Happy birthday to my lovely bride of almost 20 years! I am so thankful for you, my love. I am glad God put us together and blessed us with such bliss. My prayer is that you have a marvelously magnificent day full of zephyrs of kindness directed towards you. I pray that the kind words received from others would serve to galvanize your faith. Feel free to jettison your fears about getting old. There should be nothing lachrymose about today. Keep up your sanguine and ebullient outlook. Sure, you can look back on days of yore. There are wonderful memories awaiting, though, perhaps somewhat nebulous. I trust, though, you will spend this day with your usual panache. May there be absolutely no debacles in your path.

Love,

Your usually laconic husband.

As the title indicates, we found something under our deck. Before I tell you what it was, I want to point something out. My title is a lot like a recent title used by my lovely bride. I could not be outdone, I suppose.

Unfortunately, my post is not about meeting a TV star or anything like that. It also is not about something nice. It’s pretty negative, in fact. So on with the show.

Today, a couple of my children informed me that they had discovered a couple of snake skins in a crevice between our house and our deck. Before inspecting the situation, I recalled that I had recently stumbled upon a molted snake skin IN our garage. Maybe I’m screaming, maybe I’m not. My wife certainly is. Can you hear her?

So, upon hearing of other evidences of reptilian friends lurking near our abode, I decided to retrieve the skins for inspection. I used a croquet stick to leverage the skins out of their resting place beneath the deck. There was nothing premeditated about that. I saw the croquet stick nearby, and used it. That was all.

I spread out the skins side by side on a table. It was an outside table that I will wash before I ask you to eat with us on the deck that happens to be snake-infested. Let me tell you something. It was a surprise to find two snake skins under my deck. It was an even larger surprise to find that one skin measured three feet, while the other measured four.

My wife happened to be at the library at the time of discovery, and the children who found the skins were nearly at bursting point to tell Momma when she made it home. I don’t need to describe for you the reaction. I really don’t. You have been around her when snakes or spiders are even mentioned. Everything you’ve seen her do before was done again. It’s the “critter dance”.

We immediately endeavored to find the answer to our burning question. “What question would that be?” you ask. It was something in the neighborhood of, “What kind of snakes are they?” or “Are they poisonous?” The latter was the most fiery question of the day, I must admit.

Back and Belly

After scouring the internet, we learned that most snake skins exceeding three feet used to be the clothing for VENOMOUS snakes (specifically rattlers). We also learned that there are exceptions. We were glad for those. One exception is that there are usually two rows of scales at the tip of the tail on the underside of non-venomous snakes. This was true of the ones we found.

Whew! Momma is now happier, and that makes me happy. I use the word happier. She is not delighted. Just happier.

Two Rows

I have thought of  many things today regarding snakes, but one rises to the surface. I am intrigued with the stigma that surrounds snakes. Such a small creature sends most of us running. I can’t help but let my mind go back to the first time a snake became a problem. It was in a beautiful garden, and the snake was Satan, the adversary. He used the form of a serpent to bring on the fall of man, and he inadvertently allowed for such a pouring out of blessing on mankind that never would have been possible had man not fallen.

I’m referring to what God prophesied in that very garden. He foretold that the seed of the woman would one day put the serpent in his place, and that things would be made right. Of course Adam had no idea what all this would mean, but we do.

God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, would many years later take sinful Man’s place on a hill outside of Jerusalem. There He would be fastened to a tree and take the place of the curse. And there He would die. I am thankful the story has a happier ending than our story today. He died, but rose to life on the third day. Those who believe this have life now, and the promise of no condemnation. This really is good news!

New Decor

I know you will call me weird, but it’s ok. I think it’s the truth. I decided to garnish our deck with the new discovery.

There is much to be gained or lost from a moment of regression. Among old friends or with family, innocent regression can often transport us to a time of wonderful memories. On the other hand…whether in spiritual, emotional, or financial terms, regression usually spells disaster.

The regression of which I write is centered upon the former – the good kind. And the moment of which I write takes me back to a moment that I never had the privilege of knowing. How’s this possible? I’m not really sure, to tell you the truth, but I know I witnessed it. Somehow, I was allowed to look into a window from the past. I was given the treat of peering into my wife’s childhood, when she transformed into an eight-year-old before my very eyes. And what a treat it was.

We were at Costco for our monthly shopping trip. We decided to look down the furniture aisle. And there it happened. She spotted a table that had eight chairs – the number that happens to correspond exactly to the number of people in our family.

I suppose it was just one of those moments when one is carried away with emotion, and one lets down one’s guard, and allows oneself to say whatever is on one’s mind. Are you with me? Anyway…there we were – IN THE MIDDLE OF COSTCO – and my lovely wife was carried away with emotion, and let down her guard, and said whatever happened to be on her mind.

So excited was she at the sight of the table and chairs, that she said, “Honey, do you suppose we could purchase this table and chairs?” Well, this is not really what she said at this moment. This is what most people would say. And those of you who are reading this most likely know that my wife has probably never fit into the “most people” category. I can’t ever think of a time. Onward.

So she said, “Mommy, Daddy, look, eight chairs!”

This is no lie. IN THE MIDDLE OF COSTCO, with the world looking on, and wondering where “Mommy and Daddy” are, she gave her whole family that sweet look into her past. However strange and awkward it was, I would not trade that moment for anything. And I would not trade her either. She’s my tender, little girl. And I love her.

