80+ in a 70!

My hubby and I have issues. I should say my hubby has issues, but to be fair, I’ll include myself. (Even though I really do know these are his issues!)

If I am chatting with my daughter or one of my friends, I can be talking about one thing then jump ship so to speak and they will follow along, not missing a beat.

If I do this with my husband, he is lost. Completely and utterly confused, he looks at me with his nose scrunched and his eyebrows nearly touching heaven. “Huh?”

I try to explain the connection to him and how in my mind it made complete sense to jump from Jeremiah’s school to Jonna’s new boss. I explain each stone that I docked at and how I ended up putting the anchor down at the new boss. I bet, if you are a woman that is, that you know exactly what I am talking about.

Well, the other day the tables turned. We were driving the down the road talking about a subject and he made the jump. All the sudden he made a comment that had absolutely nothing to do with our current conversation. I sat still for moment, jumping around from topic to topic until it made sense. I then commented on his remark, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

I then looked at him and asked, “Did you see how that was done?”

He started laughing as I explained the process of narrowing down the obvious meaning to a sudden turn in conversation. I am still using that against him. Why? Because I can and it’s fun!

Tonight for instance he came to me asking me a question about facebook advertising. We have been doing some pretty deep digging in marketing, including facebook. I made a comment about banner ads and he says “for what?”

I was rubbing my daughter’s shoulders; I physically turned her and asked her, “Did you hear what he just said?”

We both busted out laughing. I said, “Hun, that wasn’t even a jump, it was on the topic you chose!”

He laughed as well.

If you are married, have you noticed how different you are in some ways; yet in other ways you are the same? How God has put you together so perfectly that your spouse picks up where you leave off? That he can finish your thoughts…or maybe not! LOL

But, our opposites compliment our personalities perfectly. We balance one another, or at least we are supposed to.

Recently we took a 12-hour road trip. When I drive, I tend to speed. I don’t like setting the cruise control because I feel like I am not in control of the car. My husband on the other hand tends to casually cruise down the road, enjoying the scenery and generally taking his time.

On this trip, I would occasionally find myself hitting the 80-mile an hour mark, and then some. I’d quickly ease off the gas and maintain a more reasonable speed for a little while, at least until my foot started getting a bit too heavy!

My shift being over, I turned the controls over to the one who completes me. A half hour later I gasp. “Honey, at this rate we are never going to get there and you are canceling out all the time I saved us by doing 80!”

He was doing 57 in a 70mph zone. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could he? Did he not know I just risked our grocery money to save us a half hour? At least do the speed limit, please?

I love what God did for me when he gave me my husband. While we may be polar opposites in some things, we are exactly the same in what counts.

We both love the Lord our God with all of our hearts and minds and souls. We love one another and relish the time we get to spend together. We work well together and we rarely fight. We have the same goals and the same beliefs. We know where we are going and we know how to get there.

I am so blessed to call this man my husband.

In honor of our anniversary on Saturday, this post is dedicated to him.

Thanks for growing with me this Wednesday! Darlene

How May I Serve You?

A couple of weeks ago my family and I started volunteering at a church, cooking for and serving those in need. My son was really looking forward to helping. There is a short service at 6pm and the meal is served at 6:30pm.

The Wednesday before last we were sitting in the service and I realized a few things had to be done before the food would actually be ready to serve, so I slipped out the end of the pew and headed toward the kitchen. I wasn’t paying attention so I didn’t see my son following me.

We turned on the lights to the steam table, made sure serving spoons were handy, cups and plates were ready etc. As we were working my son, age nine, says “Mom, God told me my job is to serve and that my life will never be the same.”

(Dallas Theological, Jesus Washing Feet)

Being the good mom I said, “Honey, that is awesome. I’m sure God has lots of jobs for you to do.”

All during the meal my son walked around refilling people’s drinks, bringing them bread and just talking with the folks who were eating.

At one point during the meal he walked up to an elderly man and said, “Sir, how may I serve you?”

Apparently this man was hit with the realization that that is what God is calling us all to do. He just wants us to say “God, how can I serve you?” He told his daughter about the young man with the polite manners and how this young man taught him about God’s desire for us.

Two days later, this same elderly man had an aneurysm. A couple of days later, he died.

We were all dumbfounded at how Jeremiah was used in this man’s life, how he was still learning about God and God’s plan for us at the very end of his life.

Two days ago, this past Wednesday, was the man’s funeral. Since I was already cooking for a crowd, the family and friends of this man were invited to the meal at the church.

My son did the same thing he did the week before. He walked around with a breadbasket, serving those who God placed in his life to serve. He made sure he ate earlier, before the meal started, so he would be ready for his job.

Needless to say everyone loved him. At one point a lady called him a cherub, all he needed was a pair of wings. Another lady wanted to take him home with her. They commented on his remarks, the phrases that he commonly speaks. “Why he is the most adorable thang I have evah seen” was spoken in that long slow drawn out dialect quite a few times.

It came to the end of the evening, the time of night when we clean up, do the dishes and make notes about next week’s meal.

My husband was tearing down tables and sitting at one table, looking gloomy was my son. He has a certain puppy dog look that he gets when he is looking particularly sad. He had it.

He is a very sensitive kid. He cried when the Tsunami hit Japan. He cried for all the children who lost their parents. As a matter of fact he wants us to adopt a few. He cries if an animal is hurt. He cries if he thinks someone might get hurt. So, to jump to the conclusion he was finally reacting to this man passing away, was not an unlikely jump.

My husband asked him what was wrong. His reply? “I bet he is having the best day of his life.”

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."