37 things I love about Jason

I always have funny stories to tell on my husband, but I rarely take the time to share the wonderful things about him. His birthday today gives me a good chance to reflect on 37 years worth of wonderful… and share it with you!

1. First and foremost… my dream, before I knew much of anything else I wanted, was to marry a man who would love God more than he loved me. I knew that if that were a reality, our marriage could weather anything. God was faithful to that prayer!

2. Jason really does love God with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength. He’s not a perfect man, but he’s honest - and will put anything at all before God to be transformed and changed in himself.

Out of that love He has for God flows the love he has for people....

3. He roots for the underdog .. but not in the sense of cheering from the sidelines. He actually gets involved – and runs along side them.

4. He cheers on the overwhelmed. He has amazing patience with people who are tired and depressed or feel like life is too much. He’s never too busy to talk to someone who really needs it.

5. He serves tirelessly. (That might not seem like much until you realize he serves me almost daily and I am pretty difficult to live with!) I don’t know that a day can go by that he hasn’t done something kind and thoughtful for me or for the kids.

6.He offer and asks forgiveness to a degree that few people do. In fact, I don’t know that I even fully understood the importance of those concepts before I met him. The first few years of our marriage took quite a bit of modeling for me to get it…but since then I have been able to more fully understand the concept of the Grace of God. After I watched Jason offer grace so unconditionally for years, I finally began to believe that God offered me the same.

7. He loves to play NERTS and always beats me. (it’s his birthday, and the only reason I would admit it. )

8. He loves children. If any of you know him…. he hates animals. Early on in our marriage he let me know that we wouldn’t have dogs (though I loved them.) It was watching a little child enjoy a dog that eventually led to him to reverse that decision – and more than once, despite the health problems it caused for him.

9. He loves to laugh. He has disarmed me more than once in the middle of an argument simply by busting out in laughter at himself when it’s gotten way to serious. The first few years I didn’t know what to do with that. ( I thought it had meant that I “won”. ) Little by little, through the years, I learned to laugh more quickly too. Life is much better when you can laugh at yourself.

10. He loves to talk. He just enjoys people – interacting with them, experiencing life with them, thinking with them. And I love that about him.
And while there are many more things that I could write… I wanted to put a few things just for him that I love. (and yes Jason… some that I will miss if you die first.) :-)

11. your singing
12. your laundry skills & laundry "day"
13. your overcommitment to great things because you desire to serve people
14. your “killing time” conversation up that hideous mountain in Ecuador. That was good motivation for me to say “I do” to you. And it’s come in handy since then.
15. X men
16. your ability to drive 18 hours and let me sleep the whole time
17. your allergic emotional reaction to caffeine
18. your tireless energy with the kids
19. your willingness to lead if leadership is needed -no matter what the situation
20. your refusal to give up doing what you think is right – regardless of when life is difficult or unfair
21. your ability to think of a song for almost any occasion
22. your refusal to be deterred by my unending “looks” ( especially when you are singing)
23. your ability to have a big word for almost any occasion
24. that you are willing to introduce yourself to my family, and secretly tell me who they are when I have forgotten
25. your goal to present me without ‘blemish or wrinkle’ to Christ
26. your willingness to say your sorry when I’m wrong
27. your willingness to wait when it takes me too long to say I’m wrong
28. your desire to look people in the eye to make sure they feel cared about
29. your willingness to give up the Simpsons after years because of what you desired for our kids
30. your love of making a tent… or making snowmen… or buying table -top dodgeball.
31. you are simple.. you love rock tumblers, coin sorters and can read a book so deep I can’t even finish the first chapter –and finish two more books while I’m still trying.
32. your investment in mentoring
33. you are humble – genuinely – and will admit if you’re not being such in a moment.
34. your willingness to talk to a lot of people even if you are tired
35. your willingness to lead… even when you feel inadequate
36. your energy in the morning
37. You truly continue to strive to love God above all else!

Happy Birthday Jason! I lam a rich woman - and so are those who have you as a friend. I love you!