January 19th, 1997

14 years ago today my life changed forever. That evening, I reluctantly went to dinner to someone's home with my parents and 2 younger siblings. I wasn't 3 feet in the door before I laid eyes on a young man, and it felt like my brain exploded. All I could hear in my head was "This is my husband. I'm going to marry him." I think if he'd asked, I would have gone to the alter with him that evening. :) He didn't ask until just over a year later, and I was thrilled to answer yes. Over our 12+ years of marriage, he has delighted and surprised me continually. This man is thoughtful, amazing, brilliant, hot, and fun. Without him, my life would suddenly go from color to black and white. He is confident, but not at all arrogant. In fact, unlike so many men, he is not a worshiper of genetic idolatry. When I told him that I didn't want biological children because there are so many parentless children in the world, he told me that he doesn't need to have genetic children to feel like a man, and that he'd be perfectly happy being father to the fatherless. And he is. He doesn't need to see his eyes or hair in a child, to know that child is his. And he loved our children instantly upon meeting them. I know with absolute certainty that he would not hesitate to give his own life to protect mine. He is an unfathomably amazing lover. He's an incredible dog owner to 5 dogs, even though I know he'd like only 2. He massages my feet most nights, even when he's tired and worn out from his job. This man loves my cooking. He works a job that he has no particular desire for, or draw to, so that he can provide well for our family. He appreciates me. Even though I'm not a very good housekeeper. Even though I'm disorganized. Even though I have a terrible memory. Even though I'm usually sleep-deprived and grumpy. He appreciates me for what I do for our family. He makes me feel beautiful. We talk about everything. He is my best friend. I have never been loved as deeply by any human being on earth as I have been by the man I first laid eyes on 14 years ago.

Matzati et she'ahava nafshi.

Father's Day

You might think this post is tad late. Father’s Day has passed for the rest of the world, but not for our family. My husband doesn’t return home until July, and we’re saving Father’s Day until then. So Father’s Day has been on my mind a lot lately. Particularly since I’ve been reading through the bible this year. This is the first time in my life that I’ve made a commitment to read the whole bible through in a year. One of the interesting things about reading the bible this way, is that you notice themes running throughout scripture. One of the themes that has really popped out to me is God’s care for the fatherless. I honestly had no idea before I started reading the bible all the way through, but over and over throughout scripture, God reminds his people to care for the fatherless, and reminds the fatherless, that he will care for them. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s explicitly mentioned over and over: Exodus 22:22 Deuteronomy 10:18 Deuteronomy 14:29 Deuteronomy 16:11 Deuteronomy 24:17 Deuteronomy 26:12 Deuteronomy 26:13 Deuteronomy 26:19 Job 29:12 Psalm 10:14 Psalm 10:18 Psalm 68:5 Psalm 82:3 Psalm 146:9 Proverbs 23:10 Isaiah 1:17 Jeremiah 7:6 Jeremiah 22:3 Jeremiah 49:11 Zechariah 7:10 Malachi 3:5 Hosea 14:3 James 1:27 (btw, I’ve also noticed that when his people are being reprimanded by his prophets for heinous behaviour, not caring for the fatherless is mentioned over and over as one of their awful sins.) My husband has a zeal for following God. He truly loves God and desires to follow his commands. I know it’s largely because of this that he desires to care for the fatherless in the most amazing way possible: to be an earthly father to them and introduce them to their heavenly father. This is not a duty for him; it is his pleasure, his joy, and one of his very life’s missions. Recently my daughter said to me : “I didn’t know God before I came to you. I went to church, and I knew about him, but I didn’t know God until I came to you, and you read me the bible and prayed with me.” I cannot imagine anything more meaningful in this life than introducing “the least of these” to the king of the universe. I am so grateful to be married to a man who’s passion is Christ, and who truly lives it out by taking on the mission of caring for the fatherless.