Eng's 52!

Because Eng’s birthday is today, I thought I’d write about him. I checked on what I wrote about him last year and was surprised by what I read. I had forgotten! I shared then about him praying for us when he woke up on his birthday. He asked for the Lord’s blessing on our marriage, for help that he remain committed, and to be willing to do the work to make

it a better marriage. Now a year later, I’d like to attest to the Lord’s faithfulness in answering that prayer. We have indeed been blessed in our marriage! In the past year, we travelled to Manila (twice!), Malaysia, Europe, and we are now in Canada. The Lord’s been amazing in His help while we are on Home Assignment both as we transitioned and shared about the work in Thailand. We are relating better as a family and with the counselling that we are receiving, Eng and I are communicating and getting along better.

He asked to be committed to our marriage and he had been. I also know that it hasn’t been easy for him to see a counsellor (reflecting on why he does what he does is not something he likes to do) but he’s certainly sticking it out. It is also a big time commitment as not only do we go for our hour and a half session bi-weekly but we also have to do homework. Eng had certainly been willing and doing the work to make our marriage better.

For his birthday, I gave him a book about an issue he’s struggling with. Understandably, he wasn’t “thrilled” about his gift. In retrospect, I can understand why. I would love to get a book that would help me change because I welcome change. He’s more on the resistant-to-change group of people though, so the book was probably the last thing he wanted to get. You know what he did? He thanked me for the gift and said he would read it. Then, he proceeded to do so! He is an amazing man. I had no idea.

Lord, I’m grateful for this man that you have given me. He’d been such a challenge to me (as I obviously am to him!) but in your wisdom he’d provided the balance that I needed in my life. He protects, provides, controls, and serves. He does those so well. He’s an excellent cook. What I’m not, he is. What a wise God, you are. You put us together in spite our differences not so we would argue and keep arguing but so that we would learn to value each other and collaborate together, celebrate our uniqueness and keep loving one another. Thank you, O wise and knowing God.

Happy Birthday, Eng. You are God’s blessing to me. Keep on. =)

As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17

Gift giving tip: buy something the receiver would like even if you think what you've got in your hand is what he should get.