HOW A SOCK DRAWER SAVED MY MARRIAGE

By Marie Tschopp

Ephesians 5:33 NIV: “…and the wife must respect her husband.”

“God, I don’t want to be married if this is the way it’s going to be. Please help us,“ I pleaded.

I sat on the edge of the bed and twisted my wedding ring around and around my finger. I loved Brian, but didn’t want to be with him any longer. Yet, I had two children without a way to provide for them on my own. I was at my wit’s end.

If someone had told me a year before I would feel this way, I’d have said they were crazy. Our marriage was wonderful. We even had a new home. My husband had just accomplished his dream of building his own house doing most of the labor himself. But within months of completing the project, things changed.

He started to sleep a lot. I understood he was tired from building the house, and I didn’t push him. But, over the next few months I noticed other changes, too. He lost interest in things—his woodworking, friends, church, our kids, even me.

I sat on the edge of the bed imploring God for help.

“Show honor to your husband.” I sensed the Lord saying to me.

“But Lord, I don’t want to show him honor. The way he’s been behaving, he doesn’t deserve honor.”

Again, I sensed the Lord urging, “Show honor to your husband.”

I stared at the floor and wondered what I could do.

I looked up and noticed Brian’s chest of drawers. I remembered he once told me how his mother kept all the family’s dresser drawers in perfect order. I decided to completely organize his dresser. I sorted though his drawers and carefully folded everything, including his socks and underwear.

Over the next few weeks, my husband’s mood improved. Months later, he was back to himself. We now realize the stress from working his job while building the house caused depression. Silly as it sounds, the catalyst in bringing him out of the depression was the folded underwear and socks. Somehow that little bit of organization triggered a sense of control and well-being.

“Show honor to your husband.”

Thank you, Father, for giving my husband back to me.