He sweeps. All day. Every day.
It’s that “Good Morning Adds” text that I get each morning. It’s the “Have you prayed today?”. It’s the “It’s going to be okay.”
He’s a sweeper. Someone has taught him. It’s not like riding a bike. You learn. You work it.
He sweeps me up. He gets these little wrinkles in the corner of his eyes when he smiles that “holla” at me. He makes me weak. He makes me giddy. Sweeps me right off my feet.
He dusts up all of the messes I make of my hectic life. If it can be taken on, I sign myself up. He sweeps all day long. Cleans up every detail I leave undone.
He sweeps me up when I’m a wreck. There are those phone calls where I answer “hello” in a blubbery mess. The words he uses are like a swaddling blanket to a newborn. He can literally hold me long distance with his tender heart.
He sweeps up all my body image issues with one glance and sigh. He swept up every fear I have about being a teacher with one “Addie, you know you’re incredible.”
I’ve found myself a sweeper. He gets it from somewhere.
This one is for my fiancé. But for his dad, Bob, too. I’ve seen Bob answer phone calls from his children and just wrap them up in love. That “Hello” he gives can calm any anxiety we call him about. Those “I miss you” texts can put to death any nerves I have ever had about being apart of another family. He has this great gift of sweeping. Not with a broom, but with his actions and words. They they can gather you back together. It’s a gift.
I’ve been raised in this terrific family with the name “Harrison”, and I’m marrying into an incredible family with the name “Williams”. Both bear the name “Christ”. So, with this,
I am blessed.
(Written Fall 2016)
The Here and Now
Wowzers. I wrote that in the fall and just never posted it. Yesterday marked 4 months of having the name Williams and being married to Tyler. I found that first part in my drafts box, and thought it should be shared. Life is a better place because since he came along. He still sweeps me up after a hard day of student teaching or a frustrating day of job searching.
I gave a shout out to my father-in-law for teaching my husband tenderness and love. But, someone else who deserves recognition is God, himself. I am a believer in the timing of God. I believe that he has a plan that far exceeds any of my ideas. I believe that he is faithful, because he has proven it to me time and time again. I firmly believe that God put a desire in my heart to make my way up to Freed-Hardeman University in order to meet some incredible friends, mentors, and to have and to create great opportunities for service. I also am sure that God had a plan for me to meet my future spouse just days before I started college in order to have the confidence I would need to talk to him again on the first day of classes. (Have I ever mentioned that we had an 8:30 together the first day of school, when the role was called I heard his name, turned around from the front row, waved a huge embarrassing wave, and he never came back to that class? Yep, he changed his schedule.) I’ll never forget the feeling I had sitting next to him at that first Clayton Chapel. We’ve been inseparable since.
I know God was working then, and He is working still today. When I roll out of bed at 6:20 to make his sandwich, go to work/class, call each other on the way home, start dinner, discuss the budget, and search for jobs–He is here in our midst working.
Just like when David went to fight Goliath. Or when Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers. Just like He was there when Jesus was in the garden praying. Wow. The same God who listens to the prayers of Jesus Christ listens to this 21 year-old wife trying to find a job in a new city.
How incredible is this?
Thankful for my man and his love for me. Thankful for my God and his faithfulness and peace upon me.
It’s an incredible life.
Jud Davis Photography
Wedding 12/10/16
Addie Williams 