity when it may not be in the best interest of your relationship will bring discontent.
Find thankfulness in all seasons of your marriage.
Moments of Discouragement: They will come for both of you. Be there to lift one another up and ease each other's burdens. It is the daily things you do for one another that can help take the sting out of discouragement.
Moments of Counsel & Support: Provide wise counsel when needed. You are your husband's helpmate. Use discernment in knowing when you just need to listen without giving advice.
Support your husband's decisions even if you know they may bring consequences.
A man wants respect above all else.
Moments of Space: Honor each other's need for personal time away from each other. This doesn't mean he doesn't want to spend time with you, it just means he needs his own time too. Same goes for you, especially when you have children.
Moments of Affirmation: During stressful times, a man needs to be affirmed. You will too. Never be afraid to ask for what you need.
Moments of Prayer: Establish early in your relationship a time for prayer - praying separately, praying for one another and praying together.
There is nothing you can't overcome if you give it over to prayer.
Moments of Forgiveness: Marriage is sacrifice. There will be disagreements and you won't always feel like forgiving. Without forgiveness, bitterness and resentment will set in. Try not to hold grudges and learn to let go. Forgiveness is essential in a marriage.
My sweet girl, laugh often, have a forgiving spirit
and love always in the wonderful journey of marriage.
All My Love,
Grammie
Michelle 
I love this post. So true and wise. Thank you for sharing, Michelle!
ReplyDeleteAppreciate you taking the time to read it Becky. Since my mother passed and couldn't see my middle daughter wed, this meant even more to me to write it when Christina asked.
DeleteThis is beautiful, Michelle! What wisdom. I especially love the sections on discontent and space. So many different moments in marriage that we must attend to, and what a wise investment of your time to create this loving letter for "someday"! Loved it! :)
ReplyDeleteOh Ruthie, your words always make me smile. You too have much to offer in the way of marriage. Remember, I have a shout out to you today on Tuesday Talk regarding your article on marriage.
DeleteThis is so beautiful and it was so sweet of you to write this to your granddaughter. I hope that you are around to hand it to her on her wedding day...before the makeup. LOL, this one will definitely stir up some tears. Love this! ~Lowanda
ReplyDeleteThanks! I know my middle daughter said she is keeping it for her to be reminded in her own marriage. I think she is just saying that though!!
Deletewhat a sweet letter....Marriage is hard work. Choosing the right man and choosing to be the right woman is not easy.
ReplyDeleteAmen! It takes a lot on both sides, but we can only be the best we can be with ourselves.
DeleteI love, love, love this! So sweet of you to take the time to write this to your granddaughter. I would tell you which one I like the best, but I can't decide. Love them all!
ReplyDeleteYou are sweet Wendy. Thankful you considered all of them special. Thanks for visiting,
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ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful letter. Thank you for this post! I have been married for a year now, and it has been the most wonderful adventure. Hard work, but so, so, so worth it. These are great insights for all women, regardless of whether or not they are married!
ReplyDeleteThis is so real, so honest and so beautiful. What a gift! I wish someone would have shared those insights with me when I was starting out. It's so important to know that those tough moments, as well as the wonderful ones, are very real. It doesn't mean anything broken, just real. Thank you for sharing those beautiful words!
ReplyDeleteOh this is so beautiful and the wisdom you've shared just filled my heart. What a treasure you are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! <3