Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is all about my man! Because today we celebrate 8 years of marriage!
Seriously? 8 years?! I really doesn’t feel like it’s been 8 years. We’ve known each other for 13 years, since I was 16, and I have been so blessed to have this man in my life!
So here are my Top Ten Reasons why I am blessed by my man.
10. He is ever so patient with me – I always have been a difficult, first-born, independent type, and when we first were married I sure gave him a run for his money! But he has patiently dealt with me and loved on me, pursuing me even when I don’t deserve it.
9. He is a fantastic father! He loves on our children, reading and engaging them, teaching them skills, godliness by example, sacrificing things he’d rather do to make special memories with our kids and me.
8. He is a man after God’s own heart. Whenever I think about him I am reminded of the Psalm 1 man who delights in the Law of the Lord, and meditates on his Word day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in season.
7. He can cook! When I was pregnant with The Boy he would cook dinner – granted, mostly for himself since I was too sickened by smells to eat much of anything, but he has pulled off some pretty good dishes since then! A couple of my favourite specialties of his would be pancakes and his fried egg special. Yum!
6. He is one of the most selfless people I know. He gives of his time to our family, mentoring and encouraging others, sacrificing a lot of “free time” to be with the ones he loves and cares about. He has become very gracious and loving toward others and inspires me to be more like Christ.
5. He is an adventurer! Over the course of his young adult life, he has traveled with a group of young men on relief missions to South America, learned to fly planes, become a certified diver, driven around the clock from the southern to northern states, learned to ski (and snowboard, but he prefers to ski :D) and taught our boys to, journeyed to Jamaica, Bahamas (c’mon pretty mama :D), Texas, Florida (also driving non-stop for 20 hours!), and many other places! He has tackled the adventure of being a husband, yoked to a strong-willed wife, with a strong-willed first-born son, a dramatic second born son, and a baby girl who has got him wrapped around her finger. And now he’s whisked me away on a mini-adventure for our anniversary!
4. He is a leader. He has been given a lot of responsibilities over the last few years and has faced each one with prayer and a willing desire to serve and do excellently. I really see him as both the older man and the younger man in Titus 2:
Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
(Titus 2:2 ESV)
Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
(Titus 2:6-8 ESV)
He has taken on leading our family in devotions, and I have really seen the kids respond to him and learning through God’s word. Without that leadership in our home, things would be chaotic! He leads me to be consistent in studying God’s word, desiring to do so, remaining accountable to him and seeking out relationships that are godly. He directs our home and helps to bring peace when things have gone crazy.
3. He is generous. And this is something I really have struggled with. But through his example, his urging, his biblical teaching of the importance of it, I have come to a place where I can be generous and give willingly what the Lord has blessed us with. We are far from rich, yet God has blessed us and requires of us to give back to him, but also generously to others.
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
(1 Timothy 6:18 ESV)
2. He is discerning and wise. Whenever I come upon a situation or something someone has said that I’m just not sure about, I know that I can ask him and he will be able to discern if what is said lines up with God’s word, or what the right thing to do is. I know this is because he is committed to studying God’s word and “test the spirits to see whether they are from God”. He has helped me to better understand God’s word, to know how to test everything, to be discerning.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
(Romans 12:2-3 ESV)
1. And the number one reason why I am blessed by my man… because he loves me despite my failings, and is the perfect match for me. God knew just who I would need to stretch me, grow me, challenge me, lead me, guide me; teach me to love, honour, obey, cherish, sacrifice, give, live, serve and trust. And I am so grateful God is good!
Love you babe! Happy 8 years! I am so blessed that God has brought us together.
