Okay, we are really behind. Lots has happened in the past few months, and there's so much to share! We're going to do our best to get back on track and give regular updates. First, though, we have to reach back to May.
Kristin talking:
You know we do monthly dates following ideas from the book 40 Unforgettable Dates with Your Mate. In May, I organized an "intimate" date for Nathan...we won't be sharing details of that one. :) For me, Nathan planned a date to show his appreciation for me. It was one of the most wonderful and thoughtful dates we've ever been on!
Nathan's date was a complete surprise to me. I knew the day and the time. I knew that I was supposed to wear a really fancy dress. I knew that he would feed me. That's it.
On the evening of the date, we got dressed up and headed to downtown Sacramento. Nathan pulled up to a the Lucca Restaurant and splurged for valet parking (first time ever!). When we got to the restaurant, who did we see but some of our good friends! Turns out, Nathan had planned not only a date to honor me...he also encouraged two other men from our Bible study to honor their wives as well.
The two couples joining us were Weston and Emily...
and Ed and Monica.
Us girls were surprised (at least Monica and I...apparently, Weston isn't good at keeping surprises and filled Emily in on the plans). We enjoyed a delicious meal together with great conversation. Then, before dessert, the men pulled out the biggest surprise of the evening. They had prepared statements to share with everyone describing what they appreciated about their wives.
It was such a wonderful moment to see each husband look at his wife and tell her exactly what she meant to him and what he loved about her.
Ed was engaging and funny as usual...
Weston's heartfelt admiration made Emily smile...
And Nathan's compliments made me blush. I love him!
First, Nathan read a passage from Proverbs.
Proverbs 31: 10-30 (condensed):
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
…she provides food for her family…
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks…
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy…
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Then, his words...
Kristin is a truly amazing wife, and I delight in her constantly. I have full confidence in her, from her work and time management to her decisions and reliance on the Lord. I can trust her to be completely open with me hiding nothing, and I can be completely open with her. She is a diligent worker who is rarely satisfied despite constantly setting imaginary deadlines and standards of excellence and then surpassing them. She manages to keep the dissertation moving along while teaching, cooking amazing meals, keeping up with chores around the house, earning a bit of extra money from a blog, writing another blog for the church and another blog to minister to our family and friends, actively working to build our marriage and reading with me each night, and still finding time for hobbies like growing a small garden, cross-stitching, sewing, and scrap-booking. She is definitely not an idle person, but she continually manages to make time for us and for daily time of scripture reading, meditation, and prayer.
Kristin challenges me to be a more compassionate person as a witness for our Lord. I, like my father, look for long term justice, but she seeks to offer grace and mercy without diminishing the importance of justice. She has a heart for the poor that I hope I will someday have, and she is a natural teacher and mentor who generally does not see how gifted she is in reaching out to others. She’s encouraged me to get active and stay active in Bible studies and in my own reading and studying of scripture, and she’s encouraged me to change without trying to change me. And in all of this, she strengthens me through her faith and prayer and confidence in God’s plan for us, even though we have no clue what that plan is.
I trust Kristin to look for God’s guidance, and through that trust, I know that our marriage and her love are based on her reliance on God and not merely on feelings. She is truly a wonderful blessing to me, and I love her dearly.
I love you, too, Nathan!
After a fabulous dessert, the men took us ladies to the B Street Theatre in Sacramento for a play about marriage! It was a story about Adam and Eve first meeting in the Garden of Eden and then later going back to visit the Garden on vacation after being married for several years. Overall, it was a great experience.
Nathan talking:
I think Kristin pretty well summed it all up. But, for a short bit at the beginning of the play, I really thought I'd blown it. You can never be too sure of theaters out here and what odd stuff they'll do, and with the play being of Adam and Eve, I started wondering if the actors would have clothes. The last ten minutes waiting for the play to start were pretty nerve-racking, and then once it started, I saw Adam doing some "awakening" dance thing on the floor, but I could only see from the waist up, and that was bare. The lady in front of me blocked out everything else, so I started looking at the other guys in our group to see if we needed to make a quick get-away. They seemed pretty relaxed, so I started to relax, and sure enough, Adam had shorts on. What a relief that was!
