What I'm NOT Getting for Mother's Day...

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I already know what I’m not getting.

I’m not getting expensive jewelry.
I’m not getting a bouquet of flowers.
I’m not getting a box of chocolates.

I know this because I told my husband to skip it all this year; shocking, but true!  I really meant it.  I meant it because I know what I AM getting, something that my husband has been giving me all year.

It’s worth more to me than the most costly jewels (and this means a lot because I am of the belief that diamonds can indeed be a girl’s best friend.)
It’s more stunning than the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.  The fragrance of this gift lasts and lasts.
It’s more delicious to the soul than the yummiest box of chocolates (not that I would ever turn down a box of ANY kind of dark chocolates, but, nonetheless, my hips won’t miss it!).
It can’t be wrapped in a box, but it can be held in my heart, and that’s exactly where I treasure this priceless gift.

The reason I don’t need to unwrap a special gift tomorrow is because the other 364 days of the year I receive a gift from my man: something he fights for and presents to me through blood, sweat and prayer.  He gives me the gift of purity.

He allows himself to be accountable to mentors.
He denies worldly but empty “pleasures”.
He makes a choice to bounce his eyes.
He pursues me and no other.

He grabs hold of love, the most effective weapon against lust that God gave us.  He tirelessly fights to control his thoughts in the battlefield of the mind.

I can’t honestly say I understand what he must think, choose and deny in the battle for purity because I’m not a man and don’t struggle at that level.  What I do understand is that purity is never something to be taken for granted.  It’s a gift that one must sacrifice to give.

Tomorrow, I don’t need a tangible gift for Mother’s Day from my man.

The joy I feel EVERY day to know he strives to present me with the gift of purity, a gift he achieves at great cost, can not compare to a bouquet of flowers or any other present. My man is a warrior.  He’s not a perfect man, but he is a good and godly one and I am proud of him...on Mother’s Day and the other 364 days of the year.

My Mother’s Day wish is that my sons will also become warriors that will present this gift to their future wives too.  Thank you, Bob Cole, for fighting to uphold my honor as your wife and presenting me with the priceless gift of purity.  

(.Okay, okay, I admit: I did find out he’s getting me a new coat for Mother’s Day too...yeah!)