Mister and Missus

I have rarely been called Mrs. Zimanek. I remember it being the more common when I was teaching Sunday School in Wisconsin. I was Mrs. Z then (except for little Corrine Gass who called me "Mitt Jill"), but here in the South the youth call me Miss Jill. Now they weren't commenting on my marital status by using the "miss" and honestly, when they would write it to me it was always "Mrs. Jill." It is a sign of respect from the kids either way, but regardless, I have hardly ever heard Mrs. in my marriage. That wasn't always the case. Hundreds of years ago women were referred by the prefix titles more than their first names. Matter of fact, it was more "Mrs. Bradley Zimanek" using the husband's first name.

Mrs. is not short for Missus, though that's its pronunciation. It's actually short for Mistress (as Mr. is actually an abbreviation for Master.) I am thinking "mistress' had a bad connotation after awhile (the whole paramour vs. wife thing) and the pronunciation was changed to "missus" instead. Master doesn't have the greatest connotation either (wives sure don't need one of those), thus the pronunciation of "mister."

I know both Ayla and Kayla are looking forward to being "Mrs." (those Pinterest posts give it away :) And honestly I understand why. Taking your future husband's name is a sweet way of showing what kind of team you are and how you belong to one another. Plus Lauritzen-Zimanek would have been a mouthful (although Lee-Zimanek and Z'Goggin are cool).

So enjoy the Miss while you have it and delight in the Mrs. when first announced on your wedding day. The guys will just go from being Mr. to, well, Mr.

Discussion: Why is Mrs. important to you? How often do you think you will actually be called Mrs? For the guys, is it important that your fiance take your name? Why or why not?

Prayer: Father, the prefixes we attach to our names are not nearly important as the conviction in our hearts to our new positions are husband and wife. Father we pray these sweet ones will have much joy the first time they hear Mr. and Mrs. on their wedding days, and every day thereafter. In Jesus, Amen.