Got your attention, huh?  My girls asked me one time, when they were teenagers, to describe what I would consider a hot guy.  I described their dad–they listened well enough to know exactly who I was talking about:) We’ve been married 30 years, as of last month.  I am still amazed at the gentleness and kindness this wonderful man demonstrates in his life and in all of his relationships.  Especially with me.

I’ve had a unique opportunity to observe him this week, getting to fly up to Alaska with our son, Corey, and spend a week with him on his gillnetter.  We fished for two days (something he and Corey had talked about since Corey was old enough to know what a salmon was, I think), and then headed back into town to wait for the next opening.  The seiners were going to fish Wednesday and us little guys would have to wait until Thursday and Friday.  Then the steering went out. 

Now, if you’re going to have your autopilot and your steering go out, this is actually a pretty good time for it.  We weren’t in little tight areas like we had passed through on the way from Juneau to Sitka….we were in a big pretty sound looking at a volcano with some snow still on it.  We crept into town, and the next morning found a guy who could get the part (and didn’t have to fly in from another town).  Since there was nothing we could do besides wait for parts to arrive, we spent a few days hanging out reading, exploring, and enjoying.  Nice. 

We are very different.  I work a 7-5 job in Seattle.  For this year, at least, he’s returned to fishing (what he did before he got married and had kids that he didn’t want to miss raising).  He likes google maps, I like mapquest.  He came to faith as an adult, I was raised in church.  I’m from the COUNTRY, and he was raised in the city (then lived in Alaska).  He can make friends anywhere (as we saw this week, again), I’m awkward in crowds.   He likes taking new routes, I prefer ones where the exit sign is marked and memorized and I’m not as likely to get lost.  He reads and remembers the details, I skim and then go back and read it again and take notes if it was good.  He can organize a project, I’m overwhelmed by sorting through the options…..

BUT even in our diversity, in the important things, we are united.  Both brought back from destruction by the grace of God, both hold faith to be central to our choices and our hopes, both passionate about advocating for justice, both really want to help in practical ways, both willing to be flexible on the not so important things so we can make room for the ones that matter most.  Both willing to honor the gifts each of us have that are different but complimentary to what we can do together.  Both crazy about our kids and each other. 

So, guess my point is, even though we approach a lot of things differently,  that step of faith that took us from planning our lives, to planning our life together was so worth the risk!  A long ways down the road, I realize I am even more blessed than I suspected was possible, to still have this wonderful partner in my life.