He was looking good dressed for church. Jokingly he used the word Adonis and struck a pose.

Actually, 23 years into marriage and he’s getting more handsome to me all the time.

So I’m afraid that’s what I thought of Saturday night when we sang words from an old hymn, I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Sweet frame, that man of mine. (I mean, I might be a pastor’s wife, but I’m still smittin. Smittin, I tell you.)

I know Edward Mote did not have a lanky Montana pastor in mind when he penned the words of this hymn in the 1800s.

In fact, I read that a friend had asked Edward to visit the bedside of his wife who was very ill. The friend liked to sing hymns to his wife but could not find his hymnal. It happened that Edward had the chorus of this song written and in his pocket, so he sang it to the dying woman. Later he went home and penned the rest of this song.

On Saturday afternoon I attended a memorial service of the 16-year-old student from my school.

So I thought about the frames of people we lean on –the fathers and husbands and children and friends.

Sweet frames of people we love.

People are fragile, and we dare not put all our hope and trust in them.

When my dad went to be with the Lord, I was immediately aware that my very generous benefactor was no longer there for me. Dad’s checkbook had always been my savings account, and I felt a moment of panic.

It was always me, Jesus said.

Love and confidence filled me, as I thought about who the real benefactor was.

It was always me taking care of you, and I’m still here, Jesus said to me again.

I dare not trust my father’s money. A mother dare not trust her child as the source of her worth. A friend dare not trust another friend for every ounce of happiness.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.  (Psalm 20:7)

As I sat in the young woman’s memorial on Saturday, I spoke a desperate prayer over and over.

Lord, satisfy me.

I want Jesus’ name –all of who he is –to satisfy every need and desire inside of me. And when that happens, the people in my life become instead a rich side dish.

And what a dish that man of mine is.

May we cherish the sweet people God has put in our lives but lean all our weight on our unfailing Savior.