What have I ever done to deserve this? Nothing...not a blessed thing. Oh, I speak not of injustice. I speak not of being opressed. I speak of grace. I speak of being given that which I do not deserve. I deserve far worse. In my life, I have said and done things that would make most people cringe. If the blessings that have been showered upon me depended on keeping up my end of a bargain, then someone missed a lot of stuff when tabulating what was due me. I know this in my heart of hearts even without looking at what the Bible says resides in the heart of man.
So what has happened to me that could cause me to praise the Gifting God? Well, were I to count my blessings, the words would fill this journal, crash the website, and take more time than I have left on this earth, but I speak of something specific today. My wife, the radiant Kimberly.
She is the most wonderful person I have ever met. Are we newlyweds that I speak so? Yeah, we've only been married for 1 year, 4 months and 6 days. Of course, we dated for almost 5 years before that. Everything about her is wonderful. Everything about her is an answer to prayer, whether I had the foresight to pray for it or not! Every day, I discover new ways to be thankful for her! Holy Father, when I asked for a wife, I had much lower hopes....I expected far less, and for that, I apologize, for I doubted Your generosity, Jehovah Jireh...my Provider. I doubted your Perfect love for your creation. I forgot what it says in Your Word about You knowing much better than earthly fathers how to give good gifts. But thank you, Awesome Father for your blessing in the form of Kim!
So what makes her so awesome? Everything...the little things...the big things....everything. This weekend, I got sick and Kim was so caring, thinking about me. She calls me when I'm at work, just to say hi sometimes. And while I can't always stop what I'm doing right then and talk, I always appreciate it. Today, she took a day off from substitute teaching to make sure the house was clean, and the laundry was done. Even though she didn't need to wake up when I did, she still woke up to make me my lunch. I know that part of the reason is that we are trying to avoid eating out to save the money, but she knows I could have made my lunch. She always makes sure I have clean clothes and a lunch. She balances the checkbook, and takes care of the budget. She is so unbelievably awesome.
Yet, it's not all about what she does for me. She's absolutely gorgeous, and she has a nobility of spirit that is rare in this world. When she enters a room, it brightens, not just because she's beautiful, but because she's generous with her dazzling smile, even when she's tired. She writes thank you notes to people.
She is everything I asked for in a wife and much, much, much more, and I love her dearly.
And I know there's some of you out there that are saying to yourselves, "Enjoy it while it lasts, kid." Here's something to think about, if you're saying that to yourself: Which stopped first, her doing those things for you, or you really making sure she felt appreciated for those things? When was the last time you stopped everything and told her how much you appreciate all she does? When was the last time that you told her, in a way she could understand, that you loved her and you are grateful for all she does? Why do we have all these jokes about men forgetting their anniversaries? If we can't even remember one of the most momentous days of our lives together, then why SHOULD she pack our stinkin' lunches?
My in-laws just turned 50 this year and have been married for 25 years, and my mother-in-law still does all that stuff for my father-in-law. Isn't that awesome? Men, let's appreciate our wives. When you come home from work today, or when she gets home from her job, give her a big hug and kiss, and tell her that you love her and are appreciative of all the work she does to make your house a home. See if you don't get a smile from the love of your life.
-Chris
