My Wife

Day #3: My wife, Mary Chesney. Where to begin? I guess back to 1983 in the choir loft at Clear Springs Baptist Church in Corryton, TN when I saw the most beautiful woman in the world walk through the front doors of the Church. It was love at first sight. Two years of dating and then marriage and it is hard to believe we will celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary in March of next year.

Even if I had tried I could not have chosen a better wife than Mary. The Lord most certainly orchestrated the whole thing. You've heard about marrying way out of your league, well that most definitely is what I did. Mary is a much better person than I could ever be. Whereas I tend to get selfish, she always puts everyone else first. She sacrifices daily for the needs of our family and others.

Mary has put up with a lot from me over the past 30-years, much more than anyone else would have. Through every crazy idea that I have came up with and failed on, to wasting time and money on things that were not important, to being stupid and neglecting her and the kids, she has stood by me. She gave up her own career where she was making twice the money that I was just so she could raise our children and be in the home full-time.

Mary didn't marry a pastor but when I was called to preach and pastor she became the best pastor's wife that anyone could ever want. She is faithful in all things to the ministry and the Church. She often has to remind me of my duties and sees that I keep up with them. She is supportive in every way and is certainly an Ephesians 5:22 wife which says: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord."

I mentioned in my post yesterday that my mother is the greatest mother on earth, well, let me also say that my wife, Mary, takes the title of greatest mother on the planet. Whether our children know it or appreciate it right now, they do not understand the love and sacrifice that she makes for them. They are always first no matter what. She is like a mother hen with her wing spread over them for protection. If she has to stay up all night because of sickness or drive 100 miles to get them to the doctor, that's what she does. Nothing, and I mean nothing comes between her and the children.

Out of all of the wonderful things that I admire about my wife, I just want to share this one last thing. I have grew up with her all the way from the age of 16 until now as we are starting to approach our 50's. I've seen her grow from a beautiful caring girl into a beautiful caring woman, wife, and mother. In all of these years the one thing that stands out to me is her faithfulness and dedication to others. During the time when her mother was so bad off and needed constant care Mary, along with her sisters, faithfully cared for her mother in every way and still took care of her own family. The saddest I have ever seen my wife is when her mother passed away last year but through it all she devoted her life to her family and her Lord Jesus.

I pray that my children are as blessed as I am when they meet the person that they intend to marry, and can experience the kind of love that Mary and I have shared through the Good Lord's divine intervention.