The kind of husband who has forever changed my view of men.
You see, I grew up with men who equated machoism and control for manliness. Men who were selfish, unreliable. Men who valued status and power and wealth. Men who thought using women was acceptable. Men who were unreliable. Men who never had the courage or guys to dig in, do the hard work, stick around.
Enter Zach.
He’s proven that he will do whatever it takes to make our marriage work, and I’m so grateful. He is raising our boys to be godly men, and I couldn’t be more encouraged. He genuinely adores our daughter, and I’m so grateful.
He’s gentle, but he’s a far cry from being a pushover.
My husband is strong, tough, manly.
But he is also tender, thoughtful, kind, and perceptive.
Day in, day out.
Dependably.
I have a photo session coming up that I’m a little nervous about. It’s a larger group than what I normally shoot. There are some unfamiliar elements in regards to time, place, etc.
Before I could say any of this , he had a plan. He took me location scouting, after putting in a 14 hour work day.
He got out of the truck and tromped around in the snow because I needed a subject to practice my lighting on.
That’s the everyday kind of love that really matters to me, to the marrow of my bones.
He’s on my side. He cares about the things I care about. He is kind.
If I try to thank him, he’ll shrug it off. Say it’s no big deal.
But dependable kindness is the biggest of all deals.
Valentines Day will soon be upon us. This is a good time to remind our children that Hollywood romance has nothing on the Daily Dependable kind of love.
Wayne Muller says: ‘Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the compass points that would show us where to go, we bypass the nourishment that would give us succor. We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom. We miss the joy and love born of effortless delight.”
Winter is an invitation to rest.
I have been known to resist the colder temperatures and shorter day light hours. I’ve struggled in the past over long stretches of cold weather.
But I’m older. Hopefully a little wiser. And I know now that winter is an invitation to slow down.
Labors don’t cease because the days are cold and short. But instead of balking , fidgeting against the cold and the dark, I can tie the opportunity to slow down. To end my work day a little earlier. To linger around the table a bit longer.
To light the candles. To embrace the quiet. To appreciate the opportunity given to me.
What does rest look like for you? Reading a good book, curled up next to the fire? A guilt-free nap? Resting is more than merely ceasing our labors. Resting is to recognize the fact that the world is not dependent on us. We don’t have to carry its Weight on our shoulders. We can rest because we can trust. The two concepts are indivisible.
We trust that God is good.
We trust that we have enough time.
We trust that all is working together for Good.
We know that our value is not dependent on how much work we can cram into our days.
“Praised be you, O God with all your creatures; and especially our brother the sun, who is the day, and the light; fair is he, and shining with a very great splendour: O God, he signifies you to us!”
God isn’t in the sun, and he isn’t the sun, but the sun can remind us of Him.
And on mornings like this, it does.
Psalm 19:1, ESV The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
The sun reminds me of an Intelligent Creator.
It reminds me that He is vast , and I am small.
It reminds me that today is a new day, and that I get to live again.
Jenny Lee Woodward Photography LLC 