5 Hopes for Shilo's 40th Birthday

Guest Blogger: Sean Taylor aka. S

Now I know I am a decade early and for some people this kind of title could get me in serious trouble, however, my wife was quoted a few years ago as saying, "my thirties will be my best decade yet." Therefore in anticipation of the coming ten-year, I hope to forecast a few highlights from the decade yet to come. So sit back and enjoy 5 predictions from the future:

1. Great Adventures of the Amazing Taylor 7. Here we are sitting around our kitchen table in our, cottage white, kitchen reminiscing on family vacations while looking at photos on our iPad 9.0. Darla is 15, Hudson 14, Everett 12, and two more kids 10 and 11 respectively. We remember the family trips to Montana, visiting Grandad at Longbeach, Aunt Megan's wedding, the adoption of the additional Taylor kids, bike ride trips, that one year where I didn't have a job for a long time, sunny days laying the yard telling funny stories, and all the trouble the kids got into playing with their cousins.

2. Bodies for Life. I picture Shilo coming in from our bonus room gym sweat glistening on her slightly tan skin and hearing her look into a mirror and say, "Dang this is the best I have ever looked." Now let us leave the rest of the imagining of glistening sweat covered skin to me, and btw did I mention, in this future, I have the body of a mythical Greek-god.

3. A Well Balanced Check Book Now this would truly be a miracle from the Lord, but I can see Shilo sitting at her desk with furrowed brow, pen gritted between her teeth wondering how all the numbers could add up and there be extra just sitting there in the bank. I believe they call it "savings". Bills paid, checkbook balanced, and all expenses accounted for. Yes, it will be glorious. (she smiles just reading this prediction)

4. A Present Husband Now this is where I have lacked in the first ten years, but here we sit, decaf coffee and angel food cake with strawberries between us. A vibrant conversation about life's happenings, the books we read, the plans we make while we play some scrabble and I kick her butt for the twentieth consecutive year. We reminisce about the anniversary to come and all the evenings for the past decade spent just like this (minus the angel food cake every time, in reference to reason "2").

5. A Healed Heart We know pain, my wife and I. My pain is mostly from life-circumstances, Shilo's however is usually caused by others, myself included. This prediction stems from a hope much deeper than my ability to make it happen. But may the Repairer of the Breach restore her heart. My hope for Shilo is that trust will be restored, her heart would be filled, and her hope renewed. My hope for her is not a painless future but a present God. That he would always be near her and she would hear his voice in the stillness, comforted in the shadow of His wing. To see my wife function from the abundant love of God is something I have long taken for granted and now I am consumed with prayers for this to return to her fully.

So Happy Birthday Shilo Danielle may this be the first day of the best decade you have ever known. I am glad to be your partner, friend, love, in this endeavor and I love you deeply and choose you every day.

S