by Mo Mydlo
This morning Tommy Mydlo and I were giggling together as we were on our A-game as partners doing chores at the farm. We were laughing mainly at ourselves and what work we have discovered goes into a small 5 acre farm.
We laugh at posts people put sometimes. Perfect family photos out in the middle of sunflower patches with flowing dresses and bow-ties. Or ladies in white dresses and sun hats gathering eggs from their hen house. As if you would wear those things out to farm.
I guess you could say The Mydlo’s like real. I try to be more real everyday. It’s freeing.
I stink at photo shoots. I think the best pics of kids are those with spaghetti all over their face in the high chair or dirt covered overalls from a fun day playing outside!
Tommy and I were talking about what real marriage looks like. Marriage that isn’t based on a fairy tale or a reality show.
Real marriage is not a fairy tale.
It’s a partnership.
Real marriage is about both parties giving 100% toward the goal of till death do we part.
The benefit of real marriage is the fruit that comes from hard work and the blessing of having a partner to do everyday life with.
Here’s when marriage is a joy to me.
When I sweep the chicken coop out, and Tommy pressure washes the poop off the perches. When I mop the poopie floor, Tommy squeegees the tainted water into a bucket to pour into the pasture as manure.
When I scoop out the fish pond water with a bucket and fertilize all the plants one by one, Tommy cleans out the algae covered filter and fills the pond back up for our fish to start all over again making fertilizer.
When I hold the shower water on the dog, Tommy scrubs her with soap so she smells pretty, then I Brillo the shower and clean out all dog hair while Tommy dries her and brushes her hair so she’s nice and fresh, that is, until she rolls in dirt later that day outside.
You see, marriage, real marriage is about partnership.
Partners hold each other’s hair or rubs a back when the other throws up. Partners get their partner water when they have a coughing attack. Partners clip each others toenails when their partner has pulled a muscle or is too pregnant to reach their own.
Partners apologize when they say what they shouldn’t have said. Partners accept each other’s apologies and forgive each other, over and over and over and over.
Partners stick up for each other and make sure the kids know they are on the same team always. Even if they don’t agree, they pretend to in front of the kids until they can sort it out on their own, in private. Partners never let those kids come between them. Partners are on the same team.
Partners rub each other’s sore feet and backs. Partners warm up each other’s coffee multiple times while they study the Word together and ask God to help them each get better than they were yesterday.
Partners work together toward a common goal, Holy Ever After, not Happily Ever After.
Partners work together for the Kingdom of God and not to build their own Kingdom that won’t last.
So…. This is the fairy tale I have for you today.
There’s no white horse (unless someday we get one on the farm ). There is no tower to climb, just a few trees that might need trimming. There’s no magic beans. Just a few green beans in the garden I may pick and wash up for dinner.
Life is about finding someone who wants to chase Jesus with you and will do the hard work that brings the increase.
So young ladies, my advice to you is turn off the drama TV and go find yourself a hard working man at church. One that isn’t afraid of chicken poop.
By the way, pray for farmers. God bless farmers! We clean a lot of poop so this world can eat.