thought bucket

Happy Birthday Brian.  Well a couple hours ago at least.  To show my appreciation for my amazing brother-in-law I’m breaking my unintentional blog fast.  Here’s to a great guy with a great beard and a great family.  You’re pushing 30 my friend.  Just tonight I told some people I was 28, and that was a lie.  I’m actually 27.  It wasn’t intentional, but maybe because it was your birthday I subconsciously willed myself older so that we could be closer, even if it was just in my mind.

Tonight I gave the first Big Friday (that’s what I call it, there isn’t a formal name for it) talk.  At least three times during it I was tempted to take a break and have the whole group of InterVarsity students there sing you happy birthday.  That’s how engaging the talk was…well, hopefully not.  But I chickened out.  Although, considering the time difference, it may not have been that pleasant of a shout out.  My guess is you were in bed.  Hopefully.

On with the tribute:

I think you’re a great friend.  You’re open and honest and have a servant’s attitude.  Tonight my talk was about the attributes of love as listed in 1 Corinthians 13.  You are definitely patient.  You are certainly kind.  You don’t boast.  You don’t seek your own.  I know you sacrifice on a regular basis.  In the good way, not the weird cultish way.

I think you’re a great father.  Henry is going to be an awesome guy.  Whenever I see a Christian book on how to be a man, I shudder inside just a little bit because they are almost always misogynistic either subtly or blatantly.  I pretty much refuse to read them.  I prefer to just look at my friends and often I see something that I can’t quite explain, but I think, that’s what a man should be like.  You are like that.  I think Henry isn’t going to have any trouble growing up into an awesome man because he’ll have a great example.

You’re a generous husband.  You put your family’s needs before your own and I know that’s not always easy.  You’ve been an amazing support and encourager to your wife.  You’ve persevered, and you will continue to.  You’re real about the fact that caring about other people isn’t always that easy, and acknowledging that is both humble and wise.

You’re a yogi.  Not just for reals but in many physical active type things.  I respect your mad racquetball skills and your ability to bust out the twisting triangle pose.  Also your Sports Center aptitude.

You’re an artist.  That may sound a little weird, but you see the world and it’s beauty in a way that only some do.  You also see the crap, but your fascination with the beauty is truly artistic.  I eagerly await your creative expressions.

You enjoy a good beer.

You’re a gypsy of sorts.  Sure you’ve physically moved around, but I also mean that you’re somebody who I think will always be between.  I think you can come to love a place, but because you know other places are also wondrous, you won’t ever be done exploring the next thing.  I think that’s how all people who understand that this place we are isn’t the final version.

There it is, just a few reasons I’m happy to have a brother.  Now I’m going to change the date on this so it looks like I actually got it done on your real birthday.  Eh, forget it.  Everybody, it was yesterday.  I missed it by two hours here, four hours there.  Hope it was great.