Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Wednesdays with Wanda

It’s “Wedding Week” here at Beneath My Heart.  :)

My beautiful niece, Courtney, got married this past weekend!

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Since our lives have been consumed with her wedding the past few months,  I thought I would share with you how my mom has influenced my thoughts about and expectations of marriage.

First of all, she taught me that marriage can be tough.  It’s not always easy for the “two to become one.”  It doesn’t happen overnight, but takes years  for a marriage to become all that God intends for it to be.

Secondly, she taught me to pray for my spouse.  As a young girl, I remember my mom praying for my dad.  Though they had a wonderful marriage, there were years that God was not always the center of their marriage.  But Mom prayed and prayed that God would bring both her and Dad closer to Him and closer to each other.

I remember a time in particular when I was a teenager.  My mom and I were sitting on my bedroom floor and talking about marriage.  She encouraged me to date young men who had a heart for Christ.  She told me not to date someone who didn’t believe the same way I did because I could still easily fall in love with that person. 

Marriage is hard enough.  But to start a marriage with someone who doesn’t have the same faith as me would be even harder.

I remember holding hands with her in my bedroom floor as she prayed for my future husband.  And then I listened as she prayed for Dad and her own marriage to be all that God intended it to be.

I will never forget that day.

She taught me the importance of prayer.

She taught me the value of persistent prayer.  God answered her faithful prayers.

I had the joy of witnessing first hand my parents’ marriage becoming all that God intended it to be. 

Over the past ten years…

I saw them attend church together every Sunday.

I saw them sitting at the kitchen table studying their Sunday School lesson together.

I saw them attend church concerts, plays, and fellowships together.

I saw them hold hands in prayer together.

And I saw them dance their last dance together in the kitchen to their favorite Christian song.

God heard her prayers.

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Mom also taught me to wait.

She told me not to settle for less than GOD’S BEST for my life.

I was 26 years old when I got married.  (It sounded old then, but not so much now!) :)

I was blessed to have dated some amazing Godly men.  But not the ONE that God had chosen for me.

There were many times I wondered if I would ever find my Prince Charming.  (Mom would always sing to me, “Someday your Prince will come…” from Cinderella.)

But I kept praying and waiting for God’s best.

And God heard my prayers.

And ladies, he was worth the wait!

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I am so thankful I did not settle for less than God’s best for my life.

I jokingly say that I must have prayed so many prayers for a Godly man in my life that God just kept on sending them my way!

Now look what I’ve got!…

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Okay, God, you can stop now!  :)

Boy, He has certainly blessed my socks off, hasn’t He?!

Thank you, Mom, for praying with me and for me (and my future husband).

Thank you for being such an amazing example of what a Godly wife should be.

Love you, Love you, Love you! (and miss you)

Traci

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(My wedding day 13 years ago.)

32 comments:

  1. Thank you for your beautiful post...

    I too have four little wonderful men in my life :).

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  2. Hi Traci

    Love the wedding photos and what a beautiful tribute to your mom.

    Marilyn in Tn

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  3. I always need a hanky ready for these posts : ) They hit so very close to home for me. What a DIFFERENCE a godly mother makes in her daughter's life. I too know what a blessing it is to be on the receiving end of that relationship.

    I wonder what they're doing up there right now? My goodness, it must be wonderful. No more pain, no more suffering...and the best part is that they are with JESUS. Amen!

    This is a tad off of the subject, but it just has to be said. You've got some KILLER arms, Traci! Really tone and lookin' good, mama! Don't think I'm weird for saying that, k? Haha.

    Goodnight. Lots of love to you : )

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  4. Awww Traci this was such a sweet sweet post. You are so lovely and your Mother sure has a lovely daughter! What a heritage she passed on. Always Remember...*shes waiting...she just went on ahead is all. At the Gates till you we all go home!
    oxo

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  5. what a beautiful picture of you and your mom from your wedding day!!! (i must point out, as if you didn't already notice this, that your handsome oldest boy looks so much like you....especially in this picture.)

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  6. Dear Traci,
    It's a lovely story. Thank you!!
    :)

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  7. What a truly precious post. It inspires me as a mommy for the upcoming years up ahead with my sweet girls. Such wonderful rich nuggets of truth!

