Happy Birthday Jennifer

Today just happens to be my wife's "twenty-something plus" birthday and for the sake of harmony in the home, I shant reveal her age...only to say she looks more beautiful each and every day, regardless of how young she is.

For those of you who don't know our "story" together, we met while I was a senior in high school and began dating on my 18th birthday. We've been together ever since and it has been an absolutely incredible journey for me thus far. I can only imagine how the next 50 years of our lives together are going to be!!

Jennifer is so many things to me...wife, lover, our children's mother, best friend, confidant, encourager, soul mate, companion...I could go on and on. She has so many qualities that I don't often stop to appreciate in our busy, hectic lives. But today, as I do take time to reflect on how special she is, I hope she knows how much I love her and how fortunate I am that she is my wife.

She is quite simply the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. Period. I knew that the first time I saw her that the way I literally caught my breath that Cupid's arrow had pierced me deeply. Yet not only is her beauty evident on the outside, but it's magnified a hundred fold because of the beauty inside. Her spirit is so meek, timid, loving, compassionate, unselfish and loyal. It's because of those inner and outer characteristics that truly enhance how incredible she is to me.

Sure, there have been times growing up that I may have seen pretty girls and such but none of them (yes Sweetie...even my girlfriends before you...HA!) have ever had such an impact on my life nor have they had such an influence. I believe in God's perfect timing and looking back, I can see how He began to do a marvelous thing in my life in that Mountain Home High School cafeteria in 1987.

We've just recently celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary and in March, we'll have been "a couple" for 20 years. Truly amazing that over one half of my life I've spent with this woman and I'm reminded daily how blessed I truly am.

Proverbs 31:10-31 talk about how God blesses us men with capable wives and as I re-read these hallowed scriptures, I see my wife in each and every one of them.

10 Who can find a capable wife?
She is far more precious than jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.

12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.

15 She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her servants.

16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.

17 She draws on her strength
and reveals that her arms are strong.

18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.

19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.

20 Her hands reach out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.

22 She makes her own bed coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts to the merchants.

25 Strength and honor are her clothing,
and she can laugh at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and loving instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the activities of her household
and is never idle.

28 Her sons rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:

29 "Many women are capable,
but you surpass them all!"

30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,
but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised.

31 Give her the reward of her labor,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.

God has indeed blessed me with the woman He chose for me to spend my life with. I am so grateful to Him for His mercy and vision for me as I sit back and see how He continually blesses, keeps and sustains us all. I could never hope for nor ask for a better wife, mother of my children or friend than Jennifer and I thank our God today for bringing us together.

Jennifer, I love you more than any simple words can express and more than any action could show. I am so grateful to you for all that you do for me and our family, for the way you love us all, the way you look after us in sickness and in health (yes...even when it's "viral"...HA!!), the way your eyes sparkle with that still child-like innocence when we're together at night, alone on the couch relaxing together and for how you continually give of yourself to us and others around you in your usual unselfish manner.

The love within you is truly a reflection of the real love that comes from the Father and I am so grateful and rejoice today that you are not only my wife but you are a child of the King. I pray that I will continue to be the man, husband and father you want me to be and that our love for each other will continue to grow and solidify in the years to come.

Happy Birthday, Sweetie...I love you.