Tuesday, June 19, 2007

something beautiful


This past Friday night, Betsy and I planned to meet at the mall after work and go to dinner. I beat her there by a half an hour, so she sent me on a mission.

My mission...which I was given no choice whether or not to accept...was to find a dress for her to wear to our friends' wedding at the end of the month. She instructed me to..."pick out something that you think I'd look good in."

Her finding a dress was the purpose of us meeting at the mall in the first place and me doing this would save time, which would allow me to eat my steak sooner. That was my line of reasoning, anyway. Betsy wanted me to do it because it would be "special" for her to wear a dress that I specifically picked out for her, knowing that I thought she looked beautiful in it.

Well...long story short...mission failed.

I'm gonna go on record and say that it can't be done. She tried on the dress, never let me see her in it, and came out of the dressing room, fully clothed and laughing.

Not only did I fail at my mission, but in searching for the dress, I was forced to do one of my least favorite things: walk around a mall. I just don't like it. Mostly because of the mothers who apparently have no problem walking around with their pre-teen daughters wearing booty shorts. I just want to walk up to these women, slap them and hand their daughters a pair of sweatpants.

But I did see something that nearly broke my heart, in the good way, while walking around the mall. I saw a middle-aged women, probably in her late 40's, whose body was quite disfigured. Not like she was in an accident, more like she was born with palsy or some other physical condition. And I'll be honest, I am ashamed to say that my first instinct was to do a double-take. I know...I am a bad person.

But when I turned again, I saw the look in her eye.

She was holding the hand of her husband, who was tall, strong, handsome and...proud. That woman was walking through the mall like she was the most beautiful woman there. And I think she might have been.

She didn't care about the stares or double-takes. I'm sure she has dealt with the gawking eyes of shallow, ignorant people, like myself, her whole like. No. It was obvious by how high she held her head: she knew she was beautiful. She knew it, because she could see it in her husband's loving eyes.

That is a picture of Christ's love. In marriage, I am to love my wife as Christ loves the church. And how exactly does Christ love the church?

He makes her beautiful.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the club!! It's a fact that picking out your wife's clothes can be dangerous. But it can also be fun. P.S. Betsy is beuatiful in anything!!!!!
Dad and Mom

Betsy said...

well it was the perfect color at least.

Anonymous said...

wow.

Going Weston said...

Maybe Betsy didn't like the dress cuz she couldn't see it very well, try next week when the swelling is down...

Betsy said...

boooo.

The Anonymous Human said...

Great post bill.

What a perfect picture of Christ's love. How often have I disfigured myself before him, thinking there is surely no way he could love me anymore. And what does he do? Grabs my hand and heads to the mall to show me off. What a beautiful picture indeed. It makes me think of Isaiah 62:2,3...

"The nations will see your righteousness. Kings will be blinded by your glory. And the LORD will give you a new name. The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see -- a splendid crown in the hands of God."

Great post.

Now all your missing is the hair gel.

Anonymous said...

double true, man. great post.

Anonymous said...

it can be done. you just need a couple cold ones before you attempt it. keeps you relaxed...

:)

michaelCODY said...

I really like this blog Bill.