Friday, January 13, 2012

How I know she really loves me

When my wife and I first met in the store she was working in Tarlac in 2007 she had made it clear to me that she was only interested in one thing. That was to have a man love her for who she is and to grow together in the Lord. My wife is a very simple person and not worldly at all.









The first time I brought my wife out to the property I was very curious as to what her reaction would be. I had never told her that I had spent over a million dollars developing the place. She had no idea what she would be seeing other than a place I referred to as "the farm". 

This is the place we call the "farm" located in Tarlac Province
After picking her up and going out to lunch I had driven her to "the farm" along with her friend Jaz. When we entered the front gate I was expecting to hear some kind of "oh wow" from her.  I was astonished that she did not say anything regarding the enormity of the property. She simply smiled and showed her sincere interest to me rather than the material surroundings. That was a first sign of who she was as a person.

With many visits to the "farm" she had never once mentioned how lucky she was to have a man with such a place. Her attitude never changed from day one. No sign of a person who had won the lottery and anything like that. She never once made me feel like a walking ATM machine. She stayed as grounded as ever. I knew I had a very special woman on my hands and felt I must be careful with her so as not to loose her.


My wife made it clear from the beginning of our relationship that there was nothing more important to her than her relationship with God. In fact, for the first 4 months she talked about nothing else than the Lord. With every text there was a Bible verse. With every conversation there was talk of Jesus or work for Him.  The material things she saw simply were not important to her. Something at that time we had no idea she would be brought the ultimate test of her heart. For all of those materially things would be maliciously taken from her.


Our first flowers for each other were healthy asparagus! lol
My wife's focus in our relationship from the start and even to this day has been for my well being. She is more concerned where I am in my relationship with God than in any material thing I could bring her.  She spends a great deal of time making sure I eat the right things, take my vitamin's and get enough exercise. She encourages me in these things. She makes it a priority to teach our daughter and now our new son the importance of family. It is so clear what is important to her.

I am quite humbled to realize more and more who I have on my hands here with me. She is truly priceless and is God's love and grace given to be my partner and helper in this life. Is she perfect? Of course not, but I can tell the readers here she is the closest to perfect I have ever seen in my life. I mean that.

An actual photo of where my wife started her life
Imagine, my wife who was born into this world in the most humble circumstances lost her mother to cancer at age 1 and then was raised by a very strict father who was barely able to support her and her brothers feeding them root crops for the 1st ten years of her life. Then at age 10 she was raised by a guardian.  My wife became somewhat of a servant to others not of her choice. She then attained a college diploma and entered the working world as a teacher. Then she bravely went to Manila with no family or friends to find work for the sole purpose to support her nieces and nephews who were not even her blood relatives. Then she got a job in a retail store where we met, after which she was presented with being the rightful owner of a gorgeous property inherited through our marriage. She started her married life there being blessed with our first child. She had a stable life with a place she could call home. A gorgeous place.  Then we were targeted by an extortion ring who's greed had no ends forcing us from our home and livelihood to live as nomads outside the Philippines. The now President of the Philippines whom my wife knew personally has seemed to ignore my wife's pleas for help.  Everything she had which brought normalcy to life was stripped from my her. From a 15 hectare paradise  to living in hotel rooms having to go from country to country now for two years. It was all turned upside down and taken from her forced from it literally by death threats.

Christmas day 2011
I want all of you reading this to know something. With tears in my eyes I write this. You know what? Even with all of this which has happened to my wife she has not changed one bit. After having all her material possessions taken from her and going from living comfortably to very uncomfortably she can still smile. Through these unimaginable circumstances her love for me and our family has only grown stronger. This is how I know she really loves me. Where could I ever find someone like her?

This love of hers has radically changed me as a person. I have learned from her what is truly important in life and now I embrace my own family more. All because of my wife and her commitment to God and to our marriage. I really understand now how God uses people to touch our hearts and how we can do the same for others if we only try.

I don't know what the outcome will be if we will ever get those material things back. But one thing for sure, that love which I trust explicitly will always be there. It is not governed by those things which one day will pass away.  This will empower me to be there for my family in whatever the future will bring.

4 comments:

  1. I liked your story, so true!! Love cannot be measured by any material things but on how you hold on together and keep the love growing each day without expecting for a return. True love is beyond material things and even physical appearances. It's all about the love you have for each other,the LOVE that remains forever no matter what happen.

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    1. What a nice comment. Thanks Shej. You are so right, and to have a relationship like this is priceless. I am truly the most blessed man in the world!

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  2. I posted your story in my FB page " I hope their predicaments born of injustice will be noticed by the President of the Philippines and the world. There are corruptions anywhere, but being able to put your finger on it can be a daunting task sought by the helpless and the alone." I'll continue to pray for your family.

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  3. I posted your story on Pinaywife.com. This a very inspiring story and we wish you and your nothing but everlasting blessings!

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