My Hubby, My Hero

Last night we had company for dinner, a classmate of Bethany’s the family hadn’t met before. Turned out, she is my age and very astute.

We chatted while kids finished setting table, then sat down to eat dinner together. My husband paused the conversation casually to give thanks for the food.

After the amen our guest asked, “Are you a pastor?”

My husband smiled and answered, “No.”

“Have you ever been a pastor?”

His answer was still, “No.”

“You seem like a pastor.”

I explained that he does teach the Bible and that he has taught the past 15 summers at Bible camps. The camp he has been teaching for the past decade is actually the camp where he came to know Christ as his Savior as a teenager.

Her curiosity couldn’t be satisfied. “So, where do you work?”

When my husband stated the name of the technology company, she quickly responded, “You don’t seem like you work for them.”

To some, it might have been have been a slight. To me it was a compliment. I loved that she noticed where my husband has placed his priorities. He does have a good career, he really enjoys his work, works hard to achieve his goals, and in the world’s eyes, is quite successful. His bottom drawer at work is full of awards he never mentions or displays. He works hard at his job for the glory of the Lord, but his glory doesn’t come from his job. His glory comes from doing the Lord’s work and from his family.

Once during a team meeting, the ice-breaker was to give your name and a hobby you enjoy. He introduced himself and stated his hobby as “my wife and six kids.”

Last week I used my husband’s example while talking with a young man making his life career decision. Most people advise young people to find a career they love. I advised him to be cautious about falling in to the trap of loving a job too much. I was able to tell him, “I know my husband loves me more than his job.” Since this young man isn’t married and isn’t exposed to the corporate lifestyle, I wasn’t sure if he understood the full impact of that statement. I clarified, “Not a lot of corporate wives can say that.”

When I was first diagnosed with cancer, we had only been living in Washington for about six months. We didn’t have a huge network of support. We had left behind our families and our lifetime of friends in the Midwest. Two days after my diagnosis, a family member of my husband’s attempted suicide and was struggling through a lingering depression. At the same time, my husband had a deadline for a major project at work looming ahead of him. He was pulled from every direction, but he didn’t unravel.

He began going into work anywhere from 4-6 in the morning to work on the project. He needed to put in extra hours at work, but didn’t want to take time away from the family, and didn’t want to miss our nightly family dinner. On the way home from work he would call his depressed relative with fresh encouragement for the day. He would arrive home, help make dinner, enjoy a rambunctious meal with eight people sharing how their day went, help with the housework and homework, send everyone to bed, then start a new day. He depended on the Lord, so his strength never failed.

I look back at those times and I am amazed at how Scott carried us all through. So, I can look at that drawer full of awards without scorn or bitterness – they didn’t cost me a thing. Some men have accomplished as much or more, but at the cost of their children, their marriages, their faith and their emotional well-being.

I’m glad he doesn’t give off the air of a corporate success, that would take away the image I love of him as my husband, a daddy and a servant of Jesus Christ.

My Hubby, My Hero.