I don’t have time to do much building anymore. I used to have some kind of project going all of the time. Several years ago I built the boys the coolest fort that has mankind has ever seen. It was complete with bunk beds, carefully drilled holes for water guns to be placed, and a host of other features geared toward boys of all ages.

I learned over the years to be careful with lumber. Even good lumber has rough edges. Getting splinters in a finger is a fairly common occurrence. Occasionally I would even wear gloves. I did not let the rough edges hinder me from building a fort or some other contraption.

As I prepare for our 25th wedding anniversary in just a couple of weeks, I am reminded that Jan married a man with a lot of rough edges. She has gotten more splinters over the years that I can possibly recall. Twenty five years ago I was pretty rough around the edges. And 10 years ago, a vast majority of those edges were still present. She came into the marriage with countless packages of sandpaper. And she patiently sanded one edge at a time. Even today she still gets out the sandpaper on a pretty regular basis.

Diligence pays its dividends. I realized a few days ago that I am not nearly as blunt as I was a few years ago. The rough edge of bluntness has not been eradicated, but years of patient sanding have caused a significant reduction in interpersonal splinters. I am more sensitive to the needs of other people thanks to the finishing process that Jan has undertaken all of these years. I am more inclined to share what is really going inside of my heart, as the rough edges have given way to a smoother and gentler surface.

I am so thankful that she did not give up on me midstream. That seems to be a common trend today. Couples give up. Someone is cast aside in a corner with a lot of rough edges still in place. They look like an unfinished project that is left out in the weather to face the elements. I am grateful that Jan was willing to spend a fortune on sandpaper. I am even more thankful that she continues to patiently work on the rough edges every single day without exception.

It is pretty amazing that I married someone with very few, if any rough edges.
My little bride epitomizes the quality of a gentle and quiet spirit that is extolled in Scripture. I have not been forced to buy any sandpaper for 25 years. I suppose I had better invest that vast savings into a really nice anniversary gift. Actually the best gift I can give her is a husband with fewer rough edges. After all of these years, I think she deserves it.