part of the note I left on Coty's dorm room door confirming out date
In honor of the day, I add to my Gift List 31 reasons I thank God for my husband:
181. He loves me constantly, tenderly, unconditionally when I am loving and when I'm not. He obeys God's command to him to love his wife as Christ loved the church, faithfully, sacrificially.
182. He loves our children and is a devoted and supportive father. He does not exasperate them and is wise in his discipline and counsel.
183. He sees to the care of our souls by leading us daily to God's word.
184. He is very serious but doesn't take himself too seriously. We can tease and he smiles.
185. He works hard for his flock and faithfully endeavors to fulfill God's call on his life.
186. He is careful with money and has never failed to provide for his family.
187. He has an adventurous streak and isn't afraid of risk. He loves to travel and has been willing to take our family to far away places that others wouldn't dare to go. That has been very good for us.
188. He thinks out of the box. He isn't afraid of trying new things. He is guided by vision and mission. He loves the old and beautiful but isn't stuck in "we've always done it this way."
189. He loves great literature and reads out loud to us.
190. He is the most disciplined person I've ever known when it comes to taking care of his physical body. He takes care of himself so he can serve others.
191. He loves my cooking and says so.
192. He takes a very active role in our homeschooling, always supporting me, but more than that, he has always taught math and now teaches math to others in our co-op.
193. He loves to discuss significant events, news stories, ideas with us around the breakfast table.
194. He loves to sing and listen to classical music.
195. He encourages our sons in their endeavors and shows up for games, plays, concerts, and more.
196. He listens carefully and thinks hard about what others say.
197. He is patient with me when I am irrational. He forgives quickly and never says, "I told you so."
198. He encourages me to write and pursue other interests.
199. He loves babies and children and loves to hold them and play with them.
200. He loves having people in our home and welcomes visitors as family. He dearly loves all of the "honorary Pinckney" children in our lives.
201. He loves the mountains. He loves to hike. He loves to go places and be outside with me. We don't have to talk much. We can enjoy being together in the woods without a word and we know that the other is happy.
202. He doesn't pay too much attention to clothes or looks. He isn't self absorbed.
203. He is not a social butterfly. Some say he is a little awkward but I know he loves people and deep conversations. He's not a small talk man.
204. He loves to play games with the boys. You can always count on him for Dutch Blitz.
205. I can share passages I've read and underlined with him and he understands why I've underlined them.
206. He hugs me a lot. He rubs my shoulders and my feet.
207. He cries easily. He isn't afraid to shed tears when he preaches or prays or reads a moving part in a story. We all know that those long pauses and sips of water mean that Daddy is getting emotional.
208. He is calm in crisis, quick to listen and slow to speak, but when he speaks he has something to say. He controls his temper.
209. He likes to eat healthy food. He is careful with his diet.
210. He isn't picky.
211. He knows his weaknesses and seeks God's help in overcoming them.
212. He keeps his commitments and honors his covenants.
Oh, there are more, to be sure. But I will stop for now with this:
192. He takes a very active role in our homeschooling, always supporting me, but more than that, he has always taught math and now teaches math to others in our co-op.
193. He loves to discuss significant events, news stories, ideas with us around the breakfast table.
194. He loves to sing and listen to classical music.
195. He encourages our sons in their endeavors and shows up for games, plays, concerts, and more.
196. He listens carefully and thinks hard about what others say.
197. He is patient with me when I am irrational. He forgives quickly and never says, "I told you so."
198. He encourages me to write and pursue other interests.
199. He loves babies and children and loves to hold them and play with them.
200. He loves having people in our home and welcomes visitors as family. He dearly loves all of the "honorary Pinckney" children in our lives.
201. He loves the mountains. He loves to hike. He loves to go places and be outside with me. We don't have to talk much. We can enjoy being together in the woods without a word and we know that the other is happy.
202. He doesn't pay too much attention to clothes or looks. He isn't self absorbed.
203. He is not a social butterfly. Some say he is a little awkward but I know he loves people and deep conversations. He's not a small talk man.
204. He loves to play games with the boys. You can always count on him for Dutch Blitz.
205. I can share passages I've read and underlined with him and he understands why I've underlined them.
206. He hugs me a lot. He rubs my shoulders and my feet.
207. He cries easily. He isn't afraid to shed tears when he preaches or prays or reads a moving part in a story. We all know that those long pauses and sips of water mean that Daddy is getting emotional.
208. He is calm in crisis, quick to listen and slow to speak, but when he speaks he has something to say. He controls his temper.
209. He likes to eat healthy food. He is careful with his diet.
210. He isn't picky.
211. He knows his weaknesses and seeks God's help in overcoming them.
212. He keeps his commitments and honors his covenants.
Oh, there are more, to be sure. But I will stop for now with this:
"That she was his half, she had no doubt at all. He needed her.
At times she knew with a joyous ache that she completed him,
just as she knew with the same joy that she needed him
and he completed her. How beautiful a thing it was, she thought,
to be half, to be completed by such another half!
-from "A Jonquil for Mary Penn" by Wendell Berry
At times she knew with a joyous ache that she completed him,
just as she knew with the same joy that she needed him
and he completed her. How beautiful a thing it was, she thought,
to be half, to be completed by such another half!
-from "A Jonquil for Mary Penn" by Wendell Berry
