Joy is a Gallant Husband

Proverbs 31: 2--"Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value."
Proverbs 31: 28--"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
Ephesians 5:25--"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. v. 28--Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."
Colossians 3:19--"Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them."
1 Peter 3:7--"Husbands...be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect.

This seems basic, doesn't it. However, all husbands are not equal. It's the rare find to see a man with these qualities as related to his wife. I have one of these men. He didn't used to be this way, though. This is going to sound very harsh, but hear me out, please. He didn't have confidence in me; he was extremely jealous. He didn't praise me enough; I thrive on verbal encouragement. He didn't have a "give-my-life-for-you" love; he didn't love himself. He was never harsh; he was always kind, but manipulative. He didn't respect me. Wow, he sounds like a tyrant, doesn't he? Turn this around and you'll also find a picture of me in my younger years. I treated him like my mother treated my Dad. No respect. Respect and commitment are key words in a relationship. Both come with prayer and sacrifice. When I started praying for the Lord to help me have respect for him as his servant, then my attitude changed and so did his. When I treated him differently, he did the same for me. It took years of communication for us to do this, but each of us entered this relationship with a commitment for life. Forty years later, this year, we have a totally loving relationship. Rarely do we argue. I've found respect for myself and him and he has done the same. What a difference when we each do what the Lord expects. There is none equal to my husband!---He would say the same about me.

This card is part of a book I'm making for Deena. Deena moderates a group called
The Primitive Gathering, a group of artists who love working in the older arts or making things look old. She has a prince of a husband who has cared for her like a soldier these past few months of chemo and weeks of radiation treatments. He's also a good cook. Now that's gallant! I used a playing card as the base and added copied photos, other ephemera, rusty dry wall mesh, cut-out letters, ribbon, a button, scrapbook paper and stain.