Cheryl, the Love of My Life

These are the faces of two people who truly love each other. I'm never more happy than when I see this pretty girl's face. Her blue eyes make my heart skip a beat, and regardless of how old we become, there is never a moment when I don't think about her and how my life is so much better because of her being in it.

We've been through a lot, endured a lot, experienced a lot, and continued to live strong for God despite each and every thing which has tried to stop us. I can honestly say if it hadn't been for her at my side, I would never have become the man I am. I think back sometimes to what might have been if I'd married someone else, and it just makes me so incredibly thankful to God for allowing our paths to have crossed so many years ago.

With my oldest son fixing to get married in a couple of weeks, it has me reminiscing back to the days before we were married. A time when I had no clue about what I was getting into. All I could think was this gorgeous woman has agreed to marry me, why? What could she have seen in me to make her want to spend her life with me? I first thought it was my ponytail, but later found out that wasn't the case. Ha!

If you're married, then thank God for your spouse, if you're not married begin to thank God for your future spouse, He will bring the perfect person for you at just the right time, when you're ready. Don't hurry it, just follow Him and they will show up. I was not looking for Cheryl when I found her, I was pursuing Jesus and all He had for me, and then she arrived. And if you are married and struggling, race to Jesus, for He will help put your marriage back to where it should be, just don't give up, it's worth fighting for.

I love my wife, oh we have our moments some days, but it doesn't change the fact I want to spend every moment I can with her, even if it is just playing Words with Friends while sitting in our recliners watching Big Bang Theory. She gives my life meaning, and fulfills me in a way no other person on this Earth can. Cheryl I love you more than ever and this will never change. I mean it when I say, "Baby, you're the greatest!"

Happy Birthday Baby

Today is my lovely bride Cheryl's birthday. I won't tell you how old she is, not because I think she'd care, but because I was taught never to talk about a lady's age. I have been married to this beautiful girl for 26 years, actually August 27th it will be 27 years to be exact. One thing this many years of marriage brings, is a comfortableness of being with each other. What I mean by this, is we don't have to put on a big show for one another. There's no drama, we love each other plain and simple.

One thing I do regret is my seemingly inability to plan ahead for her birthday. It's a special day to be sure, one I appreciate greatly because if she hadn't been born, then there'd be no us, no kids, no life together. And I like this life I've lived with Cheryl, even with the ups and downs, disappointments, failures and loss. My life truly is better because of her. But it seems every year her birthday creeps up on me, and I find myself scrambling to do something; which in turn then makes me feel like a horrible husband.

This year is no different, a couple of days ago I realized her birthday was only a few days away and thought, "Crap! I've done it again." What I want her to know is how special she is to me. There truly is no other person on this planet I would rather spend time with than her. I think about her often, and when I do, I'm always amazed she chose to spend her life with me, I mean it really shocks me some times. I wonder what it was she saw in me to make her say, "This is the guy for me!" And when I don't have something special for her birthday it makes me think I'm not worthy of her.

But I digress, today's blog is not supposed to be about me and how I feel on her special day, but about this woman whom I've been privileged to live with for so many years. Without any further ado, let me recite a little poem about the love of my life, Cheryl.

Cheryl, the Love of My Life

Cheryl, we've been together,

For oh, so many years,

Through this life we seen much greatness,

And more than our share of tears.

I've often wondered why,

You would have chosen me,

I know it wasn't for the money,

Or fame and celebrity.

XX years ago,

You came into this Earth,

And I'm pretty sure that angels,

Heralded your birth.

The day on which you were born,

God put His plan in place,

To bring into existence,

A woman of beauty and grace.

In Proverbs thirty-one,

Solomon talks about a wife,

She is virtuous, noble and true,

And brings happiness and life.

I know he was writing this about you,

Because you're these things and more,

You really are the whole package dear,

And make my heart to soar.

So enjoy your special day today,

Regardless of what you have to do,

Just know that you have a very blessed man,

who is really, really in love with you!

I truly am a blessed man, and if I spent the rest of my day writing about all the things she is to me, and how she has been a blessing to all of those around her, the sun would rise and set before I could finish. Cheryl is a wonderful woman, who brings beauty and grace everywhere she goes. I Love You Cheryl!

You'll Never Know

I've been married for 26 years, soon to be 27, and in all the time we've been together one of my favorite things is when we are apart.  Now I know you may be thinking what a callous and unloving man.  But give me a second to explain. I love being apart from my bride because it reaffirms how much my love for her is there.

