Downtown Disney, June 2013
It’s July 14th, Bastille Day. If I was French I’d be watching fireworks in my beret from my seat near La Tour Eiffel. But alas, I am in Seattle in the US of A and my July 14thlooks quite different. My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary and I think we might go see a Chihuly glass exhibit.
Or we might hang around with the out of town relatives and just enjoy a nice dinner out.
There is cause to celebrate.
We have been married 41 years. Forty one. It is not possible to get to this place in a marriage without some ups and downs, a lot of tears and tantrums and occasional doubts. The tantrums and doubts are mostly mine.
My husband? He’s a gift to me. A gift. Patient, persevering, kind, tactful. He possesses the qualities I lack, for which I am eternally grateful to God.
Why, just the other day I was in the middle of a huff, hiding away at my desk, setting myself up to jot down my angry feelings. You know, complain to the Lord about how He needed to do something about my husband….’cause my out of sorts-ness was clearly his fault.
Then my eyes fell upon my little Moleskine notebook, tucked into the whatnot holder on my desk. I’d written on the front ‘Forty Reasons.’
Last year (at my friend Gwen’s urging) I started to record the qualities that God showed me in my husband Bill, qualities I wanted to remind myself about in the grumpy times (’cause, you know, there are a few grumpy times….).
My husband is:
1) patient (with me)
2) persevering
3) hard-working
4) gracious-does not hold up my shortcomings
5) diplomatic–will ALWAYS say less
6) tender (towards me)
7) compassionate–understands my passion to write
(Do you see a trend here? How it’s all about me? How blessed I am?)
8) loves our 2 children
9) is a great grandpa to our 5 grandchildren
10) never gives up–will figure out a way
11) prays for our children
12) serves others (nursing home peeps)
13) loves God’s word
14) loves his mom (who lives with us)
15) makes the bed in the morning without me asking (score!)
16) helps and serves without being asked (I remember suitcases…)
17) looks for ways to bless others (our friend J.)
18) has a passion for his children to know Jesus
19) serves others without complaining
20) will always find a way…..I think I wrote that once already!)
Well, you get the idea. It’s a growing list–I’m on number 41 now and counting. The practice has been a good reminder to LOOK FOR the good in my husband, to be more attentive to God’s gifts and to be grateful.
If you are married, (or have a roommate or sibling that you share space with) I highly recommend it!
1) patient (with me)
2) persevering
3) hard-working
4) gracious-does not hold up my shortcomings
5) diplomatic–will ALWAYS say less
6) tender (towards me)
7) compassionate–understands my passion to write
(Do you see a trend here? How it’s all about me? How blessed I am?)
8) loves our 2 children
9) is a great grandpa to our 5 grandchildren
10) never gives up–will figure out a way
11) prays for our children
12) serves others (nursing home peeps)
13) loves God’s word
14) loves his mom (who lives with us)
15) makes the bed in the morning without me asking (score!)
16) helps and serves without being asked (I remember suitcases…)
17) looks for ways to bless others (our friend J.)
18) has a passion for his children to know Jesus
19) serves others without complaining
20) will always find a way…..I think I wrote that once already!)
Well, you get the idea. It’s a growing list–I’m on number 41 now and counting. The practice has been a good reminder to LOOK FOR the good in my husband, to be more attentive to God’s gifts and to be grateful.
If you are married, (or have a roommate or sibling that you share space with) I highly recommend it!
Psalm 103
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
~~~~~~~~
Linking with Jennifer for Tell His Story
What an amazing list of the great qualities you see in your husband and what a fantastic way to share how wonderful he is. That is what keeps your marriage blooming and growing. I need to sit down and do this for my husband, who is an awesome man himself.
http://vibrantcountrycottage.blogspot.com
Dec 1st will be 65 for Robert and me. We are still counting too
Congratulations! I'll be at 39 this year. I love your idea of counting our husband's strengths. At our wedding RB quoted Elizabeth Barret Brownings “How Do I Love Thee, let me count the ways…” I think I'll get started on it for next year! ~Pamela
And keep counting – continue to celebrate. You are my neighbor at Unite
Love this idea. Congratulations to you two love birds! 🙂
41 years is awesome, Jody! I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating!
wow Jody, you inspire! A list, yes, that would put things in the 'right' perspective for sure. Some of your list made me smile like, “do you see a trend here? It's all about me……” ha! Yes, well, this is what makes a girl happy about the last 41 years for sure. (smile) Congratulations!
Oh, Marcie, this makes me smile. We ALL need a list, huh? Thanks for reading!
Happy anniversary! We are coming up on nine years next month. This is exactly what I needed to read because today I need a list 🙂
The summer of '73….a great time! Thanks for reading, Glynn.
It is all about perspective, isn't it? 🙂
Congratulations, Jody. My wife and I will hit 41 next month!
Happy 41!!! WOW! I love your idea because it's so easy to lose our perspective in marriage…for us to be blinded to our spouses good qualities and for their negative qualities to be magnified.