Promotion Day

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. Proverbs 31:23

Some would say it was 13 years in the making, but I believe it was a lifetime. In 1996, my husband began his Air Force career as a Captain, and after serving as a Major for 6 years, he was promoted on July 31, 2009 to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. There were about 70 people in the standing-room only audience as Chuck was not only congratulated but also honored - honored for his service, and, more importantly, honored for the man he is: loyal, dedicated, hard-working, productive, innovative, and caring. What a privilege it was for me to witness the praise given him and to know that it is because of God's favor bestowed on him that he is viewed so favorably by others.

The kind of character that is my husband does not develop overnight. It is shaped and molded from the time of birth, influenced by parents, peers, siblings, circumstances, teachers, and by the Holy Spirit of God. It is tried and tested, tweaked and transformed, bit by bit until we are called home to glory.

I have had the awesome privilege of watching that character develop for the past 19 years. I have the delight of living with this man who is so highly favored. I know him better than any other living person, and I love him dearly and enjoy him immensely. Is he perfect? No, but he is perfect for me.

One of the great things about Chuck is his humility. On February 16, 1991, he got down on one knee and asked,"Will you marry me and be my wife?" He had no idea how prophetic his words were as I accepted his proposal and began to change my identity from "Miss Independent" to "Mrs. Isler". I have found more joy in giving my self away and serving Chuck and our children than I ever would have found trying to please myself. Serving a humble man is a pleasure and a privilege.

In humility and love, Chuck once again bowed his knee - after being commissioned to a higher rank - so that his children could take part in pinning on his new rank. Rather than having them struggle to get to his level, he humbled himself, going down on one knee so he could get to their level and they could thereby share in his glory. Great men do that. They give up their power and position to come down to the level of those around them. Chuck learned this from the greatest man who ever lived.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8