The Better Deal

April 3, 2018

Of all the gifts I have ever received from God other than the forgiveness of my sins, the greatest was and continues to be my wife. Anyone who could put up with me for 48 years has to be a saint; after all, there are plenty of times I can’t even put up with me. Linda has done it with grace for all these years, and it is my great fortune that she intends to continue doing so. Every so often I surprise her with another of my hairbrained schemes, like climbing back into the preaching saddle, traipsing off on mission trips, or even signing up again for a trip to annual conference. I think it’s this last that finally has her a bit rattled. 

The flip side of it all is that I can’t think of a single thing from her that I have to put up with. Every man should be as fortunate as I to have someone as easy as she to live with. She is a worker; from keeping the house clean, caring for her gardens, and cooking great meals and handling the budget. The latter is what has kept us solvent all these years and makes retirement financially stress-free. She loves to mow the lawn in the summer, leaving me with only the winter plowing and some piddling maintenance for my part of the bargain.

She never ceases to amaze me. I love hearing her practice her piano, am put to shame by her diligence in exercising, her volunteer work, and her compassion and attentiveness to people in need. She is passionate about Jesus Christ, her grandchildren, children, and me...I think in that order. 

Here’s how I know I got the better end of the deal: She says that when we were starting to date, she liked my eyes. I on the other hand, studied her carefully. I was looking for someone I’d want to be the mother of my children. I got what I was looking for, and far more. She got eyes and the rest of me that came with them. The eyes are fading along with assorted attached body parts. On the other hand, she is still the mother of my children, and grandmother to their kids, and knocks the ball out of the park as my wife. Am I thankful tonight? You betcha!