A Love Note to Kim

This blog is just for Kim. So if you aren't Kim Knight you probably won't get much out of this.


Kim,
I'm so sorry that you were sick this week. I wish that I could do as good of a job taking care of everyone the way that you do. You have the biggest heart of anyone that I have ever met. You love everyone so good, especially your family. Watching you fight through your pain so you could take care of Kelsi was so inspiring to me. It's little things you do like this that make me want to be a better man.

As I watch you, day in and day out, take care of us it reminds me so much of Christs love for us. He sacrificed everything so that we could have it all. That's the way that you are. You sacrifice your time and energy taking care of me and the kids and it does not go unnoticed. You made sure that Kassi and Kalli could read before they got to kindergarten and I know you will do the same with Kelsi. You give your time coaching AAU not just because you enjoy it but because our girls have always wanted you to.

I wish I had the capacity for the love for others that you have but I don't because I am not a mother. But one thing I do know is there isn't a man on earth that could love you more than I do. You are always on my mind. I try to pray without ceasing and when I'm making specific requests they are usually for you because you deserve to have everything that you desire.

You and I are definitely soul mates. We love the same things. No one could appreciate a sunset with me like you do. No one could understand my excitement and disappointment with University of Tennessee sports like you. We are always thinking the same thing at the same time. You make me feel like the best husband in the world even though I know that I'm not even close. No one I know would peel, devein, and cook shrimp for their family even though that the thought of shrimp makes them sick...except you. Only I can understand and appreciate your love and excitement for dolphins when we go to the beach. Only you could appreciate a first date at the river.

I love everything about you. I love your sweet voice. I love your beautiful blue eyes. I love how you snuggle next to me every chance you get. I love how you include me in every part of your life. I love how we are best friends and I can tell you everything. I love that you know the worst thing about me and you love me anyway. I love how you laugh at all of my jokes. I love how you feel safe with me. I love how you make me feel stronger than I am. I love how you make me feel smarter than I am. I love how you make me feel more handsome than I am.

You are the most perfect wife in the world and I promise I will always love you the best way that I know how.

God loves you and I do too!

God will take care of them!

In one of my recent posts I mentioned that I have had some issues at work. I have been very tempted to be angry while leaving out the "sin not" part (Eph 4:26). Psalm 37 has been my source of strength during this time. God is good and he will take care of me. I put all of my faith, hope, and trust in Him. I'm so glad that he left me his love note (the bible) to remind me that He loves me and that He will take care of me.

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:  6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. 12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; 17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. 18 The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. 19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. 20 But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.  21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; 22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. 23 The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; 24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. 25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.  27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. 28 For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. 29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. 30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. 32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death; 33 but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial. 34 Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. 35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, 36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.  37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. 38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked. 39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Time to get dirty

In November, I blogged about being burdened and carrying other's burdens. Galations 6:2 tells us to carry each others burdens. I think the question we all ask is how? How do I carry my brother's burden? How do I help carry your burden?

Until now, I thought I could help carry anyone's burden simply by praying. We all want to help and we all want to be hero's but what if I told you that sometimes there just isn't much you can do to carry a someone's burden? What if I told you that it takes a special type of person that can help you with your burden? I know that will stir some disagreement but that's OK. If we all agreed all the time then we would always be right. But in Numbers 11:16,17 God told Moses to pick certain people to help him. Moses didn't just go get any Joe, they were chosen.

I formed this opinion yesterday. As many of you may or may not know, all three of our kids have stomach viruses. Kim and I went away for my birthday and Kim's mom was keeping the kids at our house when it hit, and boy did it hit. Kim and I cut our trip short and when we got home, the girls were pitiful. After cleaning several messes, Kim said "I think this is what God meant when He said we are to bear one another's burdens". What Kim was saying is that if you REALLY want to carry someone's burdens you have to be willing to get dirty. To carry someone's burdens you have to jump in the mud or the fire with them. After talking to Kim and thinking about it, this made absolutely perfect sense to me.

If you are moving, would you want me to pray that God helps you or would you want me to show up with my truck ready to help you move? If your water line breaks, would you rather me pray that God sends you someone to help or would you rather me show up with a shovel to help you to dig down to the leak? If your going through a divorce, would you rather me pray for you or would you rather Kim and me take you to dinner and listen to you?

I hope you know that I'm not diminishing the need for prayer. We should always pray and we should always pray for each other. However, there comes a time for action for someone. James 2:15,16 addresses this and then of course we know that faith without works is dead. We live in a world of hurting people. Are you willing to roll your sleeves up and get dirty? What are you really willing to do to help carry someone's burden? Unfortunately, it is much easier for people to judge others rather than help them.

Pray, by all means pray. Pray without ceasing. But you should be well aware of those around you because sometimes, hurting people are crying out for help without you knowing it. There may be people around us that are stuck in the mud and they are just waiting for someone to get in with them to help them get out.

God loves you and I do too!