He leaves tomorrow with two bus loads of youth. Off to alter history, and family lines and to stir up adventure and devotion in the hearts of men. He is kissing more often, and holding longer… brown eyes brimming with pride and affection. He is gentleness this man. This man who is all loyalty. All faith. This man who is Gods cure for my melancholy; for my over thinking; for my fear ridden soul.

This is the man who tales are told about, who legions follow, who is giving up his life to be Found. This is a man who lives the same at the pulpit as he does at the pub. This man is all authenticity. No pretense. No piety. He is all humble…he will ask me to delete this.So many men let their hearts grow cold long before they die, but not mine. His heart beats Truth. Good. Selfless. I can hear it from a distance. This man makes me realize that being married to extraordinary, means he must be shared.

This man tells amazing bedtime stories. He plays robots and cars and he laughs at their jokes. He kisses them a lot and uses the‘L’word. He plans adventures for us. This man dreams us dreams and he makes them true.

This is the man who raises a Banner over our household, and builds foundations of respect and patience. He always tells me ‘yes you can’ or ‘yes you should’ and he tells me when he notices I’ve said ‘yes’ too much and he tells me to take my journal to a coffee shop or to go out with friends. He says “life is short…catch that plane”, and he says “I’ll hold down the fort”. He says you need to die to be reborn and that fields need to lay fallow to produce real fruit. He says all sorts of wise things at unexpected times.

This is my man. I’ll keep the home fires burning and the banner high. My heart will beat loudly too, for him and for the things of God, and it will lead him home.

(I am slowly moving my favorite posts from my old blog over here…sorry if you’ve seen it before!)

Thankful today for my extraordinary husband…

490) Hot date with my main man (local…you must eat there)

491) My parents who come to town, give us money, send us out for dinner, and watch our children! Thanks! xoxox

492) A hard-working man (if you’re the praying kind, please keep he and his team in mind this week as they prep a very large youth conference this coming weekend)

493) A super fun man

494) A gentle man

495) A faith filled man

496) A kind man

497) An optimistic man

498) A loving man

499) A wise man

I’m sure you hate this JFed. Sorry. I just can’t help myself.