Tuesday, January 29, 2013

30 Reasons My Wife Rocks

1. I have experienced true forgiveness and mercy continually from you in our relationship. You've shown me Jesus.

2. Apart from maybe your mother and your daughter, I have never seen such resilience. You are of incredible stock and your stability in this unstable season has helped me hang on.

3. Your joyful laughter and off the wall humor makes me smile...sometimes while shaking my head...but still...it makes me smile.

4. You let me chase dreams...and even more...you join me in the chasing.

5. You have set a 2013 goal of having people over for dinner around the table 100 times. Even with all of the junk, you are still on mission.

6. You embody contentment. You accepted the best engagement ring a sophomore in college with no financial plan or steady job could afford. And you've been ok with just enough our whole marriage.

7. You are creative. Slowly you have begun to make our house a home everywhere we've been and it's always trendy and slick and inexpensive.

8. Your the best mother I've ever seen. Day after day you are physically, emotionally and spiritually emptied for our daughter. And yet you still have deep love for her to get up and do it again.

9. You are hot and fashionable. When we go out, I can tell people are looking at us and wondering if I'm your brother because there's no way you'd settle for me. I've outpunted my coverage.

10. You are great to work with...and for. In almost 10 years of marriage we have worked together at a number of places. Twice I got you the job at the place I was working and twice you were promoted to be my boss. (I'm not bitter). I can't think of anyone I'd rather be in ministry with.

11. You love the Browns. I don't know why. But your love for lost causes is clearly the main reason why we're together.

12. As our Kenyan friends have said, you have a way of bringing Heaven closer to earth when you sing. You are anointed. I will always have you sing after my message. Because if I preached well you will put an exclamation point...and if I sucked, you will rescue it!

13. You're willing to give me back scratches even though you have mangled sausage fingers with no nails. It doesn't even really feel good, but you're willing to nub me and I love that about you.

14. You always let me know when my crack sneaks out of my pants. As someone with AHB, it is really important to have someone who will walk through life with me.

15. You put brownie, chocolate, raisins, virtually anything on your tooth so it looks like you're missing teeth and then you smile until everyone loses it. Though I have to be the mature one in our marriage and shake my head in disdain, it's actually pretty funny...even after the 1400th time.

16. You encourage my soul. At the time where I was perhaps the emptiest I've been in my walk with Jesus, you got 30 people from my life to share letters of encouragement for my 30th birthday. Short of letting me know you were pregnant at Christmas, this is the best gift I've ever received.

17. You pushed a watermelon through a garden hose. I witnessed it. I'm not sure I'll ever be the same. Who knew that day that we would have the most beautiful little girl imaginable? She looked a little undercooked to me...but 30 plus hours of labor there was Chaia. You're amazing...That process is startling...You're amazing.

18. You have pushed more meds and cleaned up more vomit that any parent potentially ever. No one will ever get what you are doing to keep Chaia in the fight. You make me proud to be on this hard road with you.

19. You rolled up brownies to look like poop and pranked multiple people. Poop is funny. That you would pull this off both with friends AND people you work with is freaking hilarious.

20. You have shed more tears in the last year than I have seen you cry combined in the 10 years prior. It shows how deeply your momma's heart is invested. Chaia wouldn't be here with any other momma on this planet.

21. You know my insecurities, my sins, my shortcomings, my doubts and you love me in ways that help me lead through, over and in spite of them. You truly are my helpmate.

22. Your Sid the Sloth/Stanley and Sylvia the Sock Monkey voice has never not made everyone laugh...except the guy who was self-conscious about his speech impediment. Of course then you told him in that voice, "It's ok. You shouldn't be self-conscious about this speech impediment." lol. You seriously make me laugh.

23. Even though you keep things light hearted, there is a depth to you that reveals wisdom I've never possessed and discernment I'll never know. You have a read on a situation or a person weeks and months before I do...and when I listen to you, it goes well. When I figure it out for myself, I usually have to say "you were right"...and you don't even gloat over it like I would.

24. You have a heart for the nations and for kids who deserve a shot at life. I love that you are doing Big Brother Big Sister, sponsoring a Compassion kid with me and planning to adopt and maybe pursue foster parenting in the future. This is close to the heart of God and I love that we share passion about this.

25. You are much more measured in your responses and reactions than I tend to be. When I am ready to fly off the handle positively or negatively in a situation, you keep me grounded, reminding me its never as bad as it seems and rarely as good as it seems. I love that about you.

26. You know how I work and you complement me very well. I have the idea in the 11th hour that will take a miracle to pull off and you become the miracle. 1000 of this or this arrangement of music, or giant floating balloons all over the place (we haven't done that one yet...but just wait for it!)

27. One of the greatest things I love about you is that you have continually sought to have someone mentor and pour into your life. You've been burned and disappointed on this road multiple times, but you've kept pursuing it!

28. You are loyal. I may not always have it clearly laid out, but you are in my corner both privately and publicly which means the world to me as a husband and a leader. You honor me even when I'm not honorable.

29. You're an incredible cook. My waistline and pantsizes aren't necessarily appreciative, but you have an incredible talent in cooking!

30. You're 30 years old today and you want to do wild things in 2013 like go skydiving and learn to play the guitar.

I'm in love with you wife. And in good times and in bad...we are in this together.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Birthday!

5 comments:

Jackie Thompson said...

Awww, happiest day, Shaina, prayers for a good day, good week, and great year

KristyRae said...

So beautifully written :) I've been away from your blog for over a year and this is what I come back to. Love it! Keeping your family in my prayers.....

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Shaina, beautiful tribute Ben. I can't imagine a more wonderful gift than.. love and respect.

Grandma Cindy said...

Thanks for sharing these precious words about your wife & our daughter. God's grace abounds in her life in spite of having VERY HUMAN PARENTS. We love her, and we love you, and we love that wee one. Together, you are a family force for Jesus!!

Anonymous said...

Every time I get a caramel stuck to my teeth, I think of Shaina and the brownies. And I chuckle, without fail.

Happy birthday, Shaina! Thanks for sharing such a touching post, Ben.