A few nights ago when my Silver Fox and I were both in a deep sleep, the smoke alarm started chirping that loud, intermittent, annoying screech signaling a low battery. It was clearly not going to stop until the battery was replaced. My husband got out of bed, went to the garage for a ladder, found a replacement battery, and solved the problem without me having to lift a finger other than to turn on my bedside lamp. I was SO grateful. And maybe I was hyper-aware that he was with me and taking care of things just like that because an astonishing number of my friends have lost their husbands during the pandemic. Some to COVID, but others to heart issues, Alzheimer's, and other illnesses.
Dianne, Dianna, Kathie, Mary Frances, Pam, Nancy, Betty, Evelyn. Their heroes died this year. If my middle-of-the-night scenario happened at their house, THEY would be the ones searching for a fresh battery and climbing on a ladder. They are having to learn how to do those things and a million others that they used to have their husbands nearby to handle for them, and I am so very sorry that they are facing this first holiday season without their life partner.
Steve came home from the grocery store recently with the wrong kind of mushroom soup and the wrong kind of shampoo. (Yes, I am generally the grocery-shopper, but he needed to pick up a few things and offered to go). Bless him. He was so disgruntled when he realized his mistakes, but you know what? It was absolutely okay with me. He's still here. I hear him getting off the lawnmower as I'm typing. He keeps our yard and pool immaculate. He always knows our financial situation down to the penny. He studies hard to prepare a meaningful lesson for our Life Group. He continues to practice veterinary medicine because he enjoys his profession and loves keeping his skills and mind sharp.
Steve loves God, he loves the Bible, and he loves ME. He "talks me down off the ledge" more times than I can count. His quiet, steady, man-of-few-words nature is the perfect balance for my louder, erratic, woman-of-many-words personality.
He is THE world's best daddy and granddaddy. He loves lavishly and unconditionally. I can't imagine my life without him, and I pray so hard that I won't have to go through that any time soon. Or maybe, just maybe, we can both go to heaven at the same time.
Steve's birthday is Monday, November 23rd, and he'll be 73. He has no gift wish list, because he declares that he has everything he could possibly want. He will, however, be having a blackberry cobbler using his preferred low-sugar recipe. I am blessed beyond measure to be his wife, and I just wanted you, and him, to know that today.
Titus 2:2-4 ''2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior . . . teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children. . ."