Yesterday Jan and I were on the road all day. Yesterday was also her birthday; sort of. It was kind of a 3/4 birthday. She was born on February 29th. Leap year baby marries Leap. God laughs.
I didn’t have time to comment on the day, but now I do; so I wanted to just say a few words about the girl I’ve been with since we met at age 19.
My wife is humble to a fault. She often refuses to admit that she is intelligent, capable, kind, patient and Godly. That she has done an amazing job with our four children, whom she home-schooled for many years and continues to guide through young adulthood. That she sacrificed a career in college administration to stay home with them. (I’m confident she’d be a college dean or president by now if she hadn’t.)
She shakes her head when I tell her that she is an incredible wife. (Hopefully, she at least acknowledges the fact that I’m crazy and disorganized, messy and moody, a little manic and in short, not the easiest guy to live with…she’s had her cross to bear.) But she really is awesome. Best friend, girlfriend, lover, counselor, financial planner, homemaker, work-out buddy and concert partner.
Every day she reads her Bible and has her prayer time, and I know that her faithfulness has carried all of us through hard times and scary days, sickness and confusion. If you’ve ever tried to have a dedicated devotion time, you’ll know that it’s a daily struggle. She presses on and in the process blesses many in ways she will never see until we reach the Kingdom.
Her friends love and admire her and she is kind to them. She mentors and guides, encourages and shares laughter.
And the many kids, friends of our own, who have come through our home over the years see her as a second mother, who still loves them into adulthood and would be there for her in a heartbeat.
My wife takes such good care of me, and of all of us, and I love her more every day and every year that passes.
So happy birthday Jan! And many, many more. With me, of course.
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