Happy Birthday to You!

{This is Brad.  I have broken into Jen’s blog to bring you a post she was not expecting.  You will have her back next post!}

birthday_jen

Count Your Blessings

Remember when we were kids and our parents would make us name things we were thankful for around Thanksgiving? Maybe you do the same thing with your kids now? How about you? When was the last time you sat back and named those most important blessings?

Today is one of those days for me. I know I am supposed to say nice things on days like today, but I am telling you guys, God blessed my socks off with this woman. Every year that passes I see God molding Jen into the woman He intends for her to be. As I read these past two posts from her about “What I do” and “What I don’t do“, I realized just how much I have seen her change these past few years. When I sit back and try to think of what has caused these positive changes, it reminds me that growth comes through trials. {James 1:2}

I have had the great blessing of walking with Jen through many illnesses, infertility, a quadruplet pregnancy, bedrest, 4 weeks of hospitalization, three major surgeries, preemies in the NICU, sleeplessness, chronic back pain, too many diapers to count, child hospitalizations, and 100 other things that I could list. Yes, that’s right, I said the “great blessing” of walking with her through these things. I didn’t view them as blessings when we were in the trials, but I do now because of what those trials have built in our lives.

Great Relational Depth Takes Time

Trials can either destroy a relationship, or build it up.  God has blessed our marriage to let those difficult circumstances deepen our love and commitment to one another.  When new trials enter our lives, we draw strength from those trials that God led us through in the past.  We can now say things like, “We have endured things before, we can do this too!”  The only thing that can bring this deep and blessed friendship is to enjoy and endure the good and bad for many years together.  Nothing is a substitute for the years we have spent together.

Help Me Say Happy Birthday?

Can you guys help me today?  As with many moms and wives, the biggest thing Jen needs is encouragement.  Would you wish her a happy birthday and tell her one specific way her writing has blessed you?  Thank you all.  You have no idea what a tremendous blessing you readers are to our family.

Brad
{Husband and Daddy}