Eshet Chayil

Eshet Chayil.  A woman of valor.  Thus begins the prayer of blessing that I say over my wife as part of our Shabbat ritual on Friday night before sundown.  I should say it every day.  Twyla is the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman.  She puts passion into whatever she does.  Her artwork is amazing.  You really need to go check out her blog and take the time to look at her watercolor page.

Ready to party

Twyla's doctor banned her from working years ago when her condition became just too much for her to try to keep working.  Her condition had her nearly crippled and there were times when she had to literally crawl from her car to the house at the end of a workday.  Being a nurse with a keen medical mind, she studied her own condition and learned all she could about natural remedies and therapies to bring some functionality back into her life.

She is allergic to pain medications, and so she lives in nearly a constant state of pain to some degree. In spite of all this, she works to keep a clean house, and take good care of her hubby.  She cooks delicious food for me every day.  Twyla has a laugh that is contagious and she laughs often and loudly.  She is so sharp that she comes up with the wittiest remarks at the drop of a hat.  She is deadly at Scrabble.  I know it's hard to imagine Scrabble as a blood sport, but trust me, you'd better be very good to want to take her on.  She is a beautiful woman.  Her beauty is way beyond skin deep.  The smile that radiates out of her and puts people at ease comes from a life of optimism in spite of suffering, and a deep abiding love for God.  Few people will ever get to experience the mercy and grace of such a woman as I get to experience on a regular basis.

Two new friends and two old ones at a Tea Party

Since I have taken on managing a farm for someone else, she has stepped up and taken on more.  She sees to it that the chickens get food and water as needed.  She has also taken on writing a blog on behalf of someone else in order to bring in more money.  She puts her incredible artistic talent into it for very little money, but she does it with the hope of being appreciated more down the road.  The quality of her work is worth far more than what she's getting paid.  That's the danger in doing something so well and making it look so easy.

My wife is someone who loves to be a hostess and give people an experience they will always cherish.  You should be so lucky to attend one of her "Tea Parties."  We recently made new friends via some other friends, and their first encounter with us was a Tea Party.  We don't have many real friends, but I think that's because we both won't just settle for mere acquaintances, or people who we will pretend to impress  and vice-versa.  Life is too short for such stuff.

So that's who I'm married to.  Whatever faults I think she has, her assets far outweigh them.  I'm very blessed by God to have her, and I think everyone else should know about it as well.  I love you, Twyla.  Thanks for being my wife.