Police Life

We've all experienced the heart-racing, steering-wheel-gripping, brakes-slamming, mood-killing feelings of fear when we see those intimidating blue lights in our rearview mirrors. I personally have been pulled over FIVE times in my six and a half year driving career (only one of those instances resulted in a ticket and only two of the five were for speeding). I despise those feelings of panic.

 Let me preface this post with the following disclaimers: I have only been a part of the police life for a little over a year (Well, almost two if you count those academy days), and I am by no means a seasoned police wife or pretend to be. I am not paraphrasing or speaking of anything my husband has ever said. These are simply MY personal observations.
I am learning police life gradually and with tremendous pride. Growing up in Virginia Beach makes one very aware of the military. My dad was in the Navy, and truthfully, I loved being a part of a military family. I think most of that is because my mom sacrificed by being the filtration system for me and my brother. She was strong enough and willing enough to help make life bearable and very enjoyable throughout deployments and long duty hours. I admire her for how valiantly she helped lead our family by God's grace. I admire my dad for being a true DAD even hundreds of miles away and miles underwater.
I admire my husband. Much of the injustice my mom discovered early on in the military life, I am discovering now as a young police wife. I have been thrust into a life of supporting my best friend in a thankless career. Fighting for freedom does not just happen overseas. Most of my new found feelings could be summed up in the adage "Life isn't fair." It's not fair that asking for a police discount is just about as fruitful as asking Wal-Mart to open more registers. It's not fair that a professional quarterback's average salary must be divided thirty nine times to be downgraded to the average police officer's salary. It's not fair that days off are plagued with court subpoenas and sleep deprivation. It's not fair that police officers are known as being donut-eating, people-beating, miserable people who attempt to gain the upper hand on Americans. It's not fair that if my husband continues a similar schedule as the one he is working now (which we both actually genuinely love), we will sleep 5.75 years apart and live 5.75 years apart. It isn't fair that 11.5 years out of an estimated 25 will be spent entirely devoted to his job. I know military wives feel similarly, and I empathize with you. Even though we don't spend months at a time apart, we still spend huge, stressful amounts of time apart. 
Life isn't fair. It will continue to be unfair until we are all in glorified bodies, unified with Christ. I also don't want to appear that I discount other spouses who work stressful jobs without much recognition or reward. The amount of "injustice" I sometimes feel can in no way ever compare to the amount of pride and love I feel for my policeman. I could go on bragging about him for hours, but he would be upset since he doesn't like me to publicly boast about him ;) I'll just say... not many policemen that I have met hand cans of soup to the homeless men and women they meet. 

SO in short, THANK a police officer the next time you are pulled over. THANK military personnel for their service miles away. THANK nurses for their love and care for patients. THANK the Wal-Mart cashier for being willing to check you out at midnight when your child needs last-minute supplies for a project. THANK your pastor for the love and encouragement they offer. THANK a mother for raising her children. Be thankful in all you do. 
(By the way, it's only coincidence that I posted this today at the beginning of November. I've been writing it for months!)