jmk

happy birthday, love.
this is your birthday post.
these are the reasons (among MILLIONS)
that I am so glad to be marrying you.

YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE
hello.
we met in hawaii.
where you had become the staff leader for
youth with a mission
after traveling and serving with them
in Perth and India
as a result of
your traveling with IV to
Thailand.
hello.
let's go.

YOUR SENSE OF PURPOSE
yes.
you were perfectly comfortable selling
practically your life's worth of possessions
to move toward simplicity
and
you've served with IV
and invested in so many
college students' lives
that i know
your mansion in heaven
will be filled
with beautiful markers
of the souls
you encouraged to find their way there

YOUR COMMITMENT TO HILARITY
it is. unmatched.
you make me laugh
you laugh at me
you laugh by yourself
you laugh when you're not supposed to
(that's my favorite)
your humor
is
my
favorite

YOUR UNWAVERING KINDNESS
is why
we
are
still
together
i still have never met
someone as kind as you

YOUR INTEGRITY
what great
strength
it
takes
to submit oneself
in humility
toward
a best * crew
of men
striving for
righteousness
together.
i
respect
you
(chicken head)
and
can't wait
to
walk
with
you


YOUR AFFECTION

This present glory, love, once-given grace,
The sum of blessing in a sure embrace,
Must not in creeping separateness decline
But be the centre of our whole design.

We know it’s love that keeps a love secure,
And only by love of love can love endure,
For self’s a killer, reckless of the cost,
And loves of lilactime unloved are lost.

We build our altar, then, to love and keep
The holy flame alight and never sleep:
This darling love shall deepen year by year,
And dearer shall we grow who are so dear.

The magic word is sharing: every stream
Of beauty, every faith and grief and dream;
Go hand in hand in gay companionship -
In sober death no sundering of the grip.

And into love all other loveliness
That we can tease from time we shall impress
Slows dawns and lilacs, traceries of the tress,
The spring and poems, stars and ancient seas.

This splendour is upon us, high and pure
As heaven: and we swear it shall endure:
Swear fortitude for pain and faith for tears
To hold our shining barrier down the years.

***
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32

***

He has shown you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8

***

all my love,

jcb(k)