Dear Sisters:

The two of us just sat on our back porch looking at it. After the installation of our new water heater the huge brown box sat empty at the edge of our driveway and was ready and waiting for trash pick-up. It was sitting in our line of sight and made for interesting conversation, because it took me back to a memory. I told my husband, "You know, one of the most exciting summers I ever had was when mom got a new refrigerator and a new freezer. My sister and I converted those boxes into a couple of extraordinary things. We made one a grocery store and the other a house. We cut windows and doors out of the boxes. We painted on the inside and on the outside, made curtains, and even designed shelves for the grocery store. We borrowed empty cereal boxes and cans from mom to stock the store. It was truly spectacular. We played in those boxes nearly the entire summer."

Rick replied, "Well, clearly, that is a rocket sitting in our back yard, not a store or a house. Can't you see the rocket?" He began to explain about the construction that took place in converting the empty box of his childhood into a rocket. He lost me early on in the construction description because my mind kept drifting to this thought as he was talking, "A rocket? Seriously?" How in the world could he not see that it was clearly a house or even a store sitting in our driveway?

And there you have it. Our perspectives on the empty box alone show how very different men are from women. According to the popular nursery rhyme, little boys and little girls are made of totally different things. You know the one:

"Dogs and snails and puppy dog tails that's what little boys are made of.
Sugar and spice and everything nice that's what little girl's are made of."

As adults we simply turn into big versions of that nursery rhyme description.

Then, the nursery rhymes change and authors write grown-up versions of the same concept such as books titled "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus". One doesn't even have to read the book. The cover alone says it all. Other books like "For Men Only - a straightforward guide to the inner lives of women" and "For Women only - what you need to know about the inner lives of men" are created to help us get a grasp on our differences and how to understand each other. Now, here is the moral of the stories and the nursery rhymes: Our differences are all part of God's plan! The "fearfully and wonderfully" made designs of men and women are not mistakes. We are wired differently, for God's glory. That's why we think differently, we like different things and our needs are unique. Our differences should be viewed as celebrations. Our differences should bring about a beautiful balance in our relationships.

Men and women are equally created in God's image; equally responsible to sin; equally redeemed by Christ, and equally gifted by God's Spirit for service; and equally held responsible for using their God given talent. It does not imply that women and men are identical or undifferentiated. Rather, it means that men and women are equal in personhood and importance but different in roles. God designed men and women to complement and benefit one another. In Genesis Chapter 2 we find confirmation regarding our importance and personhood. After God created Adam he said in verse 18, "it is not good that man should be alone." There was no one like Adam, in fact, verse 20 says, "But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him." No one equal in image or kind. Then in the following verses we find that woman was custom made for Adam, from Adam's rib. Don't you know when Adam woke up and God presented Eve to him, he was blown away at the knock out standing in front of him? Eve was one of a kind and custom made for Adam. Man and woman were made for each other. Woman fits the partnership and completes Adam.

I am so thankful to know that I was custom made for my husband and that God handpicked him for me. It is a celebration to know that we complete each other. I treasure so many things about my husband. The ones I treasure most are the traits that he has that are far removed from me and my personality. I love that he knows about hunting, fishing, golfing and boating. I love that he is an analytical thinker, that he is a visionary and a spontaneous spirit. He is very direct and good at asking the hard questions. He is daring, is a problem solver and loves a challenge. I love the musician in him and I love how his singing voice melts my heart. He makes me laugh and adores me like no other person ever has. He is creative, loves God and loves me just the way I am. He doesn't mind that I'm a neat freak, or that I steal the covers at night, that I cry at sappy movies or commercials or that I'm a notorious checklist maker and a bit of a perfectionist. My "opposite" traits attract him and the same goes for me. I love that he sees a rocket, when I see a house. Celebrating differences like these makes this life journey a blast!

So, here's a big Father's Day shout out to dads everywhere, and especially to my man. Here's to the men in our lives who complete us and help make us extraordinary women!

Cheryle Jaggers