This Guy...

"A beautiful garden is the result of sunshine and of rain." -An Unlikely Gift

As many of you already know; my favorite guy lost his job in January. I've yet to write anything about it, because in the moments that followed the news, I recognized as a good wife should, what a sensitive season this would be. In the whirlwind of emotion, however, as I waited for him to come home, that was the extent of my good wife instincts. I was clueless as to how to support him from there. 

Fast forward a couple months, and I'm not much more sure of my role in this job search, or as his helper, but I am more sure than ever of what a special guy I have.

It's been a season like any other with rainy days, mixed with days when we see the sun shining through the clouds, and some where we recognize the silver that lines them. After all, rarely do grown men have the freedom to let their beards run as wild as this.

And when else would he have time to tackle projects around the house to his heart's content? The fact that his heart is content when piecing together riding lawnmower parts that came with the garage, hanging siding on the house, replacing old parts in our vehicles, and pressure washing every outdoor surface in sight, is one of the reasons why he's my favorite guy.

The other reason is his Christ-likeness. In a time where he has plenty of reason to mope, every excuse to be short with us, and ample cause to be negative, he chooses not to. Instead he picks up the slack when I travel for work, and makes up for all the days I've prepared meals, done the shopping, and helped with homework. He hasn't missed a single one of Angie's tennis matches this year, a feat no parent with regular working hours could ever accomplish. And he keeps his chin up through it all. 

It is difficult to offend someone who is truly humble. Where my pride might have taken a lethal blow, he barely seems fazed. He reads his Bible more and leads us better now than ever.

Like any rainy spring, it's been one full of opportunities for growth as well. Nothing highlights the differences in two personalities as polar as ours like 24/7 time together. Without a schedule he slowly reverts to his natural nocturnal state, and I vacillate between gentle encouragement and frustrated chastisement. As he volunteers to help neighbors and friends with projects around their houses, I waver between admiration for his generosity and selfishness that he's not finishing the projects he's left undone in our own home.

But I'm not conflicted for long, as respecting him is so easy. Yesterday, he spent the day fixing up our '96 Honda Civic that he's been planning to sell on Craigslist for awhile; not to increase its selling price, but to enhance its value as a gift. Last night, he woke up at 2:30am to drive it to Oklahoma. I worked a veterinary conference in Nashville over the weekend. The day before, our speaker, a CVM missionary raising funds to move to West Africa with his family, had to cancel when his car engine blew costing more to repair than the value of the car. Jon not only thought to donate our Civic to them, in spite of our tight financial situation, he also volunteered to drive overnight to take it to people he had never met...

Employers, you'll probably have to fight me for him, I think I like having this guy around more than all the money your fancy jobs can offer. Well, call me anyway, if you're lucky maybe we can work something out.