A Conversation

Wife: (stupid question) Do you think there could be some kind of curse on you or your family? (After a fourth near-death experience.)

Husband: No.
Wife: Sins of the father being visited on the offspring?

Husband: No.
Wife: Why this incredible list of maladies you've had the last 35 years, especially this one?

Husband: So God can be glorified.
Wife: I can think of other ways.

Husband: You're not in charge.

After another serious bout for my husband with life threatening P.E.s (many clots in both lungs) this week, we are home from the hospital. The effect of it all starts to hit me. As I vacuum, I feel sad and wonder if I should start questioning "why." I stop vacuuming and thus begins another conversation:

Wife: Why? And why you?
Husband: Don't even waste your emotions thinking that way. Just stop right now.

Wife: But....
Husband: I'm kind of curious and excited about what God is going to do with this, and because of this. And I know He'll get glory in how we respond to it.

So now the nitty gritty starts. The big test. By faith and many praying, we've gotten through the main crisis. But how will I continue to respond as I process it all? How will I manage watching my beloved struggle with frequent blood tests, trips to the doctor, always fearful of eating too much spinach, always watching for bleeding, remembering to keep his legs moving, to take his afternoon Coumadin.... In faith? And to His glory? Or, with fear of a next time. Begging him home from travel in the deadly skies or the long drives (both bad for clots). A friend writes, "Don't give in to fear and stay home under a blanket for the rest of your life."

It's a daily determined uphill walk, garnering strength for faith, through the One who not only enables faith, but also receives it and is glorified through it. It's all about Christ being central in our lives. It's all about a willingness to sacrifice too, but that's a conversation for another day.

What You Can Fit on a Train

The tall, bearded 40-something man with a large knapsack on his back walks into the train station pushing a bicycle loaded down with a bedroll and assorted bags attached at the handlebars, in sidebaskets, and behind the seat. Following closely comes his wife riding a handicapped electric cart. I think they fit about as much tucked in and around her cart as one could fit in a small car! It practically is the size of a small car! Collapsed tent, bedroll, lawnchairs, knapsacks, umbrella, a giant cooler....it is an amazing sight to see. Apparently they are on some sort of camping expedition, but now it's time to ride the rails. They head for the platform to catch the next train to Brighton.

Pricey Skirts and Penguin PJs

I guess there are some women in town today who are excited that the new Neiman Marcus has opened its doors. The news of 1900 dollar skirts is buzzing around. This morning while driving home I listened to a local talk show host phone his wife toward the end of his show. "Honey, I want to apologize that I've never bought you a $1900 skirt."

"That's okay, dear, there's a lot better things to do with $1900 than spend it on a skirt."

"But," he continues, "I've never been able to buy you $800 boots."

"That's still okay. Even if I had married a rich man I would not buy $800 boots. It's not my style. It's not how I was raised. There are more important things in life."

"Honey, where did you buy those penguin pajamas you wear?" His patient wife names the store, saying they were two for $20. "And the frog ones?"

"The same store; each piece is $10 and you can intermix them. Penguins with frogs if you like." As the strains of a Johnny Cash song begin, he wraps up his show saying, "You don't know how many men envy me––going home to a wife with penguin pajamas."

I doubt everyone hangs on to the values he or she was raised with, for whatever reason. But I think this guy is pleased as could be that his wife did. (As, my husband declares, is he). I think the radio guy really is proud to be going home to those penguin pajamas, two for $20.