The Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into His sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared.  The angel said, "Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one, what's wrong with the standard model?  The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order?  This isn't a regular military wife I have been tasked to make.  This order is for a Navy wife.  She is going to have to be some kind of phenomenal creation."

"She has to be completely independent... possess the qualities of both father and mother... be a perfect hostess to four or forty four at a moments notice.  Run on black coffee... handle every emergency imaginable without a manual.  Be able to carry on cheerfully whether pregnant or down with the flu... and be willing to move to a new location ten times in a twenty year career... and, she must have six pair of hands."

The angel shook her head and exclaimed, "Six pair of hands?  Impossible."

The Lord continued, by saying, "Don't worry! I will give her an unusually large heart... that can swell with pride brought through her husband's achievements, capable of saying "I understand" when it really doesn't, and "I love you" in the bleakest of circumstances.  It has to be an unusually strong heart also, to sustain the pain of separations and to beat soundly when it is overworked and tired."

"Lord," said the angel, touching His arm gently, "Go to bed and get some rest, you can finish this project another day."

"I can't stop now," said the Lord. "I am so close to the finished product.  Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can play gracious hostess to as many as six unexpected weekend guests, and wave good-bye to her husband from the pier, airport or depot, without totally understanding why it is that he must go."

The angel circled the model of the Navy Wife, looked at her closely and sighed, "It looks fine, but it's too soft."

"She might look soft," replied the Lord, "but she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure."  Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord's creation and announced, "There's a leak.  Something is wrong with this model.  It is not surprising that it has cracked.  You are trying to put too much into this."

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence.  "What you see is not a leak... it's called a tear."

"A tear? What is it there for?" asked the angel.

The Lord replied, "It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride and dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear."

"You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel.

The Lord looked puzzled and replied, "I didn't put that tear there."