The peace of Christ
Before we get started, check out my latest on Locals, here; Thinking about missed chances
“Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD”.
(Psalm 128).
Okay, I didn't pick that verse out of nowhere. My dad, God rest his soul, was a diesel mechanic before he died. He worked very hard to care for his wife and four kids (remember, my the girls, i.e., my little sisters, have a different father, although, to be fair, one of my little sisters has the same father, she's just much closer in age to me).
But, dad worked hard. I'm working really hard for y'all.
I'm not married (please, for the love of goodness, don't hide you marital status from opposite sex friends, yes, that really happened to me, https://www.catholic365.com/article/52672/emotional-infidelity-and-culpability-of-sin.html).
And, I would love to get married, and have children like olive shoots around my table.
As for eating the fruit of the labor your hands? Oh goodness! Before I hurt my foot (Help with medical bills), I used to pick dewberries and blackberries when I went for walks during late may to about the beginning of July. The food even tastes better when you get it yourself!
As for my wife being like a fruitful vine, given my age, even if I do get married (which I want to), I probably won't have a lot of children.
But, you know, it's the quality, not the quantity that counts.
You'll have struggles walking in the ways of the LORD, but, do you know what? Just imagine how bad it would be if you didn't!
And, you want to know something? You can only eat the fruit of the labor of your hands BECAUSE of the LORD.
*All verses from ESV Catholic Edition with Deuterocanonical Books, Copyright 2017 by Crossway.