Proud of My Man

So I mentioned yesterday I’ve been reading the ESV Bible, and as I read 2 Corinthians 7, where Paul is sharing his love and joy with the church at Corinth, the way they translated verse four stood out to me:  “…I have great pride in you…I am overflowing with joy.”  Pride?  It actually says “I’m proud of you” in the Bible?  Why yes it does.  Perhaps it is has more of the connotation of being pleased, but I like that they use the word pride because it demonstrates that feeling we get when someone we love so deeply makes us proud because he or she is so spectacular.  Every single day I tell Dutch how proud I am of him.  And I am. The way he tries not to cry when he gets hurt, the way he says I’m sorry (after he’s naughty, yes!), the way he tries new things and experiments stacking Legos and eats with a spoon and dries his hands on the kitchen towel.   

But today I just want to say I’m so proud of my husband.  Even as I write the words my eyes are filling with tears.  I have watched him walk through trying times.  Though the past few years have been challenging for me, I know that I can’t even understand how hard it must have been for Jeff.  To be 30 and unemployed, working as an unpaid intern, living with his in-laws, feeling shelved by God.  I don’t want to go into all of it, but my heart wells up with pride when I think of how he never demanded status, position, esteem in the eyes of men.  He took the low seat, he served silently, he held his tongue often, and he faithfully chose to love me despite my complaining, doubting, and struggling.  He has been slow to speak, quick to listen, slow to wrath.  I recently did something really stupid (I’ll share the story later) that hurt no one but him.  He refused to get ticked off, refused to make it a big deal.  He laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and moved on when many a husband would have been furious. I am honored to be the wife of Jeff Patterson.

And now, now that he is in a position of authority and honor, he’s the same Jeff.  He laughs at himself, he still takes the low seat, he still refuses to take himself too seriously.   When I see the way that he’s presently being treated by his new church staff team, so honored and respected, it brings me to tears because I know no other man who deserves it more.  His only request now that we actually have a good income?  Socks without holes in them. 🙂 Yup.   That’s my Jeffrey.  I know there will be plenty more bumps and bruises ahead, but at this particular point in the game I’m just thankful.

Jeff always says he “married up.”  Let me say today that I am the one who married up.  Jeff, I love and respect you more than any man.  Thank you for your faithfulness to God, to me, and to Dutch.  I’m so proud of you.