Stubborn Love Tenacity

Words of Remembrance of Clyde Winquist

I came upon a document I have not read in many years. My mom wrote this, and the document has a date of August 6, 2002. That was slightly more than 23 years ago.

In general, when you hear the word “stubborn” you are likely to think along the lines of God’s words in Zechariah 7:9-11 (ESV): “’Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.’ But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.”

But stubborn can also mean tenacious, persevering, or determined.

Mom’s Words About Dad’s Stubbornness

I believe mom read this at Dad’s memorial service. It is worth reading but even more it is worth living.

“We have gathered here today to celebrate a life, not to think of a death.

I guess no one on earth is better informed to remember that life.  Since I met Clyde when I was just 17 and we were married over 53 years.  That gives me almost 56 years of remembrance.

Now, we all know none of us on earth is perfect.  As a matter of fact, no one ever had a perfect mother and only Jesus can claim to have a perfect Father.

I like to think of our sins after salvation as spots.  Some we see give them to God and from that point on try with all our hearts to wash them from our life.  Others we do not see, or if we do, they are so dear to us that we refuse to take action or even pray about them.

Not long ago, he said to me: “I am such a burden”.  And almost without thinking I said: “No, you’re stubborn”.  I guess some of his spots remained because of his stubbornness.

But Stubbornness can also be a blessing.  He was stubborn about our marriage vows.  Never once did I have to be concerned about ‘the other woman’.  When We were younger, I knew of several women who tried in vain to get his attention.

He was stubborn about making an honest living.  Never once did I have to wonder where the money would come from for food, clothing, housing, doctor, dentist or other bills.

He was stubborn about wanting the best as he saw it for his family.

Stubborn, after salvation to take us all to a good sound church, where the WORD of God would be preached, taught and hopefully lived out.

Stubborn about the house rules, regardless of what our children thought of them, Stubborn about how he gently treated an injured wild animal or bird.

Stubborn in his last days to make the best of what we viewed as a bad situation.  Even the lack of strength prevented him from doing even the smallest task in caring for himself.

So today and always I will praise God for a stubborn husband.  And I know from the promises of God that I shall see him again.  And then both our spots will be removed, and we shall be what we should have been on earth.

Praise God!”

Here is What James Says in James 1:23-25

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Do you persevere in your doing? What are the resultant blessings? It really depends on what your goals and purposes are.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.