This is Mark.... and it's his birthday....

I finished reading Having a Mary Heart in a Martha's World and decided to order Having a Mary Spirit.... It is so much better than the first book.... I loved the first, but this one is hitting home with lots of things... I like for things in my house to be "fluffed" as Betty Carol says, but sometimes having a fluffed house isn't the most important thing.... Without a doubt, Mark has a Mary Spirit.... I have a few examples below that I have taken just this week... while I hope I never become so relaxed I come to these measures.... I do hope I can live a life more like Mary....I mean Mark... the one who always stays calm during trials... the one who always sees something good in bad situations... and the one who has a good answer when I can't think of one.  My hope is I can be a good combination of both Mary and Mark.... 

I can't help but think of the story of Mark being little and MaMa took him to the doctor...he didn't like to get a haircut so his hair was a little long... the nurse called him "Mary".... from that day on.... you will never find a picture of him with long hair.  Who knew at 42 I would be calling him Mary too!  

He just drove in from Atlanta after being in San Diego this week... I admire him in so many ways... he is sleeping soundly already... along with KB who has hit the teenage years of being able to sleep until noon... and of course, Ben is asleep because he went to the lock-in at church... Mark picked him up on the way in from Atlanta.... So while this birthday won't include a party, or visits, or a cake.... I know Mark won't care because he loves a good rest... his chickens under our roof.... and a day with nothing planned! 

 This is Mark- he can't shut a drawer.... I'm not sure how a grown man gets this far in life... but what I can learn from this.... maybe I should change my attitude and when people hurt me or make me upset... I shouldn't just shut them out... maybe I should leave that drawer open a little...I'm trying...

 And here is another example of Mark.... the trash drawer... he can't shut that either... he loves to throw away some trash.... sometimes things we need.... but he has a hard time closing it completely... when I get finished typing this... I'm going to wipe the cabinet down.... filthy!  Sometimes it takes a picture to see what things look like.... even though I look at it everyday... I didn't notice this....

 Mark has taken a loving to this dog too... yes, it is on my couch... without a blanket... NASTY... I don't like dogs... I like cats.... but Mark with his Mary spirit thought we should save this dog who was thrown into a driveway by a passing car.... She is Mark's best friend... she comes to work with him... rides to pick up the children... and is his sleeping companion on the couch...or even in the bed.... I'm overlooking a lot of things that get on my nerves, but I'm also learning that life is much easier when I do! 

 Just this morning I almost broke my toe on this.... the suitcase that is never completely emptied... this past year it almost got him arrested, but it's a sign that he is hard at work... providing for a our family... and while he may not like all the traveling, I sure am glad he has his spunk back! 

I have also learned this.... no matter how full the bag seems in the drawer... if you take it out and let it hang on the cabinet for a few days... you can always add more.... While this drives me crazy too... it's Mark... I look at it as he is still working on emptying bad things even after we think we have a fresh new start.... there is always room for a little more evil to get out of our lives...

Happy Birthday to "My Baby Deddy".... thanks for everything you do for us... the paths you lead us on... where you are taking us to... and most of all, your "lead by example"... except for all these things above that get on my nerves... you couldn't be any better!  Here's to 42.... WE love you!