I am trying desperately to 'cram' 20 years of conversation, thoughts, and dreams into a very tiny space of time with my husband. He has cancer, he is stage IV, and slipping away.
Ten years of 'heroic' efforts on the part of the medical community, and fervent prayer on mine have brought us to this point in time. Today, for the first time in a friendship of over 20 years, he's not spoken back. I am thankful he hears me, but he's not talking back. There are no answers to my questions, no comments to my thoughts, no smile at the terrible puns...just silence.
I promised to love him, and to care for him "in sickness and in health, till death do us part."
Does it seem odd that there is joy in keeping my vow? I have many friends, that missed the opportunity to live out this part of their wedding vow because of a divorce, or had it 'snatched away' by the untimely death of their spouse.
I have had many hours, sitting at my husband's beside to ponder this question...does God give us a special measure of grace to minister to our spouses when they are living through a serious illness as ministry to them, or ministry for us? What do you think?
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