X-Series: Karen (Rogue)

This is part of an ongoing series in which I am honoring my family in my own nerdy way. You can read the introduction for context. The information in each post was originally shared on Thanksgiving at the Tribal DMx 2020. The shadowboxes and art were done by Tom and Clayton at The Collector’s Outpost. Thank you Tom and Clayton! Thanks even more to Karen, Dakota, Kadin and Kasey who have fulled my life with love, joy, peace, adventure, fun and so much more.

To my wife Karen –

The greatest writers in the world, and especially the DC writers, could not write a better story than the one the Lord has given you and me.  Our 25 years plus of relationship have been a God-given adventure that has been the greatest gift in my life outside the gift of my salvation.  You are my best friend.  You are the person I want to be with – bar none.  I love doing everything with you!  

Rogue and Gambit are Marvel darlings and their story is incredible.  The adventures and dangers they face together are epic.  Readers can’t help but be pulled into their lives and root for them in love and in defeating bad guys.  You have been my Rogue and here are some of the ways you have done that.

• Rogue’s main power is the ability to absorb others powers and psyche.  She can become anyone at anytime in order to save the day.  She is very strategic in what powers she uses in any situation.  Karen, we have been through a lot of trials and faced many giants in our lives.  While you would claim that there is nothing special about you and your are just a behind the scenes person, you really have super powers.  You have used your God-given gift of Faith to take on and endure every challenge.  You have adapted and grown and used so many different talents to get through whatever challenges came our way.  We were in our twenties when my health eroded.  Gone were so many things outdoors and athletic that we shared together.  And yet there you were strong as ever, adapting and thriving through it all.  You really have the most wonderful spirit and style that allows God to bend you and change you without breaking you.
• Speaking of breaking, Rogue is indestructible.  You are indestructible as well.  With the tremendous pains we have endured together, you have never broken.  You have never backed down.  You have never been down for the count.  Your reliance on our Lord for strength has been on display and your true superpower has come through the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.  Nothing can hurt you when you trust in Him and fear Him alone.  You have done that for almost three decades with me.
• Rogue’s body has superhuman stamina.  She rarely fatigues.  Like her, you continue to serve me and the kids and the church and our neighbors.  You are always on!  Occasionally you slip away for a bubble bath or to puzzle some hours away, but then you are right back into the fray.  Counseling those in crisis, loving on kids at the kid’s schools, involving yourself in community and neighborhood events for the sake of the gospel, holding three part-time jobs at a time and so much more.  All the while nursing a husband through ups and downs of major health issues.  If that’s not a superhuman power, I don’t know what is.  Of course, as always, you derived your stamina from the Lord.
• Rogue reflects the stereotype of a southern belle, a woman in the South who is beautiful, flirtatious, yet chaste. Check the box (except for the accent).  You are a dream.
• Steve Rogers (Captain America), one of the comic universe’s best leaders, considered that Rogue would be a great asset to any team as leader or second-in-command, and her leadership would benefit teams of new generation heroes.  That is so you!  While you don’t consider yourself to have high level leadership skills, you have been leading all your life – by example for sure but also in raw leadership ability.  People look to you for direction and you give it so well.  You have led sports teams and church teams and student teams and I would challenge you to come up with an example of a time you failed in it.  You may not lead out loud like me but you have led well so many times. Like Cap saw in Rogue, you have brought so many people to new levels in Christ because of the way you lead.  It’s gentle.  It’s subtle.  It’s powerful. And Captain America would pick you as well! 
• For years I was Cyclops, through my association with Jeff Cameron.  When we moved as a family to our X-Men personas, I changed to Gambit.  Partly because of his similarities to me, but mostly because of his connection to you, Rogue. Rogue formerly wore a pair of ruby quartz sunglasses to avoid accidentally harming anyone with optic blasts when she absorbed Cyclops’ power. I find it humorous in that regard as you have to wear special gear to help you deal with the energy I give off.  You’ve done it so well.  You have been the ocean to my shore, the light to my shadow.  If love was mathematically you’d understand the sum, to the hearts equation where one plus one is one and lonely equals me minus you*.  Thanks for all your energy in putting up with me and my super powers and super failures.
• Rogue has the power of flight.  So many times in the comics Rogue uses her power of flight to save good guys and pummel bad guys.  With the highs you have granted me in our relationship, the metaphor of flight is perfect.  You have taken me and us and our kids to heights of glory that most people only dream of.  You are so fun to be with. People all over North America who have had the honor to know you would agree.  Time with you is euphoric, it just feels so good.  You are warm and inviting and kind and gentle and funny and responsive and time with you leaves me and others feeling like we can soar.  It’s always an adventure with you and I wish others could see how amazing you are like I get to see.  You keep such a quit persona in public and it often masks what a power house of delight you are Karen. We love the song “Tightrope” because it describes our life so well.  It’s dangerous to be so high in the air, but the height and adventure give an amazing view you can’t see anywhere else.  Thanks for taking me to such heights.

Karen, I don’t know what time we have left but I will cherish every moment past, present and future.  Forever in Him and Always for you.

* Michael W. Smith “The Other Side of Me”. I sang this song to Karen in our wedding.