10 million miles

For Ryan’s birthday last night, Ashley watched Vivienne and Lia while Ryan and I enjoyed a Genovese pizza over at Facia Luna. After pizza, we headed over to the pool where I handed Ryan his big present and told him to close his eyes as I lead him up to the gate where our musician friend, Ed, was waiting on the other side. (Why at the pool? Because Ed’s adorable 13-year old son was doing his boyscout star boards there.) When he opened his eyes and saw Ed, Ryan must’ve known right away what was in his big box… since, for years, he has envied Ed’s mandolin-playing skills. After opening his present, Ryan received his first speed lesson from Ed. When the lifeguards authoritatively swung their whistles around to close the pool, Ryan and I headed over to our friends’, Chris and Colette’s, place. There, we prayed for and blessed the 33-year old mandolin-wielding stud. When we returned home with a DQ ice cream cake, we sang “Happy Birthday,” tucked the little girls in bed, and played a rousing game of Dutch Blitz with Ashley and Meagan (her BFF). Happy Birthday, Ryan!

I admire Ryan’s countless daddy-skills, but one of my most treasured is that he memorizes Scripture with Vivienne every night (Lia will join in soon!). I’ve sat out in the living room night after night, listening to the two of them learn the fruits of the Spirit, Psalm 23, Psalm 100, The Lord’s Prayer, and - currently - Isaiah 58. This joyful discipline has already enriched and taught our family, ministered to dozens of people at a local retirement village, encouraged a neighbor recovering from back surgery, comforted a great-aunt who is walking with her husband through cancer, and reminded many people of God’s powerful Word.

I love the legacy that Ryan is building in our children. I filmed tonight’s session to shamelessly show off my wonderful man’s hard work… and encourage all of us to hide God’s word in our hearts.

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On Tuesday night, our book club met to discuss our first book, Corrie Ten Boom’s The Hiding Place.

I had originally started the club because:

1. I’ve always wanted to be a part of a book club, so why not invite me to my own?

2. After reading and watching The Jane Austen Book Club (which I don’t necessarily recommend), I realized that people need a safe place to gossip about other people, hash out the finer details of relationships, and air thoughts. I figured, a book club is a safe place because the subjects of gossip don’t really exist.

I hadn’t anticipated the worth of:

1. spending time with real people who think, and respond, and love

2. spending time with “book” people who, it turns out, I don’t want to gossip about, but rather want to be like

I think we all discovered that The Hiding Place is full of admirable, courageous people doing things we all aspire to do. Corrie Ten Boom sheds such a brilliant light on the virtuous characters that the evil characters fade into the background.

I most appreciated the theme of home. Through her story telling, Corrie invites us all into the loveliness of Father, Mama, Betsy, Tante Jans… We can’t help but feel like we are home when we are with them.

Most precious to me were the lessons I learned from Corrie’s Father and Mama. It was because of Father’s and Mama’s examples of tangible love and wisdom that Corri and Betsy were able to thrive in the worst of circumstances. For example, because Father read Scripture aloud to the family every evening, Corrie and Betsy knew the treasure of reading Scripture aloud to their prison mates every night. Because Mama provided meals and clothing for others even when she herself was not feeling well, Corrie and Betsy were able to tangibly serve their prison mates despite their own discomfort.

During their years of pro-active love, Father and Mama could not have known the ways in which they were preparing their daughters for the future. But because two parents were faithful, two daughters helped to transform prison cells to sanctuaries, and convert hardened guards to forgiven friends.

No one wishes for their children to experience such tragedy, but may we all be like Father and Mama, equipping and inspiring our children to adore Scripture and serve other people… no matter what.

Every day, I receive a brief email from The Generous Wife with an idea, a bit of encouragement, and an inspiring quotation about how to love Ryan better. Lori’s emails address the full gambit of our relationships from buying vitamins and noticing our husbands’ oh-so-straight lawn-mower lines, to praying for them and pursuing them romantically.

I’ve been receiving the emails for over a year now and haven’t always acted upon the advice, but I think I’m going to do a week’s-full just for kicks. You can get in on the fun and receive the emails, too! For those of the male persuasion, check out The Generous Husband.

Let’s all give a little bit more! The way I figure it, if a potato can be so romantically inclined, I can muster up a little lovin’, too!

