I Left My Wife!

Posted by Scott Williams
13 Comments
October 29, 2007
Hmmmmm | Leadership | Life Application

I can’t believe it but after knowing one another for over 11 years, 2 children and a marriage before God; “I Left My Wife!”  I know that you are probably saying No, What do you mean?   Are you serious?   I can’t believe it either, but while we were at the Denver airport, I left her.  As we were coming down the escalator we noticed that the train was about to leave and I didn’t want to miss it.  I decided to take charge and lead the way, in order to get us on the train.  It was my understanding that if I just made it into the doors, they wood stop and re-open; just like an elevator.  I was wrong and the door closed with my wife standing outside the train looking at me.  It reminded me of a soap opera. I received more advice in that two minute ride than I normally receive in a week; such as:

  • An elderly lady said “ladies are supposed to be first”
  • A man in a cowboy hat said you will have about 2 minutes to find some flowers
  • A wise man said “just pray that she forgives you”

I decided to take the advice of the wise-man!  This was one of those situations in which I reacted based on previous experiences…. elevator doors open.  The problem is that I didn’t have any previous experience with train doors.  BTW I found my wife at baggage claim and she was laughing/smiling and said “I was fine; I was not going to get smashed by a train door!”  Hmmmm prayer does work, thanks “Mr. Wise Man!” 

In what ways are churches, businesses, marriages, sports teams….. reacting based on previous experiences; when the reality is that the current experiences are totally different? 

Share any situations that you have found yourself in similar to this one!

  • http://dturn.wordpress.com david

    When my wife was 6 months pregnant with our youngest, we went to the auto show (smart right?).
    After a long day of walking around (she was getting cranky), we decided to leave.
    Walking back to the parking garage, I realized that I couldn’t find my keys (this never happens to me!!).
    When we got to the car I saw my keys still in the ignition!! And the doors were unlocked!!!

    Needless to say, prayer works Scott!!!

  • Roger

    I am just lucky to still be living and married. In my infinite wisdom I decided or maybe a better term would be forgot to get my wife a mother’s day gift when she was preganant with our first son. Being a man I did not consider her a mother until the baby was born. BAD MISTAKE. She has forgiven me but I make sure and tell every man I know, that has a baby on the way, to make sure and acknowledge that she is a mom in some way on that day and avoid the pain it caused me.

  • Anna

    This is a good blog… it really makes me think… what are the ways we’re reacting based on previous experiences? This has been a big one for me in that I don’t have a lot of life experiences yet… so when things come my way that I’ve NEVER had to deal with before I’m a little lost as I try to react or handle things with the experiences I’ve had in the past when in reality it’s not working because these experiences are completely different. They are requiring new thoughts, new ways of thinking, new ways of processesing. I’m figuring it out, but it’s taken the lesson that I can’t always deal with things the way I always have… (This all makes sense in my mind)

  • http://knowgreaterlove.org/wordpress1 Avery

    Man,
    I am only 33… how do you expect a guy like me to answer that…?

    Truth is, I have had alot of experiences…

    I am young, and zealous, (not much different from Peter), and have jumped out of the boat a few times, only to learn the only thing that saves us from drowning is crying out “Save me Lord!”

    I think as leaders and members of the body of Christ grow and are discipled… this is inevitable… we are all going to come across train doors that we haven’t experienced yet…and rely on the knowledge of the known..(elevator doors)

    Lord keep us all teachable!

