Proverbs 18:22 
He who finds a wife finds what is good 
and receives favor from the Lord. (NIV)

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, 
and he receives favor from the Lord. (NLT)

Find a good spouse, you find a good life— 
and even more: the favor of God! (MSG)

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It happens now and again, as it does today, that Mother’s Day and our wedding anniversary fall on the same day. A young woman who is starting a new business as a florist asked me yesterday if I was giving advice to someone who was about to get married, what would I say? 

I said, “You need to be all-in every day. That has worked well for us for the last forty-one years.”

Honestly, some days it may not look like we’re all in, and other days it may not sound like it. The truth is, however, that days of irritation and moments of arguments, however loud they may become, in no way threaten the deep love and commitment we share for one another. 

Marital love is about commitment. Parental love is about devotion. These kinds of love lead us to seek the highest good for our loved ones every day in every way. Some days we are better equipped to manage those thoughts, feelings, and necessary activities than others. But there is a deep core of connection that is never threatened by moods or weakness. 

How do you measure the depth of love? A lot of it has to do with the sacrifices you are willing to make so that the other spouse and children understand how deep your love really is. Selfless service is the hallmark of this kind of love. 

There are a lot of folks who pretend to be selfless in their service, but they are really manipulating others for appearance’s sake or to gain advantage. That’s not devotion. That’s not commitment. 

My dear sainted mother has lived a good, long life of committed, devoted love for her husband, kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, and a whole host of characters too numerous to name or remember. 

My bride has worked harder with greater success than the career paths suggested to her in her younger years. What others are just now truly beginning to appreciate and laud, some of us have seen up close and personal for a very long time. Nobody fully understands the dark nights, their uncomfortable length, and those interminable seasons. 

So many who bask in the brightness of her tenacity and kindness have no idea what it took to get where she is today. 

One of our daughters gave birth to a little boy six weeks early, twenty-one years ago. We didn’t know if he was going to live. We didn’t know if she was going to live. A week after that little guy came into the world, our unofficially-adopted-but-just-as-much-loved daughter’s first mother passed away. 

He lived, and she lived, and we laughed and wept and mourned as only broken people in the process of healing can. 

That little guy graduated from college with highest honors a couple of days ago. He’s headed down a career path that poses many challenges. He has proven himself more than capable of overcoming challenges so far, and we are convinced he will continue to do so. 

Our other daughter and her family live nearby. We moved to our current home a year ago to be closer to them. This daughter is the two-time winner of Attorney of the Year for the major corporation she works for. Our two local granddaughters provide endless delight. You haven’t lived until you’ve played hockey golf set to the tune of shrieks of delight and echoing laughter. 

Our daughter-in-law holds down the fort while our son, the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare Office of the Year, is deployed far away, making the front page of The Wall Street Journal. She leads our curly-haired ray of light on endless adventures at home and away. We can’t wait to see them again soon.

There is so much more I want to say about these I deeply love and am completely devoted to. However, this is not the time or place to fill in all those details; I will do that elsewhere. This is the time and place to say how much I love having these women in my life. 

These mothers are exceptional. This wife is more than amazing. And yes, I have more to say about that. Those notes, however, will be directed to them personally and privately. 

Who receives your committed love and deep devotion? How will you let them know what they mean to you today?

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I will live a life of committed love and deep devotion with those who mean the world to me. 

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Our Father, thank you for my one-of-a-kind mom. Thank you for my unique wife. Thank you for our extraordinary daughters and daughter-in-law. Make me who and what I need to be for them. Amen.