Track 9: Sweet Lou →
Where do I start about my darling Lou? Where would I end? I'll warn you, this track's dripping with honey and there's no ejection button anywhere. I catch myself staring at Lou all the time. I'm addicted to her. For good reason: she's my beautiful bride, my priceless treasure, my very best friend.
I could go on and on about how talented my wife is. She has more awards than we have space. From blue ribbons to best in business, she's accomplished so much. She's been determined and driven since birth. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, as a child, she said, "the boss." That's Lou.
She took that determination and moved out of Nebraska, into a land of strangers, at 18-years-old. She planted her feet and took on the challenge of growing up. And she nailed it. She absolutely killed it. Springfield, Missouri became her home, full of memories and friends, careers and cheers. When I'd go visit her (during our long-distance relationship), I'd hang around her house and watch Lou on TV, or drive around her city, so I could listen to her on the radio. She was a big deal.
I always make her tell me about celebrities she's met, like Doug Pitt, Brad Pitt's brother. For some reason, her knowing his brother is even cooler to me. Press conferences with the First Lady, steak dinners with one of the Smucker's brothers... She intimidated me!
What's that? You had two TV interviews today, I'm looking at a giant cardboard check for a million dollars sitting in your office, AND you're leading your community's young professionals' club, as president, in a meeting tomorrow? But seriously, let me tell you what I did today... Like I said, she was incredible.
What was missing was incredible too. To personally witness what happened to her is a testament to Biblical truth and to our Holy God.
Because I got to personally witness a good person realize that she was a wretch.
I got to watch someone who accomplished so much, recognize that she had gained the whole world, but neglected such a great Salvation.
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
“How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard.”
I got to see someone so in control of her life realize it was never really hers and give it up. By the revelation of Jesus Christ as her Savior. Now she, like Paul, considers all those things to be garbage, compared to the surpassing greatness of Jesus Christ. She loves Jesus way more than she loves me, and I love that.
“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
I remember sitting on her front steps in Springfield on her last day there. The moving truck packed up and ready to roll. And she began to cry, saying, "I'm not ready to go yet." I can't forget that moment. This was her town; she built such a life here and she was giving it all up, to go with me. That was humbling.
I'll do anything for her. There will never be enough time in this brief life to love her enough!
My treasure, my bride, just became the mother of our daughter. She's eager to share Jesus with our little lady. We have our Bible studies with Etta every day. Today I shared the above scriptures, and we rejoiced as a family that Lou's a new creation in Christ. That she's worshiping the God she once despised! That her confidence is no longer in herself, but in Christ. Securely in Christ.