Beautiful, Sweet Gabbi

Ben and Gabbi, 2008

"Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God... May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!" (Ruth 1:16)

Dear Gabbi,

This passage from the book of Ruth is often quoted for brides and grooms, but, actually, it's a loving conversation between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law. To me, you and Ruth (one of my most admired Bible characters), in many ways, are like two peas in a pod - leaving family and homeland to follow God's plan.

I can't imagine the challenges you've faced in living thousands of miles away from your own family and adjusting to our backwoods, southern culture. I know that God has ordered your steps and that you lean on Him for strength, grace, courage, wisdom, and guidance. I'm so very thankful that He led you to us.

The day you married our Ben, Gabbi, God blessed me with a second daughter (minus painful childbirth and teenage calamity - thank Goodness). I hope you know how much I love you, admire you, and how proud I am of you!

Thank you for being a committed wife to Ben and for putting your hard-worked-for career on hold to mother two precious, very energetic, rambunctious, preschool boys - our grandboys. 

Happy birthday, sweet Gabbi. May you continually delight in the Lord and may He give you the desires of your beautiful heart.

Much love and many prayers,

Memaw