Happy “Sweet 16″ To My Sweetheart!

In about thirty minutes we will be putting our 8 year old on the van to go to camp.  Our other three kiddos are visiting relatives in Texas for the week.  What does that mean?  We’re totally “kidless” for the next 47 1/2 hours!!  So… we have decided to celebrate our anniversary a few days early… 37 days early to be exact.  Our anniversary is on July 31, which is always during Vacation Bible School.  Therefore, we are going to take full advantage of the opportunity to do it up right this year.  I will take tomorrow off and we’re going to spend the day together doing stuff that we used to do in the early years, such as throwing the Frisbee, going for a walk, possibly watching a movie from “back when”, lots of laughing, talking, going out to dinner, and I’m sure we’ll come up with more stuff.  I am going to refrain from wanting to “get stuff done” on this day off, and will totally focus my attention on my bride!  This evening, I will be helping a friend with a project.  While I’m doing that, my wife will have a chance to have some time to herself, and then she’ll have my undivided attention for the next 24 hours (or so).  We’re really looking forward to this time together!

I’ve decided that I’m going to list out 16 things that I love about my bride (not in any particular order and not an exhaustive list) :

1.  She loves Jesus and it shows.

2.  She is a loving wife.

3.  She loves and cares for our children so well.

4.  She is so self-less.

5.  She is beautiful inside and out.

6.  I love her laugh and her smile.

7.  She is compassionate.

8.  She is a good friend.

9.  She gives from her heart.

10.  She is intelligent AND has common sense.

11.  She is an awesome cook.

12.  She is thoughtful.

13.  She is a woman of prayer and great faith.

14.  She loves to have fun.

15.  She is confident and will try about anything… once.

16.  She is a good steward and is resourceful.

I could go on, but 16 is a good number for now.  I love this woman more today than I ever have, and 16 years ago I wouldn’t have thought that to be possible.  She is truly a gift from God, and along with salvation through Jesus, is a gift I don’t deserve but do cherish with all my heart.

Happy “Early” Anniversary, Sweeheart.  It truly is “Sweet 16.”  I love you.

May God continue to bless you as you bless others!

Goodbye Sweet Lady

In my totally unbiased opinion, one of the sweetest ladies who ever walked the face of this earth went to be with the Lord and her beloved Henry yesterday, and I can only imagine the celebration that went on and is still going on!  My dear Aunt Sudie was one of the most precious people God ever put on this earth.  My cousin said it well when he told his mom how beautiful it was that we only have good memories of her.  In fact, the family came together a few years ago for her 90th birthday and made a poster called, “The 90 Things We Love About Aunt Sudie,” and we found it hard to limit it to 90!

I really did try to think of something negative about her today, just to see if I could.  After all, she’s not Jesus!  There had to be something wrong with her.  She couldn’t have been perfect because none of us are.  Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that love covers a multitude of sins, and my Aunt Sudie loved like no other.  In that way, she was a lot like Jesus.  So, here’s my conclusion:  I’m sure there had to be something negative about her, but she loved us so much that I just can’t find it.  In fact, I couldn’t even think of any little annoying traits about her!

She had the sweetest laugh, the most contagious smile, and the best sense of humor of anyone I know.  She LOVED her family and it showed.  She cherished her time with her nieces and nephews (including greats and great greats), as they never had children of their own.  She helped raise my mom and her siblings after their mom passed away when they were all young.  She always welcomed us into her home and was always sad to see us go.  She called everyone, “Hon.”  In fact, I can still hear her say, “Well, Hon, bless your little heart,” when one of the children would be hurt or upset.  She also had a hard time hearing, so she would say, “Hon, come sit by me.”  She was a good listener, and was really interested in what we were saying.  On a side note… I can never eat Total cereal without cutting up a banana over the top and I can never eat this combo without thinking of her.  She would always have Total and bananas when we would come to visit.  I could go on and on as the memories are flooding in.

When we saw her for the last time several months ago, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.  She knew she was supposed to know us, but couldn’t quite put it all together.  Our kids sang a few songs for her and the rest of the residents of the home.  Aunt Sudie was anxious to get us to her room so she could have the kids all to herself and not have to share.  She loved on them and they on her.  It was beautiful.  We ended our time with her in prayer.  That’s a memory we’ll all cherish from now on.

I really do sense the need to add a little bit of humor that came out of that last time together.  While we were there, she (again her mind wasn’t completely with her, anymore) told one of my girls that her husband was now the king of heaven and his new wife was the queen.  She seemed very disgusted by this.  Well, yesterday, my wife told my sister this story and added that as of roughly 4:30 yesterday afternoon, the old queen had been dethroned because the new one had arrived!  Believe me, in her day, Aunt Sudie would have laughed at that one, too.

<Disclaimer – this does not reflect theology or doctrine – it is merely being repeated to be FUNNY. >

The death of those close to us is a great time for reflection, and this all really makes me think.  How will I be remembered?  Will I be remembered as a man who loved God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength?  Will I be remembered as a man of honor who loved his family deeply and let them know they are loved?  Will I be remembered as a man who always had time for others and showed Christ’s love, even when it was difficult?  Will I be remembered for the way I love rather than for my faults?  Will I find the best in everyone?  Well, I have had it modeled.  Now, that I may live it out!

Thanks for listening.  I express myself best in writing, and needed to do this.

By the way, I just learned that the word “goodbye” started out in 1565-75 as a contraction for “God be with ye.”

May God be with ye as ye learn to love deeply!