So today is the day. Nineteen years ago today we made the commitment before God and our friends and family to love each other unconditionally. And I am thankful beyond description that I took that step. And I am thankful you took the step too.

What a wonderful day that was. It began as a 70 degree day in Lewisville, and there was snow filling the sky by the end of the wedding. How much like a dream it was. I still need to pinch myself sometimes to make sure it isn’t a dream.

In my soon-coming post of 100 things about me, I comment about how we both knew we wanted to be married soon after we knew one another. I marvel at this, because not every one is blessed in this way. I am so glad to have found you. I bless God for leading me to you.

Thank you for these nineteen years.

Happy, happy birthday to my lovely bride. I hope your day is wonderful! I’m sorry I asked if you were ready to be “39″. Didn’t mean to rush you. Lord bless your day!

What you are seeing in the picture above is three blades of St. Augustine grass which I plucked from a yard I mowed today. I retrieved it for proof. Proof that the grass I mowed was, in fact, 18 inches long! A foot and a half! This was probably not the most enjoyable yard to mow. Probably goes without saying, but I said it anyway.

One little note…accolades for my precious wife – when I brought the blade home and asked my family to guess how long it was, my bride said, “Probably about a foot and a half”. She’s a great estimator!

Another little note…one should charge a little bit extra when mowing a yard like the one I mowed today.

It has been exactly a week since I dressed like a cow twice in one day for the purpose of getting a free meal. The answer to your question is “yes”. I have no shame. Last year, I refused to bend and thus refused to dress like a cow while my family did. This year was different. I agreed to go through with it, as a favor to my wife. But having now walked away from what I thought might be a disaster for my pride, I can report that I have a change of heart. I actually enjoyed the experience. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll even sing a song like my wife and children did this year. Baby steps.

I marvel at the energy level of my bride of almost 19 years. She could run circles around me in a normal day, and she usually does. It’s a blessing to be married to such an energetic person. She challenges me to do more.

I also stand amazed at her ability to never really meet a stranger. If you were to listen in on most conversations with new acquaintances, you would bet that she has known the person for years. This is an ability I do not really have.

I could go on and on about things that my wife can do so well that place me out of my comfort zone, but one area that has come to my attention lately definitely pushes the envelope for me. It is a road I don’t often travel. One that I shy away from at every turn, but one that seems to attract her like one of those huge magnets in a junk yard attracts cars.

The thing I’m talking about is how she seems to be more than OK with the spotlight. The proverbial spotlight, that is. It’s not that she craves this spotlight. She doesn’t dream about how to get attention, nor does she find it too difficult in times when others have the spotlight and she doesn’t. It’s just that when the opportunity presents itself, she stands at attention. And the opportunity has presented itself…yet again.

Chic-Fil-A is holding its annual “Dress Like a Cow And Get Free Food Day”. Last year, I was fine with my whole family (excluding me) dressing like a cow to get free food. I really have a taste for Chic-Fil-A, so I went along and hid sort of in the background while my family pushed on ahead and got free food. I insisted that I would gladly buy my own food. I think some others in the family had the same wish, but they had no money, and Momma made it clear that it wasn’t an option for them.

This year, to the surprise of my bride, I have agreed to dress like a cow. I said it’s a road that I don’t often travel. I have been known to acquiescently stick a toe into the spotlight. So here goes.

I’ll be wearing an angel costume retro-fitted to look like a cow (frown, grimace…that wasn’t what I had in mind, but oh well). “Sounds like more than sticking a toe into the spotlight,” you say? Well, I figure you only live once, and though the light from the spotlight can be bright at times, and if the spotlight hasn’t been converted over to fluorescent from incandescent, it can also be very warm (I’m told), but so what. I’ll travel this road since my bride seems to enjoy when we are on the road together. I can pretend to like it, I guess, or maybe I really will like it.

I’ll let you know after Friday.

I am so thankful on this Valentine’s Day that CC said “yes” so many years ago to the question, “Will you be mine?” The blessings I have received through her are immense. Paige, Michelle, Grace, Faith, Benjamin, and Bradley, are 6 of the greatest blessings, but to count them all would be impossible. I cannot imagine what the last 20 years would have been like without her.

Thanks, CC! I love you!

Just a few evenings ago, my wife once again surprised me with just a small bit of comedy. Her whole family was at our house for Christmas festivities, and we were all getting into our vehicles to go out to eat.

Now when we are with her family, all of us number to 23 persons, so it can be quite an adventure no matter what we do. Getting into our respective vehicles is at the top of the list of excitement. Inevitably, someone wants to ride in the car belonging to another family, so we take great care in counting heads to make sure that everyone is with us. We have all seen Home Alone.

We were in the process of getting into our vehicles. Everyone was accounted for except CC. She was still in the house, when CC’s sister came to me and said that I could leave since she had room for CC in another vehicle. So I did.

Just as I was leaving, CC was coming out of our home, and caught sight of the Suburban pulling away. Thinking she was being left behind, and not wanting to be left behind, she did what any grown woman would do. She ran as fast as she could in hopes that she could get my attention.

What focus! She didn’t even see the van waiting for her in our driveway. But the occupants of the van saw her, and enjoyed every stride she took. Just another family memory that we can all recall and laugh about!