He Loves you with what he doesn’t say
Have you ever thought that we all have different love languages? I know mine is words. I love words. My husband is a tabbed Airborne Ranger; his love language is action, sacrifice, peace, silence and perseverance. My husband doesn’t say a lot – with mere words, but his actions speak volumes. He finds fun in rain storms, even during times of flood. He fixes whatever is broken, coaches soccer teams, and is your biggest fan if he happens to be on the sidelines. He thinks of you at the grocery store and picks up your favorite soda, even though you didn’t ask or remind him that you were low. Even though he’s a teacher, he believes in accountability, more than book knowledge and therefore, teaches our children and his students how to be accountable adults by grading every one of their math problems on their homework assignment (while most teachers take 2 seconds to put a red check and give full credit, not checking to see if the student merely copied the math problem, but didn’t take the time to solve it). Students are usually shocked that he gives zeros because he expects 110% percent, and teaches to expect nothing less than that of themselves on every assignment in the classroom –and life! He assigns chores because they facilitate problem solving skills, not because he’s too lazy or takes advantage. He does it for the chore-doer’s best interest and growth. His eyes are full of kindness and compassion, strength and fortitude. His eyes always say: “I will stand by you, no matter what; we will make it.” He gets chills on his arms every time the National Anthem plays, and he notices who stands straight and who moves around and laughs; he tears up every time, and thinks about the soldiers fighting and dying during the song. He is a true American Hero, one who loves God, his wife, his children, his country, his job, and his community. He does everything as unto God, not man. And although he may not talk enough to fill countless pages of books, his actions speak volumes. And he does use three very important words more than most people say hello, often leaving them on sticky notes next to the coffee pot to greet me, on a note-card for our son by his book-bag, and often standing up in the keyboard for our teenage daughter on the morning of a test or a big day.
I was recently reading the Army Ranger Creed that is carved into a narrow stump pulled out of a Florida swamp where my husband attended swamp-phase of Ranger school. He earned his Ranger tab in 1991 after surviving mountain phase, desert phase, swamp-phase. He scaled mountains, jumped out of planes, survived in the desert and in the swamp, sleeping standing up with his rifle above his head. They trained him to live on 1/ 2 a meal a day and march and run more miles in one night than most walk in a year all the while enduring a bleeding blister that would later require a shot of something they shoot into a baby-elephant’s foot. I see how his training has transferred to everyday life. He says, “Once a Ranger, always a Ranger.” Never put a “was” before a Ranger. I am thankful that my husband’s military training now transfers to the battles of everyday life, and I salute our active duty and our Veterans. May we continually pray for them and support them! I close with a thought “If you don’t stand for our troops, may I suggest that you stand in front of them.”
The Warrior Mom Ministry was founded by Kristina Seymour, author of The Warrior Mom Handbook – Equipping Women through the Word, a Bible study for moms who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. Kristina has learned that moms can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about The Warrior Mom Handbook, the Warrior Mom Ministry, and to sign up for daily encouragement, visit Kristina's blog.
Originally published Tuesday, 16 June 2015.
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