Patrick O'Connell

Valentine's Day 2012

Ahh Valentine's Day. Today my wife Nancy and I have been together for 25 Valentine Days. We met when we were teenagers and scrawled soupy love poems on cheap greeting cards and gave them to each others. Valentine's Day used to be about gifts and cards and chocolates and going out to eat.

But not anymore. These days, we spend quality time together. No chocolates or cards or gifts. We do eat dinner together (because we still have to eat) but mostly we eat at home.

Our lackadaisical attitude toward Valentine's Day isn't because we don't celebrate our love. In fact quite the opposite. When you're married to a woman like my wife you find an opportunity to celebrate whenever you can.

Happy Valentine's Day babe. I love you.

 

 

Help!

Help! I need somebody…

Help! Not just anybody

Help…I need…my wife!

I am swimming in church planting. I mean there are so many details that I am contending with and today I was feeling quite overwhelmed with it all. I didn't sleep well last night and when I woke (about 4:30AM) I went right back to work. I took a break and went to theology club (great conversation there about knowing God) and then went right back to work at my desk at home.

For the record, the backlog was my own fault. I am, by nature, a perfectionist and therefore it's very easy for me to try and tackle a task myself rather than work smartly and ask for help. I suppose I still have some of that ditch-digger mentality when it comes to work. But there was no question I needed help.

Nancy was home and saw me struggling. She had got the kids off to school and extended some TLC to Cormac who was sick. She had plans for today but had to rearrange everything because of a sick kid.

During a lull, she sat down next to me. 'I want to help you today. What can I do.'

I didn't answer. I mean I didn't want to admit that I needed a little help but when I hesitated, she grabbed my to-do list and said, 'where do I start.'

And so, for the next few hours my wife and I had the unique and wonderful experience of working together. I mean we really rolled up our sleeves and dived in. She did some research for me; she followed up on a few inquiries; she ordered some material etc, etc. In over 15 years of marriage we've never had a chance to work together like this. Of course we've worked together a zillion times. Today was different. We're out here with Restore and we're both bought into the mission, we're both pulling hard to do our part to make it happen.

I enjoyed myself today. I am not sure if Nancy would tell you the same thing as I was stressed and barked a few times when I should have kept my mouth shut. And there is no question that I accomplished all I needed because my awesome wife saw me struggling and jumped in to help.

That's just another reason I love her so much. I know that sounds sappy but I really mean it. We aren't just married, we're life partners, and sometimes we need to jump right in and just help each other.