For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my husband, because my heart and our children's hearts have been refreshed and encouraged through you.
{The Elizabeth translation of Philemon 1:7}
(This verse actually says For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, for the hearts of the saints have been refreshed and encouraged through you. I just made it my own.)
Ben is an encourager. He is a teacher. Watching him teach and challenge is a joy and a comfort, a refreshment, to me. This teaching and encouraging just pours forth from him.
He teaches me. What's important, what can wait, what to let go of. He encourages me in who I am, and who I am growing to be. He teaches our children. He gives them challenges, physical and mental, and the tools to complete those challenges.
He teaches his work crew. He encourages. He doesn't just teach the job, he teaches character and life.
He encourages his friends. I amso blessed by the way he cares for and gives to his friends.
In any relatinoship, Ben doesn't belittle. He doesn't berate or deride. He encourages. Sometimes in light-hearted fun. Sometimes in gentleness. Sometimes with a fierceness that comes from the fire in His soul to bring glory to God and the intense love He has for the people God has put in His care.
Early last summer we took a bike ride. Isaac wasn't very comfortable on his big bike, but Ben encouraged and taught him for miles (I think we rode 8 miles that day) up hills and through sand, over loose gravel, past poison ivy and on smooth tar.
As I listened to Ben and Isaac, I was thinking about how blessed I am by my husband. He is a picture of the Holy Spirit (the encourager, the comforter) to me and to our children. He is a picture of Christ to me (the incarnation of unconditional love), he loves us fiercely and cares for us unconditionally. He is a picture of God to me (the Father who has put life in front of us and offered, Here it is. You can either sit and let it all pass you by, you can walk timidly through, or you can get on and ride for all you're worth, and if you choose to ride, I'll be there, right there with you. I'll encourage you, and I love to give good gifts. You need a water break? We'll stop for some living water. You're feeling weak and tired? My voice, my presence, will bolster you to continue. When I know that you are just allowing human weakness and fear to overtake you, I'll tell you that you can continue, you can find the grit and the attitude that you need to bear down and go hard and enjoy the journey. And when it's time to rest, you'll rest well, you'll sleep in peace, because you have pushed through whatever it was that today handed you. And tomorrow, you'll get back on that bike and the bike will be easier to handle. What you have to ride through may be just as tough - or even tougher, but you'll make it because I am right here giving you grace and strength. And on the ride, you can choose to enjoy the effort you put forth and the encouragement I give and the growth you'll achieve and the scenery you'll pass.); Ben offers these same gifts to me and Maddie and Isaac.
After the ride, we played in the water . . .
And on the way home, Maddie and Isaac rested (slept) peacefully.
Happy Father's Day, Ben. I hope this encourages you, as you have so often encouraged us. You are the best dad our kiddos could ever ask for. God bless you richly today, my husband. I love you.
