God surely has a sense of humor. How else can we explain how He puts together people who are so totally opposite in temperament?  Most married people I know tell of the shock to learn that the person they have fallen in love with is so incredibly different than expected.

I am an early riser, my feet hitting the floor in an almost-run to get my day organized.  In my younger days, I could have the laundry done, supper casserole prepared, refrigerator cleaned, breakfast on the table, and be ready for work by seven-thirty a.m.  In contrast, my husband yawned in sleepy contentment until his second cup of coffee.  I often joked, “I could clean my entire house while Tommy put on his shoes.”  It was almost the truth! His inner clock kept him awake and often working until well after dark, while mine fell asleep before the evening news. He had but one speed and could not be hurried.  I often rushed into trouble.

He tended to keep anything he might someday use, and his shop and workbench became legendary for the hoard he collected. My natural talent for organizing helped me arrange all these items into a successful marine store. While he worked on boats, I kept the books and sold supplies.

And yet, despite all these differences, our relationship was very comfortable. We complemented one another. Few couples can live and work together as well as we.

Widowed now, I live with a beloved daughter who is much like Tommy—slow and gentle and apt to collect things. When I am tempted to fuss, God reminds me of her incredible sweet spirit, so unlike my own.  She will never be like me, and for this I am deeply grateful. She does not need my faults! Because we accept one another and make no attempt to change the other, both our lives are richer. God has given us great peace.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You made each of us in Your beautiful image. Our differences are but reflections of Your amazing creativity. Please help me accept and cherish these differences as Your gift to us. Continue giving us Your peace as we grow in You. In Jesus’s name, amen.