Don't Be Afraid to Break a Sweat

My husband came to me one day and said, “Even though I already knew what we were supposed to do, it was great that you wanted to find out for yourself.”  

I laughed it off, but I was irritated.  My husband didn’t feel that he needed to consult with me on something that affected the whole family because he was the patriarch.  Instead he “admired” my desire to find out for myself that what he’d decided was correct. I don't think that's the way the Lord wants things done. In my husband's defense, he was still learning what true companionship is.

I love these words for Henry B. Eyring, “Priesthood is about service, not servitude; compassion, not compulsion; caring, not control.”

Priesthood is about service.  Motherhood is about service and marriage is about team work.

I heard a quote just yesterday by Meg Johnson that reads, “Everything good is sprinkled with sweat.”

It is true!

All of the worthwhile things in life take effort- a lot of effort, and sometimes tears.  Marriage is at the top of that list.  It is worthwhile.  It is exalting, but you have to become familiar with the depths to reach the heights.  Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. 

After a few years, my husband began to recognize that there was great value and wisdom in my counsel.  He eventually came to see that he generally fared better when we discussed a problem together.  He learned by trial and error that I actually knew what I was talking about a lot of the time!  The bumps in the road got smaller when we counseled together.

My husband and I never stopped working on our marriage and eventually, it became what we both wanted.  This objective wasn’t accomplished by holding fast to our own way of doing things.  It was accomplished as we both looked to the Lord for guidance, worked vigorously on our own faults, and never gave up on our marriage.  I can assure you that the Lord will bless those who aren’t afraid to break a sweat.