I Want The World To Know

On this day 24 years ago, a princess was born. Christina Marie Resnick - my fiancee - entered this Earth on July 12, 1981. And I'm so grateful.

I am madly in love with her and I want the world to know!

If you, dear reader(s), haven't met her yet, you absolutely should. You will find, as I have long known, that Christy is certifiably most awesome person on the planet.

Allow me to illustrate why....

One day while Christy and I were sitting in a McDonalds, she saw a stray dog walking down the street. Not an uncommon sight in Nashville. I would probably have barely noticed the poor animal, but all Christy could think about was that it was lost and hungry. She followed it down the street for half a mile, feeding it with her burger, trying to lure it close enough so that she could catch it and find an owner for it. Unfortunately, the dog refused to come close to her and eventually ran off...but she kept trying for about half an hour.

That's the kind of person Christy is. Loving. Giving. Concerned for others. I can think of at least 3 separate occasions where she has stopped whatever she is doing to get some food for some homeless guy on the streets....the same people most of us studiously ignore. Christy is the most empathetic person I know. I sometimes tease her that I could make her feel compassion for a rock if I described it movingly enough...but that's precisely what I love about her.

Here's another cool thing about Christy - like me, she takes a childish joy in life's little pleasures with no concern for "dignity" or what other people think. She's the kind of woman who sings along to the car radio, jumps up and down at concerts, and sings her heart out at church worship (a lot like me).

Here's a mental image for you: once, Christy got me an interesting present - two giant Tootsie Pops. Well, they weren't actually Tootsie Pops...they were more like two small bean-bags at the end of soft sticks. When I saw them, I had the same thought Christy had: "Wouldn't it be COOL to joust with those?!" And that's what we did. We went to a park in Nashville, found a stage where they probably perform plays in the park, and we jousted. The fact that we got a bunch of confused stares from onlookers only made it more fun.

God made us for each other. We have so much in common, and the differences we do have make us perfect compliments. Whenever one of us is down, the other will encourage. I calm her when she gets stressed. She lifts me up when I feel depressed. She helps me see details and I help her see the big picture. I expose her to a whole new world of movies and she will doubtlessly one day - wonder of wonders - get me to eat vegetables. We both bring each other closer to God.

I wanted you to know these things about her, dear reader(s). The world needs to know how amazing she is and I can't hold it in any longer.

And, Christy......my Princess, my soon-to-be wife......I pray this has been a happy birthday for you. I pray God has brought you joy. I pray you rest well tonight in the knowledge that you are deeply loved.

And I look eagerly forward to the day when I wake up with you by my side.

Happy Birthday, Christy!