When we are apart my thoughts linger on what she means to me more because she's not there.  The old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder is really true.  Now don't get me wrong, I Ike having her around, it does something to my soul knowing the woman of my dreams loves me and is there, even if it's just us sitting in our recliners after a hard day of work. To look over and see her beautiful face (usually in the soft glow of her cellphone's screen light) makes my heart go pitter pat.

I often wonder about men who complain about their wives, griping about things they do which make them mad. What makes me wonder, is these guys rarely say anything nice about their brides which makes me wonder how they actually talk to them. And they wonder why their marriage isn't what they think it should be.

All  I know is when my lady is gone I miss her, and truthfully long for her. Don't get me wrong I'm a big boy and can take care of myself, but it's in these times we are apart I really come to realize how good I really do have it. I'm a blessed man because of you Cheryl, and I love you!

My Princess is About to Become a Queen

Two weeks from tomorrow, my baby girl is getting married.  And as a dad, I've got all types of emotions running through my mind.  And they range from fear to totally excited.  My daughter has always been happy, but the past few months as the day approaches, she's been giddy.  The smile on her face just can't get any bigger.  

I've done quite a bit of reflecting in the past several months too. Questions about whether I've done enough or even given her the right tools to make it out there in the world have swirled through my mind like a maelstrom.  It's been interesting to say the least.

April, or Sissy as I like to call her, had my heart from the moment the doctor pulled her out, and it is true when they say a little girl can melt her daddy's heart with just a smile.  I was thinking just the other day about how I used to hold her in my arms and dance around he room singing to her.  And in just two weeks I'll be dancing with her at her wedding, where she will look radiant.  I can't wait to see her in her wedding dress.

My little girl is growing up and becoming a woman.  No longer will she be my little princess, she has found her knight in shining armor and on March 7th will become his queen.  Exciting times ahead for sure.

As I was thinking about this blog, I remembered a video I made for her 7 years ago set to the song Fingerprints of God by Steven Curtis Chapman, it brought a tear to my eyes. Click here if you'd like to see it.  

Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!

Ooh Wee I'm Blessed!!

When she walks into the room, she carries herself with such a beauty and grace it makes me scratch my head in wonder. Truthfully, I'm often amazed this woman who I've spent the past 26+ years with actually chose me to be the man she wanted to travel this journey we call life.

When I say amazed, I really mean it too. There is not one day which goes by I don't think of how extremely blessed I am because of Cheryl. Now this is not to put her on a pedestal. I know she isn't perfect in the actual sense of the word, but who is really?  We say things like, "Oh you're perfect baby." Or "There's never been anyone better than you."  Unfortunately, these things are brought on by a little gland inside our brains which makes us "feel" in love.  But shortly after the initial attraction wears off, and this gland stops secreting it's fluid, we can wake up and think, "Who is this I'm with? Their breath stinks!"

Now before you label me as some type of pig who doesn't love his wife, when I tell Cheryl I love her it is not because of this gland giving me some type of feeling, it is because despite always having a feeling I choose to love her daily.  Yeah I know, that's not going to make it onto any Hallmark cards anytime soon, but it is true.

I believe from the bottom of my heart that Cheryl is the greatest woman on this planet. She's a beautiful, intelligent, funny, hard working, beautiful, smart, full of life and sass, beautiful family oriented and beautiful woman.  Did I mention she's beautiful?  I love my bride daily because I choose to do so.

With both of my kids fixing to get married, one of my prayers is they will experience the joys of married life like Cheryl and I have. I pray they will be able to look past the little things which will annoy each other and find in their future spouses what I have found, a true ally and my very best friend.  Because in the end it's not the "feelings" which matter as much as having a partner to travel life with, who is there to help in time of need and to share some laughs as well.

Cheryl, I've said it before and I'll keep saying it as long as I have breath, baby, you're the greatest, and I love you!

You Are Beautiful Ladies, Now It's Time To Believe It

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so what are you beholding today?  What do you see when you look into the mirror? 

I will have been married to my bride for 25 years in a few days, and one thing that we have argued about (not seriously) in all that time has been about how beautiful she is.  She will say she’s not, and I say she is.  This has gone on for our entire married lives.

I’d love to say that I was attracted to her mind when we first met, but truthfully when I saw her sitting across the room from me, it wasn't her mind that interested me.  I remember thinking to myself, “Wow!  Who is that girl?  I've got to get to know her.”  This is not to say I only like her flesh, it was just the first thing that caught my attention.  Over the years, I've come to find out that she is quite a bright and intelligent girl too.

