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The Joy of a Wife and a Mother

By Meg Lund

"More precious than gold..."

What an honor it is to be a wife. Doubly blessed am I to be a mother. I am the MOST IMPORTANT PERSON in the lives of my husband and young children. (Sorry, Dads, but it's my name that the baby cries out for when they are in need... it's not until they're a little older that they'll appreciate their need for you.) As my dear husband continually reminds me (especially on bad days), I am the HEART of the family. If I stop beating, the family dies!

Not only does this mean that I need to be a channel of Love to my family, but it also means that I have my family's loyalty and love for life. With each new child that is born into our family, there is an exponential growth of love. I give my life for their lives. God rewards my gift with Love never before imagined.

I'm thinking of a time... it was an incredibly glorious Spring day. The sky was deep blue and the grass was dark green. We were having a great family day. The kids were gleefully riding on their new donkeys and I was finally riding a horse I had been working with all winter. It was her first ride in the pasture. Bill was out among us taking movies of our cheerful group. He had started back toward the house when suddenly screams filled the air. My novice horse had become confused and I had pressed rather than reassured her. I had feared riding her since the start since she, more than any of the horses in the pasture, loved to run and buck up a storm. In the joy of the spring day, I had forgotten caution, and she followed her instincts to run and throw a huge buck. The last thing I remember thinking, while holding on for dear life, was "I'm not coming off." It didn't seem that evil could touch such a perfect day. But God, who is the author of both evil and good, allowed this to happen. It was only through such a terrible event that I could learn how much I am loved.

For about 10 minutes, Bill was unsure whether I would ever know him and the kids again. I was slowly waking from a dream state. I didn't know why I had been sleeping in the green grass. I didn't know the horses or recognize the pasture. I didn't know who I was or who my family was. I can't imagine what went through Bill's mind for those 10 panicked minutes.

Thankfully, I came to and was able to get into a truck and get in the house, but, once there, everything started to stiffen with excruciating pain and I was completely immobilized. The whole family had to work together for about 45 minutes every time I needed to get out of bed. Each centimeter of movement was excruciatingly painful. They would prop cushion after cushion to slowly lift and lower my legs. For the first 5 nights, I couldn't leave the position they made for me at the end of my bed, with pillows propped all around and behind me.

This sounds horrible, but what I can't describe to you is the GREAT JOY that filled my heart during this time. I knew I was loved like never before; by my family and by my God. God had literally "knocked me off my high horse" and I could do nothing but praise and love him for that.

The tender and solicitous care of Bill and the children assured me that none of the love that I had ever given to them has gone unanswered. No, it has grown and has come back to me manyfold.

Praised be to God and Glory to His Name!