Forty Minus One

January 04, 2012

In honor of My Love's birthday today, here are 39 reasons why I just can't stop celebrating him:

1. He never grows complacent.

2. His strongest rebuke is always accompanied by compassionate eyes.

3. He works out while he reads, and prays while he bikes.

4. He has perfected how to doctor my coffee down to a science.

5. He gets after a toilet ring with a pumice stone.

6. He's not afraid to be different; in fact, he welcomes it.

7. He is miserly with himself, but generous with others.

8. Overcoming fear is a favorite pastime.

9. He never misses an opportunity to instruct his boys.

10. Sometimes he cries when he's preaching.

11. He believes in things this society has long forgotten.

12. And he believes he can jog their memory.

13. He's always learning something new.

14. Like celtic flute,

15. Like cooking,

16. Like Latin.

17. He works with what he has.

18. When he fails, he doesn't give up, but presses on.

19. Slow to speak, quick to listen is modeled daily in him.

20. He rarely complains.

21. He delights in all five of his boys.

22. But tells them he loves their mother most.

23. He loves House Hunters International.

24. He's not impressed with stuff and stardom.

25. The most difficult thing about preaching in his opinion is preparing a heart, not a message.

26. He's a softie for babies and puppies.

27. And throwing knives, fire steels, and Bear Grylls.

28. He gets up in the middle of the night with the kids.

29. He never cries over spilt milk.

30. He can chew on one verse of Scripture all day long.

31. He sets aside his introvertedness to love others.

32. He doesn't take himself too seriously.

33. Reading to the boys at bedtime is, however, taken very seriously.

34. Switchfoot, Punch Brothers, Bach, and Lecrae all live peaceably on his ipod.

35. He loves a digestif of Debussy and Jazz on the piano.

36. He gives great hugs.

37. He walks in faith and stands firm on his knees.

38. He really counts it all joy.

39. Which is how he has been so good at loving me all these years.

Happy birthday, My are one of a kind.