Linda

June 2, 2023

My wife is an amazing woman! Almost from the first time we met, I realized there was something special about her, and it had to do with her self-sacrificing and giving nature. I remember in college how she would stay up most of the night listening to a friends who were having a hard time with a boyfriend, parent, or some other problem. She refused to sit the bench of her basketball team even though she had injured her hip. More than once I would have to remind her to take care of herself, too.

Today, she spent the day in the kitchen cooking pasta for our granddaughters’ graduation party tomorrow. Knowing how much she likes to be outside, I know this was a labor of love, both for the girls, and for their mothers. While waiting for the pasta to cook, she worked on her womens’ Bible study lessons, did laundry, and paid bills. The only reason she wasn’t also vacuuming the floor or working in her garden is because she had done that earlier in the week. I would starve to death if it weren’t for the meals she prepares. The list could go on, but you get the idea. 

After the gift of forgiveness and salvation, Linda is the best gift God has given me. Tonight, she went to our dinner group even though she was tired and plagued with a headache. When others would throw in the towel, she soldiers on. The number of people on her “to call” list just keeps growing, and she is constantly calling this or that one, just checking up on them. It matters not whether such attention is reciprocated; for her, “it’s just the right thing to do.” She has often said how much she appreciates my spiritual leadership in the home, but in truth, when it comes to living out the faith, I am constantly eating her dust. Tuesday, it will be 53 years I’ve been playing catch-up, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. I am simply grateful that God gave me far better than I deserved. My life would be infinitely poorer without her in it.