  • http://jimmyparavane.wordpress.com/ jimmy paravane

    Ah youth. First Scott, buy the flowers anyway, and apologize over and over again, no matter how many times she says it’s alright. Next David, never ever again put the words “she was getting cranky” out on the internet. Hasn’t anyone told you yet that nothing ever published online is lost? Roger, you’re well on the way to wisdom. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that you absolutely must never ever forget a mother’s day again? Or forget to publicly (at least among friends) chastise yourself vehemently about what a fool you were to forget it even once? I don’t know about the general question that Scott asked, but let me tell you young men the most important phrase you will ever learn when it comes to a happy marriage. It’s simple; “yes dear”. Base your marriage on the philosophy behind that single phrase, and I guarantee it will save you a lot of pain. Remember, women don’t operate on male based logic. They are a different species than us. Logic, who was right, and how long ago you messed up (understand right now that the man always always is wrong) have nothing to do with a happy marriage. My wife doesn’t know what blogs are yet. I might just get away with revealing all this. (grin)

  • Scott Williams

    David- LOL, Yesssss!
    Roger- I only knew because Wesley’s B-day is right around Mothers Day.
    Anna- Sometimes not having enough life experience is a blessing; you have new thoughts, new perspectives…
    Avery- Teachable, Teachable, Teachable… It’s a good thing to approach those doors!

    Jimmy- I always appreciate your candor and perspective…. “I think!”

  • http://www.crossroadsmovement.com J.W.

    Wow! I had a moment of silence for you followed by a “Thank You Jesus, he survived” prayer. You need to run around your campus, shouting and thanking God that prayer works and that the sister (your precious wife) didn’t smack you. I hope you at least made some gestures, like throw up your hands, bang on the door, blow her a kiss…something! I’m assuming the part of the story that you’re not telling is that you repented before your wife either with the “Honey my bad” speech or “what spa treatment do you want”. So, I see your story and I raise you…I’m about to take my beautiful wife home from the hospital with our first son (after a high risk pregnancy, pre-mature birth, complicated birth, etc) and I put our son in the car and walked around to get in the driver’s seat…without helping my precious wife get out of the wheelchair and into the car. BTW, I always open the door up for her. Did I mention that it was a cold December day in Washington, DC…

    I believe that some churches are actually trying to prepare and respond better to new experiences. However, for those that are not trying, then they could learn from your story. The moral from your story is that sometimes we miss judge the experience, but that we need to seek forgiveness and MOVE ON.

  • http://www.manymeadows.blogspot.com Robin

    Good post, Scott. New experiences can make for great innovation, right?

    And you bring up an interesting subject—-unasked for advice…… I’ve been thinking a bit about it lately.

    Anna—you made me laugh out loud!

    Guys – you’ll figure out that most of us women are pretty forgiving (is it because we HAVE to be to survive? ;)

  • Kimberly Martin

    Instead of “I left my wife” it was “I left my 1st date”! My husband left me on our very first date standing in the middle of a 6 foot high corn field! They were hog hunting, yes he and about ten of his buddies. They thought it would be “cool” to take his date, me a city girl, with them! We walked through the corn fields looking for who knows what? Suddenly, the dogs started barking and the guys took off running. Confounded, I stood there all alone and in silence. I was afraid to move an inch! 10 minutes passed… 30 minutes…an hour!! He finally came back to find me still standing in the same spot he left me! I might have been crazy but, yes, there was a 2nd date! Now, six years have passed and I can finally laugh at this story! Happily married and one child later I like to remind him of the day “he left me” =)

  • http://www.wellbread.wordpress.com Stacey

    HA!
    I fear this with my children, I have one who is a stragaler by nature. He goes at everything at his own pace. But, his doctor informed me not to try to change him, he will cure cancer. So…I will encourage him to be the spirit he was created to be. (and watch him like a hawk)

  • Scott Williams

    JW- I know that I am not supposed to be laughing, but I am smiling. I did the same thing when my wife had our first son, I immediately left her side and wento over to the baby. My situation at the airport was kinda like a soap opera, we were both looking at one another with a big noooooooooooooo look. :-)
    Robin- If we don’t Innovate we tend to Accommodate!
    Kim- You guys are meant for each other! That story cracks me up, oh I mean that is sad, oh I mean I’m sorry….. anyway thanks for being forgiving.
    Stacey- Great approach, Mrs. Hawk!

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