|
Well, it’s February 1st. Sandra and I
celebrate our 5th anniversary today. Usually we go away
somewhere away from everybody at this time of year to celebrate. This
year is different. What with Sandra’s new job, Gospel meetings,
congregational meetings, planning meetings, Bible bowls, broken down
cars, and the list goes on, we just couldn’t get away.
Fortunately for me, as the years have gone by our love for each other
has gone stronger. I hate to admit this (because all women who read
this will think me a cad) but I have forgotten my anniversary twice in
the past week. It’s not that I forgot February 1st, but I
just kept forgetting that this was the last week of January. I offer no
excuse other than that life is sometimes so busy that we don’t see the
end of the week, but only today. I know, it’s a sorry excuse for that
which is truly inexcusable. Well, Sandra forgave me, and we made plans
to celebrate tomorrow (Saturday), possibly dinner at Red Lobster. As we
were making plans, I said that we would leave the kids at home so that
we could have time for ourselves. Sandra said that maybe we could also
order in pizza, so the day could be special for them as well. I
explained that I was only kidding about not taking the kids. They would
never let us get away with going to Red Lobster without them
Here’s where I need to back up. Sandra was a widow when we married.
This explains how that I have an 18-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old
son after only 5 years of marriage. We were careful 5 years ago to give
Chris and Kim prominent positions in the wedding ceremony, because I was
not only taking Sandra as my wife, I was taking them as my children.
Since that day, even though they may call me their stepfather (I have no
issue with that) I call them my children. I’ve been careful not to use
the term stepchildren, because I don’t view them that way. This is why
I told Sandra, as I explained that I was kidding about not taking the
children with us, “It’s their anniversary too.”
Sometimes our own words convict us. I’m sitting here at this moment
thinking “Wasn’t February 1st their anniversary for the last
four years as well?” Wasn’t it also their anniversary as well all of
the years that Sandra and I left them with relatives to have time alone
on “our” anniversary? How could I have been blind to that? I forgot my
anniversary with Sandra twice this past week, but I’ve forgotten my
anniversary with my children for five years now.
So, to Kimberly and Christopher,
Happy Anniversary! The two of you mean so much to me. I’m sorry that
I’ve failed to include you in the celebration for the past 4 years.
It’s not that I didn’t love you. I just simply forgot that it was our
anniversary too. Please forgive me. Forgive me for honoring you in
word, while neglecting you in deed at this time of year. I promise that
I will try to do better.
Love, Jack
Psalm 127
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit
of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are
children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they
shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
|
