Saturday, August 20, 2011

Celebrating Solid Gold Spousal Support

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Spousal support is normally a "hated" word . . . as it means for most divorced persons, some form of payment/alimony due to an "ex."


For me, I celebrate my spousal support from Robyn!

My life’s journey has been exponentially more full and vibrant with Robyn in my life.


In six years of marriage to Robyn,  I finished a dissertation I had intentionally boxed up to focus on being a parent and Dad.  With Robyn in my life, though, I was able to complete the Ph.D. with shared spousal and parenting support!


And, not just that - in the same space of these 6 years, Robyn's grace and shared care in my life has given me(we) opportunity to:


  • Start and finish a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Travel with groups to Palestine/Israel/Jordan 4 times, planning a 5th trip now!
  • Travel to and teach in Costa Rica 3 times
  • Start and Finish a Professional Certificate in Leadership Education from Duke University
  • Travel to (and around) and teach in Europe 
  • Develop and Direct the Eupan Global Initiative in various advocacy and awareness efforts.

  • Travel extensively through many U.S. States, as a family – and as a couple - including connection and advocacy/academic travel with Metanexus and the Society of Biblical Literature
  • Have space to think, write and travel to present lectures/papers in numerous contexts
  • Receive the acclaim of a NEH Grant, including status as a Visiting Faculty Member at Oxford University
  • Become a Carl Wilkens Fellow with advocacy work in Prevention and Protection efforts with Genocide Intervention Network
  • Read and Research as part of the Calvin Seminars in Christian Scholarship
  • Become a Rotary Peace Fellow
  • Manage, organize, edit, and write my first book.
  • And, in a few weeks, I will finish what started as an idea more than a year ago, the Professional Certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from Chulalongkorn University.

 

Robyn has given me space, freedom, shared help and resourcing in so many innumerable ways – with time, with work, with family, with just so very many things!


I wish for every person who seeks to be married – the blessings I have received from my loving, sharing, caring spouse.


I try to be a good husband - though I'm no expert at it for sure.  But, as I read and reflect on my life's reading and reflections shared in this blog, I realize - "all of this" stems from the "spousal support" and love and care and grace and generosity I receive from my loving spouse!


My wife is worth more to me than all the gold in the Buddha made of solid gold!  (see picture)! 


And, Robyn is easier to travel with than the Gold Buddha. Plus, Robyn is lighter than that 5 ton block! - and she smiles more radiantly and exudes more beauty than the Gold Buddha, too!  ;-)

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