Letter (to a world-weary wife)

i have this desparate need for you (whoever you are) to know her a little more - for there is treasure there that can't be captured in any other way.  while doing the chores i've been avoiding, i came across this note (among others) in sherry's night stand.  i hope it lifts your heart and gives you a peek into her heart.
 
from tim to sherry
2004-04
 
i've been thinking about you alot lately.
 
i'm amazed by all that you do on a daily basis.  you are a great mom regardless of how you might feel about it from one moment to the next.  your kids are kind, gentle and compassionate.  even when their personalities seem to work against us (like amy's defense of the defenseless), i still have to admire the impact you have had on their hearts.
 
you are a great teacher.  amy and paige are learning at the pace that's right for them, each blooming in their own time.  don't forget that what we're doing to educate our kids has a payout that we can't yet see - it's more than learning stuff - we're building a foundation that they'll stand on to face a crazy, mixed up world.  it's a great foundation and i'm so grateful for you and how you lay the bricks one by one every day.  don't let their (frequent?) discouragement hide what's really going on.  you are my "teacher of the year" every year!
 
you are a passionate christian.  too often this works against you because not everyone can relate to your passion.  even i get left behind and i'm so sorry for the times you feel alone in your crusades.  i know that feeling too, and it's no fun.  please know that i understand those burnings and want to enable you - help me understand how to do this.  remember that, in the end, it matters not whether anyone understood you and your passion.... God understands.  He made you just the way you are and He delights in seeing your fires rise and your visions take flight.
 
you are a cancer survivor.  i love this one because it means i can write you a note like this and know that you're there to read it.  it means that amy and paige have their mom.  it means that all those you bless haven't missed the boat.  it means that you see life a little differently than most (again, this works against you sometimes - show grace to those of us who don't completely get it).  your response to this crisis revealed to the many what i already knew - you have great faith and character.  i want to be like you.
 
you are a great friend.  in season, out of season (pardon the pun), you are a real friend to those who want a real friend.  life is full of hurt and loss, and you've suffered more than your fair share when it comes to friends.  God is good!  He has never left you without the opportunity to make great friends - and you always have.  it can be hard to face the future with optimism when it seems so clouded by the regrets of the past.  my prayer for you is this:  trust that God knows your need for fellowship and will never forsake you or abandon you.  i, for one, will always be your friend.  please forgive me when i dont' live it out as i should.
 
you are so much more... so this will be continued!!
me