For all of my adult life when I've looked into a mirror, what I always see is a handsome, striking twenty something young man, regardless of how old I become.  I guess it’s a gift that I am not critical of myself in that way.  I think I look great, plain and simple.  Now my sweet bride on the other hand does not see herself in the mirror the way that I do.  In fact, she will spend as little time in front of a mirror as possible.

I saw this video a few weeks back, and it truly captures the essence of what I'm wanting to say in this blog.

Why is it women tend to see themselves in a poorer light than others around them?  I'm sure that we could blame it all on the society in which we live, and the pressures women face to be beautiful.  But I think it truly is something even deeper.  In the Genesis story; God puts Adam to sleep and takes a rib from him to make Eve.  Man was made from the dust of the ground, but Eve was handcrafted and fashioned from the rib of man, God made a work of art when He made a woman.  The reason I think women in general have a hard time seeing themselves in a good light, is the enemy of God and mankind hates women with a passion.

Before the devil became the devil he was named Lucifer and was the most beautiful creature ever created. After he fell from Heaven, his beauty was taken from him, and when he saw Eve and her beauty he coveted what he once had, and has been working to undermine women ever since.

What you think about yourself is the most important thing, and ladies it is my prayer for you that you will begin to see yourself as you truly are, and not what you think you are.  Because you are all princesses of the King and lovely to behold!

Hey Man, What's Your Purpose?

Men and women.  Male and female.  God said they were made in His image, yet both are completely different in almost every way.  I mean the basic model is the same, but come on guys you'd have to admit that if we were vehicles, that men would be a utility truck and ladies a Lamborghini.  I don't know about you, but I for one am very thankful that God didn't just make Eve out of the dirt of the ground like He did Adam.  No, Scripture actually states that He hand crafted and fashioned woman out of man like a fine work of art.  So much so, that when God brought Eve to Adam, Adam must have said, "VavavaVOOM!!!"

Which brings me to my thought this morning on the last day of 2012.  Men, what is your purpose actually?  I mean in the context of men and women, what part do each play?  It's pretty evident in society that this one area is pretty skewed too.  Society as a whole doesn't understand the roles that men and women are to play.  I won't bore you with all the nonsense that came out of the sixties with women's liberation, burning bras and starting the downward spiral of the men haters club.  Suffice it to say, that once man became "enlightened" and started the move away from God things have gotten more and more weird each year.

If you want to know how something is supposed to work, it's good to go back to the original design and take a look at that.  Mankind's original design was Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  That was what God originally had in mind for men and women, and until they decided to listen to the enemy instead of what God had told them, life was great.  There was no fighting with each other, no animosity, no thinking that one was better than the other.  How quickly did Adam go from saying vavavavoom to this woman you gave me?

What is God's design for man and woman then?  It's actually pretty simple; He gave Adam a job to do (take care of the Garden) and He made Eve to help Adam do that.  In Genesis 2:18 it says, Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper who is just right for him."  A helper who is just right for him...I love that!  My bride is the helper that God created for me and she is just right for me.

Men listen to me here.  God has given you a job to do, and He has hand crafted and made a woman who is just right for you that will come alongside you and help you to fulfill that job.  This is what we should be teaching our children; for ours boys we need to tell them, God has given you a job to do on this planet  and He has the right girl out there for you that is going to come and help you to do it.  For our girls, God has made you specifically for a boy out there, and you have been created to come alongside and help him and are just the right girl for him, who is going to help him succeed in doing that job God called him to do.

Now before you think that I'm making a sexist statement, or just am a male chauvinist pig, if we would go back to the original design and desire for what God wanted, we would see fulfillment in our lives like we've never seen before.  Agree with me or not, it is the truth.  I want my son to know that he has a job to do, and that there is a girl out there for him who will help him to accomplish that, and in helping him, she will be fulfilled in her life's calling.  For my daughter, I want her to know that she has been called alongside a young man to help him fulfill the job that God has for him to do, and that she was handcrafted to help him do it.  And if she will do that, she will be fulfilled in her life as well.

God's design and purpose for men and women is a good one.  It's one that has been assaulted since the very beginning.  The enemy knew back then as he knows now that if he can divide the man and woman and get them turning on each other he will defeat them.  If we don't realize what our purpose here on the planet is, then we become easy prey for the enemy to exploit.  When I realize that I have a job to do, and my bride has been called alongside to help me, it puts me in the place of being able to lead my family the way that God intended.

God has great plans for all of us, both men and women, we just need to realize what our part in this story is so that we can then go out and play it.  When we play the part we've been created for, then our lives will become much fuller and richer.  So let's go out and do that, what do you say?

Strength and honor for the family and the King!