Coming up next Saturday, Dustin and I will have been married for THREE WHOLE MONTHS!! That sounds so crazy to think about when just a little over a year ago, we were still long distance. God really has a funny way of reminding us that His plan and His timing are always perfect.
I really thought in high school that I had my life planned out perfectly. I knew I would meet a boy in college, date, get engaged my junior-senior year, and get married the weekend after graduation. Then we would have about 3-4 years before we started having kids. Did my life turn out exactly how I planned? Absolutely not! And when I actually reflect back on my life and how it could have gone, I see that God’s way is always better. Just tonight as Dustin and I were doing dishes after dinner (how lucky am I to have a husband who does the dishes after dinner??), he made a comment about how he wished we had met a long time ago. I know that sounds ideal because we could have spent more time together, but I know our lives would not be where they are today. We would not be the people we are today. What would our relationships with God look like? Would we still be actively seeking Him? Would we be serving in our church? These are times when you rejoice in God’s sovereignty over all things!
Okay, so now to my title. In the 81 days that I’ve been Mrs. Shaneyfelt, I have learned SOOOO MUCH, and I thought I might enlighten you to these lessons 🙂
1. I need grace more than I ever knew. Wow. Can I say that after we returned home from the honeymoon and we started establishing routines and things like how the towels are folded and put away a certain way (OCD a little??), I quickly saw my need for grace. And because I saw my need for grace in my marriage, it really stood out to me how much God’s grace really means. I may mess up about 1798464284957 times a day, and He still gives grace freely. What a humbling lesson to learn and continue to learn day after day.
2. Things can’t always go my way. Because I am a teacher, I am used to being in control 8 hours a day. I know how important classroom management is for a productive and efficient learning environment, so I always command control of my classes. How many times have I come home and treated Dustin like a student? Put your boots there. Wipe up that counter. Wash that dish you just used. I’ve learned to definitely let go on some things, and I know Dustin has really tried his best in keeping things clean since he knows how much better cleanliness makes me feel! Yes, I’m still a work in progress, but the Holy Spirit is definitely working in me to release some control so that I glorify Him in all things.
3. I really did marry the best guy out there! Sorry, ladies, but the best guy has already been taken! I married someone WAY more forgiving than I am. Forgiveness is something I constantly struggle with and I happened to marry a guy who gives out forgiveness like Halloween candy. (Like that simile? ha!) I am constantly grateful that God placed us together. We really do make an awesome team!
How lucky can I get?
By the way, I’ll be doing a few wedding recaps so I can try to capture all of my memories from the day. More wedding pictures to come! (And then I’ll be done posting wedding photos!)
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