Sarah

We first met in the bathroom at church when I was washing my hands. She was standing by the paper towels. She modeled simplicity and beauty, and spoke kindness. 
Still a teenager. She was just seventeen……if you know what I mean…..and I saw her standing there. 
She asked if I was the one singing that night with her brother, Sean. I had been looking forward to this time, as Sean was and still is an incredible musician. 
I was. 
Sarah was on “stand by” to take my place, as there was a possibility I wouldn’t make it back in town from Birmingham, where I had been taking care of my mother. She has a voice of an angel. Still does! Still love singing with her. 
That same night she met my son Paul, who was an usher at this wedding. Jesus, church choir, the single’s fellowship group and finger lickin’ Southern Baptist Fried Chicken helped to grow their relationship. 
Some thought it to be scandalous, as their age difference was far apart. I thought it to be an answer to prayer. 
Sarah is a runner. She moves fast and furious at times, kind of like she dances. She had some incredible tragedies and trials growing up. It was hard after her father died. 
 I have always admired and been amazed with her courage, strength and perseverance as she has turned her tragedies into triumphs and her trials into testimonies. There isn’t a mountain too high for Sarah to climb.
When that son of mine finally asked “Would you marry me”, I could barely catch up fast enough before her family and ours all made it to the court house steps.  
I have loved Sarah from the moment I first met her. She is fun, crazy, loud, laughs a lot and fights for what she believes in damn it! She is also tender, nervous and afraid at times.  
She is my daughter-in-law. She is going to take care of me one day. She is the wife of my oldest son, Paul and the mother to my granddaughter, Lily Faith. The best part is that she is my friend.  
I have loved journeying through life together with Sarah. We have shared our experience of singing in England on a mission trip together. We have shared our first time of seeing the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C. together. We have shared seeing and hearing the load roar of the Atlantic Ocean together. We have and still share the love for Jesus. We have shared many family stories together around the dinner table. Now we share one of the most important men in both our lives together. Paul.
There is nothing better than being able to know you have a loving and faithful women for your son to take up where you left off. That is Sarah.  
The first time Sarah came to our home to eat she just didn’t have the heart or nerve to tell me she didn’t eat meat, so she ate every last bit of that delicious pork chop.  
We have loved one another. We have forgiven one another. We have done “real” which was hard at times. We have persevered in not giving up or giving in. We have held one another. We have learned one another’s love languages and boundaries. We have sung together, laughed together and cried together. We share the fight against rejection and fear. We war together for our families and guard our camp.  
I have heard that a man sometimes marries a woman that is like his mom.   
Happy Birthday Sarah. Bob and I love you very much. 
Don’t forget to feed the birds.