Do you remember roasting marshmallows on a stick at camp? There were always those people who had the patience to perfectly tan their marshmallow on all sides until it was just the right color, then there were the people like me, who just set the whole thing on fire, blew it out, and enjoyed the crunchy and charred outside, with the gooey melted sweetness inside.
My husband reminds me of a burnt marshmallow. On the outside, he is a big, tough guy who carries a gun on and off duty, has a cop haircut, uses the F word as his adjective of choice (well, actually it doesn’t matter whether it is a noun, a verb, or an adjective – he makes it fit, along with lots of other salty language), he drives aggressively, and he could totally exist on man food without ever eating a vegetable. On one of our first dates, we were walking around Thornton Park and a sketchy guy was starting to approach us. My man became body armor for me that night as we were walking down the street. I’ve never felt so secure in my life and knew that if Mr. Sketchpad did anything, Deputy Dave would protect me. He also does all the man stuff in the house: taking out the trash, fixing things, doing the yard, lifting heavy stuff, opening jars, etc.
But once you get past the tough guy exterior, he is a sweet, gooey sensie. He participated in One Homeless Night last year and raised over $1500 for the Orlando Union Rescue Mission and was so moved by the event that he actually changed his work assignment so that he wouldn’t be the one evicting people from their homes.
He is a gentle and loving father to his two young children. He loves to give his toddler son a bath and help his second grade daughter with her homework. He is everything I ever dreamed about in a husband and listens to every word I say when I am talking to him.
Most importantly, he is at a beautiful place in his spiritual journey. It is truly amazing to watch God work in someone’s life and how He works in different ways with each different person, shaping them and molding them into loving and compassionate people.
It has really made me look at other crunchy marshmallow people. The guy that handles the business part of our orchestra association is one too. He can have a harsh tone when he gets impatient with people who have not followed procedures. I got defensive when he barked at me for something I procrastinated, but then nearly brought me to tears when he asked if everything was okay in my life. I had been going through a rough time and his concern, especially after his gruffness, really touched me.
There are lots of burnt marshmallows in the media. I’m not a big TV watcher these days, but a few classic TV crunchies come to mind: Lou Grant – yeah he can say he hates spunk, but he has a soft spot for Mary on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Chuck Norris has become a cult legend for his roundhouse kicks, but he always melted when he saw that blonde lady, Alex, on Walker Texas Ranger.
I think God shares my love for burnt marshmallows. Whatever life experiences have made them tough on the outside, I know he has a soft spot for people with a soft gooey center that truly love Him and love His people.
Just getting caught up on some of your recent posts… This one caught my eye as I reminisce re: my Dad! The older he got, the more of that soft, inner, gooey, sweet side of him we saw! Dad never talked much about his “spirituality” but watch him when his Daughter-in-Law, Sherry, sang a solo or lady’s trio in church and it would all come spilling out – THANKS for the MEMORIES! Dave