Once There Was A Man

Once upon a time there was a young man. He was married to his high school sweetheart. When he was 22 years old, his wife had their first baby, a son.
A year later the man’s wife had their second son.
The man loved God and the man loved his little boys. The man loved his wife too, but she didn’t always believe him.
The man’s wife watched his every move and was quick to point out his inadequacies.
“Don’t you pay attention?” “Can’t you do anything right?” “When are you going to grow up?”, the wife would say to her husband.
The wife was often right. The young man did not always pay attention and sometimes, he didn’t act much like a grown-up. There were some things he didn’t know how to do, and some things he just didn’t care about doing.
But the man loved God and the man loved his little boys. The man loved his wife too, and she learned to believe him.
The man continued to do some things wrong and to this very day, he doesn’t always pay attention. The man never tried very hard to act like a grown-up.
There are still some things he doesn’t know how to do and now he just tells his wife, he doesn’t care about doing some things.
The man is older now. The man’s two baby boys are taller than him. One is going to the University of Michigan in a few months. The other one will go to college next year and play football for the third year in the fall.
The man’s wife is overcome with gratitude.
The man’s wife has learned how to get his attention and she has learned from him what is worth paying attention to.
The man’s wife thinks he does most things right, the important things anyway.
The man’s wife is very glad he is not always very grown-up; because he fills her days with laughter.
The man’s wife has forgiven him for not knowing how to do everything because she now knows, he does everything they need.
Once upon a time a young man was married to his high school sweetheart and they had two little boys. The young man didn’t know how to be a father or a husband, but he loved God and he loved his little boys and he loved his wife. And it turns out, he really did know all he needed to know.
I love you, Dean.
Psalm 112:6
Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.