Sandra Tayler is Amazing
My wife (whose name is not Sandra) is the most wonderful woman I have ever met. I suppose it’s supposed to be that way for all men. Every man is supposed to privately think that his wife is the most wonderful woman of all, and so each woman finds an equality in her husband’s adoration. Of course, this kind of superiority is only hypothetical, while my wife is objectively incredible. Her service to me is so beyond comparison that I’ve often had to scold her – for overachieving; for making me feel, once again that I have to compete and excel beyond all reason in my husbandly duties to her in order to achieve something remotely reciprocal.
And why does she do this? Because she loves me, she says. And because wants to be “a good wife”. And she asks me: “am I a good wife?” And further, “Will I be a good mother?” The answer to the first question is always some variant of “absolutely!” To the second, “by any any imaginable criteria beforehand, of course.” I can imagine some criteria, which she passes with flying colors, but as we are currently childless…
At any rate, Howard Tayler’s got three kids, and his wife, by all accounts is amazing. Presumably she and Valerie have a lot in common. I wouldn’t know. They’ve never met.
Howard Tayler is a comic book artist, but often I get as much from his weblogs as from his comic. His charity and his humility shine through quite often, but particularly when praising his wife. I was charmed by this post, and thought I’d mention it. Also, I’ve been putting off subscribing to Sandra’s Blog, but apparently I need to.
Obscure for those outside the nerd world:
I say hyphenation is cheating
Kyle, this is incredible! I am blown away. Very profound and thought provoking. I wish you the best and I know you will serve our country well. God bless you and your family.
All I can say is what the Lord once said to me — I know that’s very subjective.
But I once spent a great deal of time repenting of my feelings. I considered my feelings the TRUE expression of me. Once in the midst of such a repentence, The Lord broke in and said. That’s not who you are — it’s just how you feel
Similiar thing happened when we first moved to Tulsa. I was simply contemplating my last few months working with children in Lawton; ruminating on the adage that you can’t fool a child. Thinking, yes, you can. I fooled them every week. I didn’t love them but they thought I did. Again, I was interrupted when the Lord said, that was love. Love isn’t a warm fuzzy feeling — it’s what you do and you LOVED those children for me.
One of the most powerful teachings I have hung onto through the years came from a converted Jewish woman whose name I have forgotten. She was the speaker at a retreat I went to when we first moved to Lawton. The series of messages was Obedience: Squeals, Squawks and the deluxe combo. Squealing obedience was when what we’re given to do is exactly what we want to do and we squeal with joy. Squawking obedience is the opposite. And the dexlue combo are those situations that begin either squeaking or squawking and then the experiences reverses itself. The point she made over and over again was that if we obeyed regardless of our feelings [squawking] The Lord would write in His book _________obeyed me, one more time.
I think feelings matter but I don’t find evidence God is judging us by them. He is moved by the feelings of our infirmities.
Side bar — but we all have ways we used to “fix” ourselves when our feelings begin to overwhelm us – my pesonal favorite is worship. Which anyone can do driving down the road. Lenghty devotions are not the only solution. Kerry uses worship and also has a wonderful testimony of using just giving thanks.
How in the world are you having time to listen to so many messages and post reviews in the afternoon? Are you leading a double life? I am jealous, I never have that kind of time with my work…
I think the poem is spot-on, having lived on an anvil of late. Thanks for transcribing it! Hope I get a semi-noble part.
I don’t have time to read any more. But I have plenty of time to listen. In due deference though, I didn’t transcribe it. The lovely folks at Dave Harvey’s church sent me a copy when they wrote back to me.
I did put in the proper line breaks, tho’.
It seems there were only the two entrants. So who won?
Hope everything’s ok. Our prayers are with you guys.
When is his appointment with a neuro?
Dang! What would a person do with nearly 9 gallons of mince meat?!
I do happen to like mince meat pie, though my tastes are probably off since I’m used to the store bought stuff. Still, 9 gallons…
Blegh. I remember what happened the last time mincemeat was consumed in our family.
MMM, that does sound good. Next time you cook up a batch send me a couple of cans
.