To Love And To Cherish

by Barbara Chadwick



For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24


The day started early with a breakfast at church for the women. Great fellowship. Great food. Lovely ladies. The speaker told us of her walk with the Lord which included her walk with her husband. There had been some arguments, some misunderstandings, some leavings and coming back, some hurt and some healing both with her Lord and her husband. But now the two of them were united in serving the Lord together.


I had to rush from there to go to the Pioneer Home where we go once a month for their birthday party. I played the piano and Kenneth led in singing. We sang songs they like to sing like God Bless America, Take Me Out To The Ball Game and Amazing Grace. There were six birthday people so we would stop and sing Happy Birthday each time a birthday gal or guy received their piece of cake with a single candle on top. They had to blow out their candle and have their picture taken.

During one interlude I was playing Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us I looked up to see a couple. It was the man's birthday. He had blown out his candle and had his picture taken and now he was ready to eat his cake or so I thought. He put a piece of cake on his fork then guided it to his wife's mouth. She seemed to be oblivious to everything but when the fork touched her mouth she opened up and took the small bite. He put the fork down and touched her face, then he tucked her hair behind her ear ever so tenderly.

I was so touched. Tears gathered in my eyes. At their wedding I'm sure they said, "to love and to cherish, to have and to hold until death do we part."

We had to hurry from there to Juneau's Little Theatre production of Sound of Music because one of the young ladies in our church played the leading role of Maria.

And you know the part where the reverend Mother tells Maria, "Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow 'til you find your dream." The mental picture of the older couple came back to my mind and I could see them young once and in love climbing the mountains and streams of life together. Now they were in a really hard part but he tenderly touches her face and gently pushes her hair out of her eyes and feeds her cake.

God made a suitable helper for Adam. Maria became a suitable mate for Captain Von Trapp and this woman, although oblivious to life right now had been a suitable mate for this tender man.

I'm tired now after this eventful day and ready for bed. I'll sleep with the man who has been my companion and a blessing for 52 years. I thank God for him. I will continue to love and cherish him until death do we part.