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  8. What a beautiful tribute to your mom. She was such a blessed example. Thank you so much for sharing her example with us!

    You were a lovely bride, but you're even prettier now! And you're beautiful inside and out. Just like Wanda. :)

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  9. That was a beautiful post! Prayer is so very important!

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  10. Girl you really need to stop making me cry on Wednesdays!! I can only imagine how proud your mom must have been to have such a loving daughter!!

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  11. Traci, I thought that was you in the first picture! And it totally could be! You both are so beautiful. This was another incredible tribute to your mom and the awesome legacy of faith that I know you are passing on to your boys. Precious memories of your mom; thank you for sharing them with us. Blessings to you!

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  12. Oh friend...what a BEAUTIFUL post....about marriage...your precious Mamma....and your beautiful sweet neice!!

    Your post today..truly blessed my heart...and I'm always blessed to read about others...who truly believe that God has a SPECIAL someone just for them...and that it's SO worth the wait!

    Praying for you....today.

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  13. What a sweet story to share. And what words of wisdom your mom gave to you. Have a blessed day. Cindy
    P.S. I am having a sweet giveaway on my blog. Be sure to enter.

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  14. This was a lovely post. I too have been greatly blessed by my wonderful, Godly mother. She didn't come to know the Lord until after she married my stepfather. The day of her salvation was followed by 13 years of praying for her unsaved, alcoholic husband. While many would probably give up hope, she was persistent and God heard her prayers. My stepfather gave his life to Jesus a little over a year ago, and is now an amazing man of God. My husband (who also was WELL WORTH THE WAIT) and I are blessed to have them serving beside us at our small fellowship. Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart with us :)

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  15. What a beautiful groups of women! My daughter won't let me leave the page because she wants to look at the pitty dress. (She is 2).

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  16. This is such a beautiful and heartfelt post.

    I am so happy for you and your blessed family.

    Hugs,
    Lee Laurie

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  17. The picture of you and your mom is gorgeous. She raised quite special daughter and left quite a legacy.

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  18. another beautiful wed. with wanda post.
    How special to have that memory with your mother and to be able to witness it firsthand. what a blessing.

    your niece looks so beautiful on her wedding day as you did in your pic with your mom.
    thanks for sharing.

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  19. What a beautifully written, poignant post (sniff sniff). Blessings as you celebrate new joys and reflect on life's defining moments.

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  20. Beautiful post and some great advice!

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  21. Hi Traci,
    Aren't you glad you have these pictures that have captured the moment to look at as you can?
    Wonderful!!!

    You are truly blessed to have had this precious and priceless moment with your Mom. Money can't buy that!

    Sweet memories and life lessons,
    d

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  22. I am at work in tears after reading your post about your mum and dad, so truly beautiful. It does not help that my husband is away and I miss him terribly. Oh I need to stop crying now. Thank you.

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  23. Traci:

    That was beautiful! I just love the lessons you got from your mom, lessons for a lifetime!

    The picture of your hubby and the boys... priceless!

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  24. Traci, what a wonderful post! I hope I remember it when I have that conversation with my daughter when she's a teenager. I wish more people recognized how important it is to marry someone of your own faith. Personally, I don't believe in the idea of the "one." I think that most of the time, there are lots of good options and God lets us choose among them. Of course, the idea that I could be married to someone else seems ridiculous, but I really want my children to recognize that who they marry is their choice.

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  25. Love it! Mom always gave the BEST advice didn't she? I have to admit God did good when he gave you Cy (don't tell him I said that:-)

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  26. What a precious post. Your mom was such a treasure. Even now, your stories about her inspire me to be better for my girls. Thanks for sharing this.

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  27. I can't believe you have been married for 13 years! You still don't look much past 26.;-)
    I'm enjoying your wedding week...

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  28. Such a lovely post! When I read your posts... they give me inspiration for my day, to pray harder to God, and to know how truly blessed we all are! Such lovely pictures. Nancy from OHIO

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  29. Oh by the way... I am making your Mom's Strawberry Pizza for a BBQ this weekend! Thank you for sharing. Nancy from OHIO

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