Trophy Wife

Ok, this is gonna be a little edgy so get somewhere alone.

Several years ago I was watching a talk show because the teaser for the show promised Michael Landon’s ex-wife would have some interesting comments. My wife LOVED Little House On the Prairie and I was getting real tired of the continual contrived tragedies that were becoming the bread and butter of the show. For me, the show had “jumped the shark” when blindness and addictions were the topics. Honestly I was looking for ammo to shoot down the show and boy did I get it, but unfortunately I could never use it. Evidently Mr. Landon had traded in Mrs Landon for a newer, sportier model half his (and her) age. The new Mrs. Landon was referred to as a Trophy Wife. That didn’t need explaining to me. My fathers bookcase was loaded with my trophies from my childhood. I know what happens to old trophies. Eventually they are discarded or just left somewhere to gather dust. In my case my sons adored my old trophies. They made wonderful targets for their BB guns. At least they passed in a manly way. Michael's ex was baited just enough in asking what she thought about Michael and his new young bride being together. (that is a code word for something else). Her reply stunned me. Are we alone? Good. With the same twinkle in her eye and razor on her tongue that Sarah Palin had last night in her assessment of Obama’s accomplishments and preparedness, she said: “When I think of them together…it makes me Laugh….I’ve seen Michael Naked! At the time it was funny. I was working out at the gym and there were plenty of old guys around to know exactly what she was laughing at. Gravity effects the strangest things in the most unusual ways. It isn’t so funny now that I am the older guy. With a word picture that does not (and definitely should not) need further elaboration she got her lasting revenge on both of them. I never look at the reruns of the older shows without a grin. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why Michael ever thought he needed or even wanted a young trophy wife. Dude, if you want to look younger marry your mother's friend! If you want to feel older and look like an old fool, marry your daughter's friend. NO WAY is anyone gonna believe she married you for any of the right reasons or for the reason you married her. My wife’s uncle used to tease his wife with when she turned 40 he as gonna trade her in for two 20’s. He quit that tease when she told him, Bob, when I turn 40 you won’t be wired for 220. OUCH! But he asked for it. Personally I do not now, nor have I ever had, nor would I ever want a trophy wife. And not because my sons would use just her for target practice. My wife is not a trophy to be paraded around for a time then left neglected on a shelf. She is the richest treasure I could ever hope to have on this earth. We share life together! Not only do I know that but God confirms it in my heart and his Word. I do not worry about how she views my sagging physique. For us it is treasured life and memories shared with every scar and sag, and I have plenty of both. She loves me as I was, am and will be. (and vise-versa). I find myself telling her a lot more these days how beautiful she is, and no not because I am in trouble. I tell her that because it is the absolute truth of my heart and I have to say it. I do keep trying to tell her we are old, but she refuses to listen…she is a lot like her father in that way. I feel sad for Michael. He lived the rest of his life and died having lived LESS LOVED than he would have had he just kept the wife of his youth. Of all the women on earth, only she had the chance to really love and treasure him for himself. He traded it all for something that didn’t really exist. His life ended up as sad as his show, except in the end he does not live on in reruns.

There are a lot of people living life like Michael, living less loved. Not just by friends and family, but by the one who loves them as the were, are and forever will be. He cherishes every scar and sag as much as if it were his own body. They are not a trophy to Him either, but a treasure worth the ultimate price he already paid. They refuse to believe that they could be loved that much when they feel so unlovely and unloved. I love my life with my wife..I am not a perfect man, husband or anything else, but I am certain of this. I know my wife loves me, there is not the smallest doubt in my mind. I can be just as sure that God loves me too. Oswald Chambers put it this way: The Holy Spirit interprets and explains the nature of Jesus to me to make me one with my Lord, not that I might simply become a trophy for His showcase. He wants to live with you and love you too. Are you going to settle for living less loved? You don’t have to.