Every year as the holidays transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I’m reminded of my second greatest Christmas gift. My first was, of course, yours too: the baby born in a manger 2,000 years ago who is also the Savior of the World.
My second greatest Christmas gift from God is my wife, Gena. This past weekend we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.
I’m not overlooking the influence or impact of my beloved 99-year old mother. Truth be known, I wouldn't have had the success in the first half of my life without my mother. And I wouldn't have the success and significance in the second half of my life without my wife Gena. My mother prayed for decades that a Christian woman like Gena would come into my life. Well, God answered my mother's prayers!
I met my true Valentine Gena in June of 1997, when I was filming "Walker, Texas Ranger." One of my best friends, Larry Morales, came to Dallas for a visit while I was filming. At the time, I was living the single life, and even though I had a successful TV series, I was still miserable. Larry realized that I had everything but I had nothing. So he decided to introduce me to a lady he wanted me to meet. It just so happened that she had a modeling assignment in Dallas.
One evening, I was at a sushi restaurant with about 12 people, including a date, when Larry walked in with a young lady. He began introducing her to everyone, but I was engrossed in conversation with my date and didn’t notice. That is, until Larry called my name and said he wanted me to meet Gena.
I looked up at her, and all I could see is an angel staring into my eyes. I stuttered, "Oh … er … hi! Nice to meet you."
When I finally turned back to my date, all I could see were daggers in her eyes. She immediately got up and left.
After the meal, Larry took Gena back to her hotel. But the next morning she and I had breakfast together. She invited me to her fashion show, where she was modeling wedding gowns. One particular gown had an extra long train, and as Gena was walking, it hooked on a potted plant, and she dragged it down the runway. She was quite embarrassed but was a good sport and held her composure.
After the show, kiddingly, I said, "I was thinking about buying that potted plant!"
The next day, I called my mom and told her all about Gena and about her modeling wedding gowns. Mom said,"Is that giving you any ideas about marriage?"
"Nope," I said. "I'm never getting married again."
Famous last words!
We were married in November of 1998. I’ve been the luckiest man in the world ever since.
Anyone who knows me knows I have always been very pro-law enforcement. I have many friends who are amazing officers, and I am even an honorary Texas Ranger. I also married a cop! Gena was a correctional corporal and reserve deputy sheriff in her hometown in Northern California. She too is pro-law enforcement.
Now, 22 years later, Gena helps me run all my enterprises, including our life’s mission and private foundation, KICKSTARTKIDS, through which more than 60 of our amazing martial arts instructors teach character through karate to middle school students across our great state of Texas.
Gena is also CEO of our new artesian bottled-water company, CFORCE. Greatest of all, however, Gena is a loving mother of our seven adult children, an amazing grandmother, the love of my life and my best friend.
Several of our kids and grandkids, surrounding my mom
Gena, there are no words to describe my love and appreciation for you. Thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for helping God to make me all I can and should be.
I praise God for every day we are together.
Our love and marriage remind me of "A Match Made in Heaven" by M.S. Lowndes:
Our lives together
Were planned from the start,
It was there in the making
When love touched our hearts.
God gave you and me
A diamond in the rough
That has grown in time
When things were tough
It was in those times
When love came through,
In laughing, in crying,
Our love stands true
God has given me
Someone like you
To have and to hold
'Till our lives are through
Our love still grows
And deepens even more
With hope in our hearts
And trust in our Lord.
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