Sunday, February 1, 2009

I'm diggin the goatee too

I sometimes wonder how I can take him for granted so often. How I can dare to put my needs above his. He has loved me in a way that has amazed and delighted me in good times as well as those times that, if possible, I would've erased from our memories forever. This past week brought many power struggles between me and a certain almost 4 year old. I allowed it to wear me down. To the point where I did not consider the needs of the man I vowed to put before any thing and any body. I faced exhaustion on many different levels and he felt the brunt of it. The promptings were subtle, but they were there. Go to bed a little bit earlier, so that you get the rest you need to take care of your family tomorrow. Reevaluate your priorities so that when he gets home from work you can focus on him. Let go of some of those 'super important' things to seek after things that will show him how much he means to you. The right things to do are sometimes as easy to brush off as crumbs that are left on the table. How easy it was to pretend I had not even noticed them. In my life the line between tired and lazy often gets blurred. The former slides into the latter in an understated manner. The selfish nature, that demands daily combat, accentuates my needs. Then selfish justification meets competitive validation. "I did so much today, I deserve..." fill in the blank. In his silent steadfast character, he persists in loving me in a way that continually brings me back to the truth. Marriage is a beautiful way to be frequently reminded of God's purposes for us. Love Submission Putting others first Although I am ashamed for the times that I have not followed through with the best choices, I refuse to allow the remorse to render me ineffective - as so often happens. No, I have a big smile on my face as I type because I am looking forward to a life time of loving him better. A life time. Who couldn't smile about that? This man wakes up at 5:15am every morning to go to work (except for the days he goes in to work early) so that he can provide for us. So that I can stay home with our boys. He has a certain silent calm that is so reassuring. His work ethic has brought great respect from those around him. I noticed the way he lovingly cared for us as the stomach flu assaulted us in domino effect fashion last week. In looking back I can see the tired look in his eyes turning to a sweet sparkle as his boys met him at the door with squeals of delight. How I admire the way he puts his all into taking care of us. I consider the way he immediately offered to take the boys to awana and do our grocery shopping Wednesday night after I came down with a formidable headache. Even though the original plan was for me to do the taxi-ing and errand running so that he could go to bed early. I smile as I think of the way he is excitedly planning our little anniversary trip for next month. Even right at this moment I am watching him pull his focus away from the super bowl to read a book to Jay. It is a bit hurried and the big game quickly gets his focus again, but the love he has for his family always seems to shine through. I am so blessed to be able to call him mine. Excuse me while I curl up next to one of my favorite people to watch a football game. *smile*

20 comments:

Kristina P. said...

What a great man! I think my SIL could have written this post about my brother.

kt said...

what a sweet post Wendi.
I loved how you said that
"Marriage is a beautiful way to be frequently reminded of God's purposes for us."
I'll always take that with me now :)

hope you enjoy cuddling up with your sweet man today.

Unknown said...

Oh so sweet...I love that he is planning out your Anniversary! Very special. Thank you for sharing. It is good to know that others get exhausted in discipline! It is the most rewarding job ever, yet the hardest.

dani said...

dave is wonderful, wendi... and he has a pretty wonderful wife from best i can tell:)
love,
dani

Beth in NC said...

Very sweet (and very convicting).

I hope you've enjoyed the game!

Love,
Beth

Heather of the EO said...

Oh how I hear you. I take my husband and his selflessness for granted far too often. Thank you for reminding me to go sit with him while he watches the game :)

Elizabeth Byler Younts said...

isn't it funny how even in the midst of loving our husbands we are suddenly struck with loving our husbands even more than we thought possible...yeah, love those moments...it truly is great that we an have a lifetime of them!

Lindsay said...

GREAT post! really, really GREAT!

So what I needed to read tonight.

As my husband headed back out to the ranch tonight - I thought to myself ... I didn't give him my best today ... hoping and praying tomorrow is better :)

Rach@In His Hands said...

Wendi...do you know how often the Lord uses your posts to give me a kick in the rear?
Today is no exception. ;-) I needed this today!

Unknown said...

Sweet.

Totally relating to the "tired" versus "lazy" statement and subsequent reward I deserve.

Way to appreciate your man and I like the goatee too. Since Beau grew one, I'm lovin' it.

Sara@iSass said...

What a very tender post.
Men sometimes get a bad rap...sometimes some of those guys deserve it. hee hee.
But then there are those men that deserve sweet posts like this. Written from the heart of their adoring wife. I have one of these guys too, do you ever get amazed at how patient they are through our moods??? I want THAT kind of patience when I'm alone at home in the middle of the day when my son has peed through his 5th pair of underwear!!!
Oh, girl did we luck out or what?
I like the goatee too!

Anonymous said...

It is so funny you put on here about going to bed a little earlier! This is one thing I have to do about once a week, and it took almost 6 years to learn. I went through serious guilt asking my hubby if he minded if I went to bed early (he always puts Princess to bed, so I didn't worry about that - I just felt bad for going to sleep on him). But I soon came to realize that I am NO GOOD to my family if I'm not rested. It's amazing how much more we can accomplish when we make sure we're taking care of ourselves. :)

You two sound like you are a match made in heaven! :)

Kari Dawson said...

What a sweet post Wendi! I'm in the same boat. Taking hubby for granted and bring the "I" and "me" into too many conversations. Thanks for the nice reminder to not take them for granted.

Grace Acres said...

You are so right, we do take our husbands for granted to much. I always think I have the best and most perfect husband and I like when others think there's is!

Tracy said...

So sweet. I'm holding back the tears. Thanks!

Mel said...

your post just brought the biggest smile to my face!!!

Mozi Esme said...

Such a sweet post...

Jackie said...

Wow...I am so guilty of this myself. Like, really really guilty. This past year has been sort of tough with the new business etc, and so we dont' have as much time anyway to spend together. And then when we do, it's so easy to sit at the computer or read or watch TV, or whatever I want to do. I am thinking that I need an attitude adjustment in this area...thank you, Wendi!

Jackie said...

Oh...is it ok to say I like the goatee, too? :)

Jennifer Perkins said...

I am a recent newcomer to your blog. This post was an especially encouraging one for me, a reminder to actually take the time to be grateful to the ones we love and to see them as the true blessing they are.

I lost my first husband after 15 years of marriage (and three children) to a horrible wasting illness. We still don't know what happened, even years later. He and I married young. We were both in college, and planned to grow old and gray together. Needless to say, I no longer take a lifetime together for granted.

I have remarried... God is a loving restorer, after all. But I will never look at anything in life the same way that I once did.

You have reminded me again to be thankful, to be grateful, for blessings lovingly given.

I will be looking at my husband and my children just a little bit differently, today.

thank you,
Jennifer