year 15 and year 16...keep getting better!

I've chosen to chronicle each year of life in my anniversary note to my Handsome K, included in each a song for our love and life that year...this is a continuation of previous anniversary posts...I'm the greatest fan of his life!  

9/9/00-9/9/16

Year 16

It seems true that time continues to pass quicker as we age.  Seems like this year went by so fast.  This year has had many refreshing moments.  After a tough year the Lord has been faithful to answer my prayers for you to let go of some heavy bricks…and be refreshed!  The Lord has renewed and called us to a larger vision than we previously had.  God breathed life into us and continues to ask us to be obedient and I believe that is because you are willing to risk and ready to do whatever God asks.  I believe our kids will always understand what it means to give up ourselves for the sake of God’s glory…it is a much better life.  Counter-cultural, don’t care.  American dream, don’t care.  God’s plan is bigger.   You are brave and confident of that and I’ll follow you because I trust you’re following God. 

 

This year’s song is not new but to me has always been so good.  I’ve always thought of you and how over time I just love you more…you can still make me stop and stare.  I’m captivated. 

We are each other’s crying shoulder and I’m the greatest fan of your life.

I’ll Be-Edwin McCain

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful

Stop me and steal my breath

Emeralds from mountains and thrust towards the sky

Never revealing their depth

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I'll be your cryin' shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

And rain falls angry on the tin roof

As we lie awake in my bed

You're my survival, you're my living proof

My love is alive and not dead

9/9/00-9/9/15

Year 15

This has been a rough, long year…thankfully not in marriage but in other ways.  We stayed on each other’s team.  We learned more about what God talks about when He says wives and husbands are helpmates.  When I am weak you are strong and I hope to be the same for you with Jesus’ strength.  You have walked through some difficult decisions this year that I am so proud of you for your perseverance…asking God for clarity and for conviction of sins.  I’ve seen you vulnerable in ways I haven’t yet seen.  And I thought I’d seen all of you.  Your character is unshakeable, your persistence to pursue the prize heavenward in Christ Jesus is something I pray protection over and get to see firsthand.  I continue to be amazed by who you are and pushed to be a better me because of you.  15 years…wow!  We have so much to be thankful for in the past 15 years, God has the story moving forward…parenting struggles, relational decisions, ministry leaps, new church plants, the privilege of spending our lives on something greater…oh, I pray this never changes, the reliance upon God for strength, wisdom and breath.  You are a man of integrity, I saw that back in 1995 and that is only reinforced by your life through the years.  Thank you for having the determination to persevere and lead our family on the great adventure! 

 

I am nuts about you…still.  And I cannot imagine life without you.  Nobody makes me laugh like you.  Nobody makes me think like you.  Nobody helps me believe in me like you do.  AND Nobody could possibly believe in you as much as I do.  Nobody has access to my heart like you do.  You are worthy of my respect and you get it over and over…I will spend my life giving you my respect for who you are and who you have become even during this past season.  I am yours…forever and always!  I could not ask for more.   And we will be TOGETHER facing life’s ups and downs as long as the Lord allows.

TOGETHER-Stephen Curtis Chapman

Here we stand, here we are

With all our wounds and battle scars

From all the storms and all the wars we’ve weathered together

We had no way of knowing when

We started way back there and then

How the road would twist and turn and bend

We just knew we belonged together

And if it wasn’t for God’s mercy and His grace

There’s no way we would be standing in this place

But because He has been faithful

Every step along the way

Here we are together

We’ve climbed up mountains higher than

Were ever in our hopes and plans

We’ve held onto each other’s hands

Watched miracles unfold together

And we’ve crawled on our hands and knees

Through valleys cold and dark and deep

Sometimes not even sure if we could make it out alive together