She Is Worth Far More Than Rubies

You will have to pardon, for a moment, my unblushing praise of my parents. This is because at the end of last month, when Julie and I received an unexpected blow finding out that we owed money to the IRS (though we filed zero on our exemptions, bought a house, and carried a school bill all year long), my wife immediately picked up the phone, dialed the restaraunt she waitressed at in the summer, and asked if she could work 3 nights a week in order to make up the difference.

Those of you who know Julie are likely not surprised that she would take on something like this. Now please understand, I am not writing this primarily to boast in Julie, though I would not be wrong to do so, but I am writing to boast, primarily, in my parents. I remember when I was in high school, and how my dating relationship was a constant "on-again-off-again." During those times both my mom and dad would constantly encourage me to look for those qualities in Julie which are most noble and worthy of love. My mother would constantly point to Julie's servanthood and diligence as excellent qualities for a spouse. Strangely, as a teenager, work-ethic and servant-hood were not the most exciting qualities to look for in a wife.

Yet when Julie made that call this past month, I all at once understood what Mom and Dad meant -- how can you express the value of a woman whose love for her family drives her to serve them at expense of her own time and energy? She is worth far more than rubies!