nathanael: my beloved and my friend

i remember the night n suffered the seizure that left him with a broken spine in 3 places. i curled up on the floor of the icu waiting room, sobbed and begged God not to take him home yet. he was unconscious and i didn't know why. he was 29 years old and i remember opening my bible and feeling an urgency to read psalm 30. it says in verse 3: "O LORD, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit." i remember feeling it was a promise that n would turn 30.

here he is in my little house in tacoma (2003) before we were married. he came over and we cooked lots of curries on that little stove.

i then proceeded to read psalm 31 and begged God for him to please reach 31, too, even though it says in verse 10: "For my life is spent with sorrow And my years with sighing; My strength has failed because of my iniquity, And my body has wasted away." But it also says in the end: "Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD."

these are awesome scriptures for us since we've both asked Jesus to come into our lives. they aren't just poetry for us since now "we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7.

every sunday after church we ate at vien dong with friends. it was wonderful except when you ate pho and your arms went numb and you couldn't drive home. scary!

here is our first house in lakewood. we spent our honeymoon there. basically, i moved in and we were happy enough with that. n was too sick to go anywhere. we still technically have reservations at the B&B we were supposed to go to. maybe someday, but i'm pretty much over it by now!

tomorrow (december 5th) n-ie pie turns 32 and i am rejoicing. not because i talked God into anything (although He says the prayers of the righteous avail much... and HE is that righteousness!), but because i am so grateful for each day with my man.

n is so amazing and takes such good care of me. people say i take great care of him (thank you, Lord for the HELP), but HE is an excellent and incredible husband. he cares for me like no one else and covers me with love deeper than anything i've known on this earth.

"Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?" i read this verse and always want to say it's me! it's me! with tubbery! we are in the wilderness, but we are together!

"Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised." Song of Songs 8:5-7

what can i say to a man like this? a beautiful scottish, irish lad of superior intellect, taste and humor. happy birthday, bear! each day with you is a gift and you are your namesake! nathan = gift/ a-el= of God!

you have been through so much and i am honored to be on this journey with you.


i don't know what's ahead of us, but i know God is faithful and true, i know His promises are forever, and i know it is Him we are leaning on in this wilderness.

"This is my beloved and this is my friend..." Song of Songs 5:16