Ebbs and Flows

The world has not stopped spinning, a new degree was not award by a dean, nor was there even a flap of a butterfly wing at last night's events. But I believe God is smiling with head up and eyes closed this morning at the thanks I offer him now for a woman who is greater than any President, King, Dignitary, or Scholar.
My wife and I just wrote her resignation letter for her job. This marks a significant day in our lives because four years ago she went back to work so that I could complete seminary. At that point it was a very painful, shameful, and depressing thing for me. We had worked very hard to get her home with our children and I simply did not want to ask her to go back to work. I thought I was a failure because I couldn't do it all. But God had to teach me one more lesson.
We tried to do it with my working full-time and her working part-time but I didn't have enough time to do what I needed to do. So without my asking, she graciously offered to go full-time in her job. She did that and now she has worked seven-on-seven-off for four years. The stress and hours have taken a toll on her health, but she has not complained. The kids have had to be without their mom and put up with a dad that doesn't always handle things well but they have survived. I am truly honored to be her husband and to have benefitted from her life. She epitomizes what Proverbs 31 is about and she inspires me to continue in this thing of ministry. I really don't know how I would function without her. She keeps me sane, loves me when I'm wrong, finds new ways to help our kids, and elevates others above herself. She is simply incredible.
In the next few weeks she will quietly resign a post that she has poured her heart and soul into - as she does everything she does - and will give up any career aspirations or goals she might have so that she can stay home and raise godly little people. The pundits will grind on in their cynicism of Christianity, the atheists will whine in their crass accusations against Christians, and vile heathens will rail against God himself. But if they would just cast their eye on the quiet Saints like my Tracey, all their pustules would shrink and their profanity would become empty. Godliness, Christ-likeness, and Love are summed up in a brilliant woman stepping away from her accomplishments to pour herself into her children. This is the summation of the Gospel.
I know I cannot repay the love she has shown me and it would be a poor epitaph to try do so. My pedestrian thoughts or thanks cannot begin to attain the heights of the love and dedication to me and the Kingdom she has given. So I ask God to reward her for her deeds. His is a sure and lasting reward. But what I can do is say, "thank you" and "I love you." Tracey, you mean more to me than words can possibly say and I thank God for you. "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."