The following was sent to me by a dear friend. It is a daily devotional sent out by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Our family appeared on the Family Life Today radio show with Dennis and Bob Lepine, years ago. This particular devotional features my parents’ story.
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| Charlie & Lucy in Hawaii 2006 |
March 14, 2012
For Better, for Worse
Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4
I've been doing daily radio since 1992, and I can recall only one time when I was weeping so hard I couldn't speak. It was the day I interviewed Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer.
At the age of 30, Charlie began experiencing the early symptoms of ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. A successful high-school football coach, he was given one to three years to live.
Even now as I reflect on our time with them in the studio -- with Lucy reading his lips and speaking for him -- the emotion is profound. They recalled a day when Charlie, his care becoming more and more demanding on his wife and children, whispered to Lucy, "Maybe it would be better if I just died."
Lucy took a deep breath, asked the Lord for just the right words, and said to Charlie, "We'd rather have you like this than not at all."
Having him "like this" has meant more than two decades of continual life support. It takes Lucy three hours to get him ready each day!
Lucy is a model of what we promised to each other in our wedding vows. In sickness and in health. For better or for worse. Keeping our covenant means more than avoiding divorce -- it means we'll be there, living out our love, no matter what.
Don't wait until you get in a dramatic situation where you're facing something like Lucy and Charlie before you cement your promise to care for one another through any circumstance. If you don't prepare for it today by submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over your life and clinging to God's blueprints, you'll be unprepared when -- not if -- your crisis comes.
Discuss
Look each other in the eye right now and recommit yourself to a "for better or for worse" promise. Answer this question: "If what happened to Charlie happened to me, can I count on you?"
Pray
Thank God for giving you a lifelong marriage partner. Ask Him to help you see each other for the blessing you are -- even on days when it's hard.
Excerpted from Moments With You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Copyright ® 2011 Dennis and Barbara Rainey. All Rights Reserved. Published by Regal Books, Ventura, CA 93003.
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