Jim and I are enjoying scrolling through them, and remembering each one of you, and the part you have played in our lives.
We laugh a lot in our family. At Jim, mainly.
Just kidding...(but really).
It’s just that when you have one type A+ person in the house...and 5 NOT type A people in the house...it can either be reeeeally stressful, or we could make it fun.
I said something to Jim the other day, and it got me thinking about what it means to be a “help meet” to him.
I’m no theologian, but I have a Strong’s Concordance, and it tells me that the first word of “help meet” can mean, “to rescue, to save, to help.” And the second word has a meaning of “exactly corresponding to,” which is like looking in a mirror. I should be Jim’s mirror opposite, and he should be mine.
Like, I have half the qualities and attributes that Jim lacks. And Jim has half the things I lack.
And so we fit.
And so I am a “help-meet” to him in life...and I do that in my own way.
Which brings me to the other day: I bought some dog trimmers, and told Jim that I was going to try to trim our dog’s hair between groomings. Jim goes, “well, what will you do with all of her HAIR (after you cut it)? And, in the spirit of being his help-meet, I casually said, “I was thinking I’d just sweep it into the pool.”
Now, if you know Jim well, you know that he loves his pool. He FREAKS when a leaf blows into it, so when I said I was gonna sweep DOG HAIR in there...well, you’ve never seen a head whip around so fast.
Unless you saw the exorcist movie...which, I never did.
Now, I wasn’t really gonna put dog hair in the pool...I was just trying to “rescue” and “save” him from a long, boring life.
Because while he says I lack in things like logic (whatEV)...I say he lacks in humor. But that’s okay...because he has an abundance of logic (yawn), and I have an abundance of humor!
And we use our gifts and talents in different ways to help each other, and our family.
Jim helps in serious and practical ways...like, making sure we don’t get too off-track, providing financial and physical security...and things like that.
And me? Well I believe in majoring on the majors...and minoring on the minors.
Jim’s glass is always half-empty, and my glass is always half-full...because that’s how I choose to see things. Realist vs Idealist. Realistic vs Delusional. Serious about everything vs serious about the serious things. Sees the facts...sees the people. Has a 7 year planner...HAD 4 KIDS.
(CANIGETAWITNESS?)
Ying...yang. Ding...dong.
This is why I sometimes have to push Jim to the edge...for his own good; to show him that not EVERYthing is so serious. I mean, I live in the serious, 24/7, but some things are just funny.
This is why I sometimes park my car on his side of the garage, and I don’t tell him. And then, when he opens the garage door and there’s my car...for no reason, just cuz...well, that’s funny, right?
Or why I sometimes purposely leave the light on in a room that I’m not currently IN (gasp!).
Or why I burn a candle...IN THE SUMMERTIME.
And it also may be why I sometimes set the stuffed “Barney” toy precariously on the shelf with the coffee cups, so that when Jim opens the cabinet first thing in the morning...It comes falling down on his head, and scares him half-to-death.
Thirty-eight years today. 38 years of good times, and hard times; of laughing, and loving; of saying the wrong things, and [occasionally] saying the right things; of holding it in, and letting it out; of keeping score...and loving unconditionally.
Thirty-eight years of sometimes being misunderstood; of letting Jesus have His way...but, more often, demanding our own way; of holding grudges...and forgiving; of hopefully learning from our mistakes; times of being selfless...and times of being selfish.
Thirty-eight years of hard work, sleepless nights, tears, grief, joy, great friendships, family support, and lots and lots of prayer.
There’s no one else I’d rather walk with thru life. Two completely imperfect people...saved, sustained, and strengthened by an Almighty God...this is us.
Marriage is sanctifying.
"This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." Genesis 2:24
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