Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 has come to a close and I find myself looking at one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever been blessed to receive. You can tell how much a parent cares for their child by the types of things they do for them or in the gifts or the little gestures. You can tell a husband's love for his wife by the time, thought and planning that they put into the things that concern them. I don't believe that the cost of the gift or the frequency of the giving is what determines the amount of love or thought. It is in the details of the gift. Does the gift fit that person's personality? Does this gift meet a need or a desire? Will this gift add to this person or make them better in their work or hobbies? Is this something that I know that they will get value out of? These seem to be the types of things that people think about when they are looking to give a gift to someone that means a lot to them.

There is a great amount of time, thought and caring that goes into the gift giving process. There have been times when I have opened gifts and I am amazed at how the person could hit the nail's head so very accurately and that is much how I feel about my gift.

The gift I have is not something I didn't already have but things pertaining to the gift could use some upgrades or replacing. Things didn't always seem to work the best and at times I would feel frustrated that something needed to change. At times I grew irritable and even had thoughts of just forgetting about the gift and seeing how life would be without the use of it since things were not the way that I felt they should be. But thankfully there were strong, smart, reliable people in my life that reminded me of the value of the gift. The gift hasn't been recycled but there were some system upgrades made.

I am sure at this point the question is, what in the world is the gift. The answer is my husband. My Father took time to pick someone that is just right for me. He adds to me and makes me better. He finds ways to encourage me to be better and do better and find ways to improve myself. He is supportive, loving, caring and patient. These things are not always the easiest to be towards to me because even I can realize that I am not the easiest person to live with.

God blessed me with someone who not only gets me but allows me to be who I am. I never have to pretend or put on airs. I don't have to always be grown and act right or always make the right decisions. I am free to be vulnerable and share my fears and dreams and laugh as loudly as I like. With him, I am free to range from a confident hard working woman to a giggling goofy little girl.

He meets me where I am. There were times that I didn't quite understand what that meant but I am learning more and more. He is patient with me as I deal with my own hang ups. He doesn't look down from a perch of superiority or condescension but embraces me with understanding words and actions and nurtures me to a place of safety where I am free to grow into the things that God has called me to be.

He adds to me in more ways than I ever could have imagined. He does not act or function out of a position of dictatorship and the end all be all. He listens, ponders and ruminates on what benefits us both. Rarely are decisions made that he does not honestly feel is for the betterment of us both and not just himself.

So what about the upgrades, fixes and glitches that were mentioned earlier? They are things that I need to do. I need to change my focus and thought-pattern. My husband is not perfect. By no means is he even close, and he shouldn't be expected to be. No one is. Only God is perfect. Only God makes no mistakes. My husband is a man. Plan and simple. No Superman cape hanging behind the door and no special cans of spinach in the pantry. He is God's child and he lives every day to be a better person but just like everyone else, he has days when he doesn't quite get there. We all hit obstacles so why should I look to him as if he should never make a mistake. That is illogical, unfair and unsupportive. I need to change my perspective and this is an every day, every moment type of decsion. I need to not see my husband as the man he is but as the gift from God that he is. I need to see him as the Head that God appointed over my life. As I submit to him, in understanding of God's design, it allows him to go further in the things of God and the goals that he has for his life. Submission makes me realize that if I am not using time breaking him down and analyzing everything that he has done that I will have more time for actually loving him and building him up. I will be that fountain and place that he can find rest.


God has blessed me with a wonderful gift and my prayer this day is for the Lord to show me how to be a good wife, a supportive and caring wife and most importantly a submissive wife. It's not always easy but it is always right because I am submitting to Godly Headship. He is God's appointed authority in my life and in submitting to him I am moving myself in position to be blessed.


Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift that you have given me in my wonderful husband.


Remember to thank Him daily for the person He has blessed you with.  Love the one you've been blessed to have the opportunity to love and tell them that you love them.  Love is an action, not a thought.