New Life is taking such good care of my wife for her birthday!

From the Pastor’s Desk (305)

My wife’s birthday is on September 1st. She turned 63 this year. We were married in March of 1992, so we have been married for over 34 years now.

I grew up in New York, and my wife grew up in Southern California. But for the past 32 years, we have been living and serving in ministry here in Houston. Because of that distance, we had to raise our three children without any outside help.

My wife majored in Computer Science at UCLA and worked for a company called McDonnell Douglas for several years. Thanks to the money she saved during those working years, we were able to make the down payment on a $105,000 house in Copperfield when we first moved here.

When our children were young, after much discussion, my wife and I decided that she would stay home to focus on managing the household and raising our kids. Had she continued her career from that point on, she likely would have become a Senior Manager or Vice President by now, earning a substantial income. Yet, we have zero regrets about our decision. Because she left her job to stay home, she was able to fully devote herself not only to our family but also to church ministry—especially in serving and discipling the sisters in our congregation. I still remember how, in the early days of our church, my wife personally did one-on-one discipleship with almost every single sister.

To be completely honest, though, there is one small thing I find myself wishing were a bit different. As many of you know, I love good food—not necessarily expensive or extravagant meals, but simple, delicious food. However, cooking is not my wife’s strong suit. My late mother-in-law wasn’t much of a cook either. On the other hand, my own mother’s cooking was truly exceptional…

So whenever I sit down to a meal at home, I occasionally feel a slight sense of disappointment. When the thought crosses my mind—”Look, after being married for over 30 years and managing a household for more than three decades, shouldn’t her cooking have improved by now?”—I feel a mix of disappointment and even a strange sense of loss.

Yet, since moving here in 1994, I do not know of a single church member who has been stumbled, hurt, or offended because of my wife. Of course, it is true that because I lead with a certain level of diligence and strive to remain above reproach, she has served under a protective boundary. But no matter how carefully I pastor, if my wife were to speak unadvisedly or act inappropriately, our members would inevitably grow disappointed and hurt, and unspoken frustrations would build up toward me. Instead, she is genuinely loved and cherished by every member of our church. I believe this is because she truly loves our congregation and serves them with deep compassion.

Even for this birthday, I lost count of how many times she was invited out for celebratory meals. Seeing her so loved brings me immense joy and gratitude.

Even if she doesn’t cook meals tailored to my exact taste, she has never been a hindrance to my ministry. Rather, she has been my greatest support and blessing. I am deeply and truly grateful for her.

Your pastor,

Pastor Eric