Thanks to our DLN (Dear Lovely Neighbors), Ryan and I were able to go out on a date (!) to see Prince Caspian last night. Because the film didn’t resemble the book very much, I gripped Ryan’s arm through half of the movie out of fear that they would kill Peter off or something. (Don’t worry, they didn’t.) Once I freed the film from any loyalties to Lewis’ original book, I enjoyed it immensely. Who could complain about being immersed in beauty for 140-some minutes? Best of all, I got to see the Pevencies again: the children are growing up so beautifully. Susan and Lucy have a way of inspiring my femininity. And Edmond’s stunning maturity makes me feel “a-o-kay” about having a son someday.

The film reminded me about Kendall Payne’s song “Aslan”, which contains a wonderfully poignant chorus:

He won’t say the words you wish that he would
Oh, he don’t do the deeds you know that He could
He won’t think the thoughts you think He should
But He is good, He is good

Though the song references the lesson that Lucy learns about Aslan (that He isn’t safe, but He is good), it is primarily about God. (And, now that I think about it, could be about any number of husbands in the world, too. But he is good, he is good.)

(You can listen to the first minute of the song from Kendall’s official web site. Then you can buy it and listen to it over and over again.)

We celebrated a gorgeous wedding with one of my dearest friends this weekend. My favorite part was that they wrote their vows, memorized them, and said them to each other in such a natural way. I told them that the aspects they included in their vows - “I will choose you over and over again…” - are so wise and so right. What an honor to be a part of such a beautiful day.

Wow!

Ryan’s passion to help our local church family pursue integrity is featured on Covenant Eye’s web-site.

You’ve gotta check it out!

This morning as I wrapped a gift for an upcoming wedding, Vivienne dug through my box of ribbons and bows. She pulled out a little plastic bag that I haven’t opened in 7 years. Inside, was a simple bracelet.

I smiled to remember that, when I was engaged to marry Ryan, a dear friend told me that God asks each wife, “Who will love this man?” I made this acrostic bracelet to remember that question… and my answer.

When He asks it about Ryan, may I always be the one answering “I will!”

Thanks to you, I’ve got a whole list of possible projects to devote myself towards…

* gardening

* learning Spanish

* pottery

* photography

* playing the piano

* writing a book

* joining Facebook

* baking cakes

All amazing suggestions. Quite honestly, I’d love to choose all of them if I had more than one hand available during the day. (Note: I did notice that people seemed to suggest I do things that they wanted to do themselves. Hmmm…)

Most recently, two people independently suggested that I pray about what my ministry should be at this point in my life. So, I’ve been a-prayin’ and I have noticed that one noble aim seems to come to my mind over and over again. It’s a great, big, intimidating ministry, but I think I’m ready to make it official by telling you. Wanna know what it is? Drum roll please….

Well, actually, I don’t really want to tell you what it is because you will all be able to notice whether or not I’m doing it and I’m not sure I want that level of accountability… (You know, it’s like announcing I will lose 200 pounds; wouldn’t you secretly be checking me out to determine whether or not I’m living up to my lofty claim?) At the same time, I realize that if this is work that God does want me to do, He’ll give me strength to do it - despite the ups and downs that will come. So, I will tell you because I know that sharing things like this will help me to stick with it. (Besides, I roped you into this whole thing; you deserve to know the out-come, don’t ya think?)

SO, I’ve decided that with the dawning of my thirties, I’d like to learn how to be a fabulous, fun, thoughtful, supportive, “go! go! go!”, helpful wife.

Yup.

A good wife.

That’s what I really want to learn about at this point in my life. I’m convinced that, whether I choose to pursue it or not, it’s the biggest ministry God has provided for me to do.

How can I ignore the fact that I am the one little person in the whole universe - out of all time and space - that God has chosen to bring one certain Ryan-man great joy, honor, and help? No one else has the potential to promote and encourage him like I can. (Or discourage and destroy him, for that matter.) In fact, my decisions towards him are so powerful that they can influence the quality of his entire life. Crazy thoughts, but true.

“Being a good wife” is certainly not a popular ministry these days, but I have a hunch that, when it’s all said and done, it’s probably the most worth-while art I could pursue.

The game plan: I’ve already started a personal journal specifically about this adventure. I’ve written down the nitty-gritty of “how things are” today and will just jot down the changes I see in our lives each day as I ask God what He wants me to do to bless Ryan.

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Proverbs 31: 10

(The fun bonus: so many of the things I wanted to do will happen because I’m learning little-by-little to be a good wife. Like, training for the Philadelphia Half Marathon together, playing music together more often, reading aloud, raising tomatoes, and plain-ole’ enjoying the incredible gift of our family. I’ll keep ya posted…)