Staying Fascinated With My Wife

 

Once we were young.

Now, we’re old. Okay, older.

Being older is good. Often, it’s great!

She was always gorgeous. I was always smitten. Madly in love.

The love affair began on Wednesday night, July 2, 1975. During a church camp meeting in Oklahoma. I asked her out on a date following church services that night. She said yes.

That orange car in the picture was our chariot. We drove around a bit. Talked a lot. Probably went to a Dairy Queen for soft drinks. I can’t remember. Eventually, I kissed her. She kissed me back. And it was all so easy. The conversation. The being together. The kissing.

But I’m ahead of myself.

First, there was her reputation. And my respect for her.

She was known for being determined to remain faithful to her convictions. We shared faith. The Faith.

She was smart, dedicated, disciplined, and intentional. The oldest of six kids.

It was evident.

It was among the top reasons I asked her out. She was beautiful, but that was bonus content. 😉

I hadn’t been in love like this before. Ever.

This was different, and I knew it from the very first date.

Becoming a Christian was my best decision. Falling in love with her was my second best. She’s only ever taken a backseat to God.

Eighteen-year-old me would have denied ever being able to fall harder for her. But he’d have been wrong.

Did I always behave like it? Nope. To my shame. But that was primarily due to my immaturity and selfishness. Two problems I’ve experienced and that I often see in the lives of other men, too. I’m not saying it’s a uniquely male weakness, but I’m a guy and it was mine.

She’s not perfect.

But she’s pretty ideal for me.

I’m not perfect.

But I’m pretty ideal for her.

It’s our story. My story. But let’s not make this entirely about me, or her, or us.

Two ideas have been swirling in my head for as long as I can remember. One, my daily, if not hourly, fascination with her. True confession: I think of her every waking hour. And I always have. Sounds like an obsession, huh? Well, it likely is. But in a good way. It’s why many times a day I approach her, seemingly out of the blue (I’m sure that’s what she thinks), and hug her because I’ve been thinking of her a lot before I literally have to hug it out. I’m high-maintenance like that. Two, sadness that too many marriages fail because of selfishness and pride. Mostly, I think of my own selfishness and pride because I know those are ingredients for failure for each of us. Read your New Testament, and you’ll see it more clearly — especially in yourself.

This is about us – all