Happy Birthday Le!

Today is my sister's 30th birthday. Happy Birthday Le! This post is for you.

A woman like my sister should be celebrated everyday, but unfortunately we don't always take the time to say what begs to be said. Le is so much more than a great sister. She excels in so many ways that I could write all day about it, but then she would never get to read this, so I will be brief. She is an awesome teacher. She is a great card player. She is a hilarious comedian. She is an unbelievable decorator. Le is an awesome wife to my bro-n-law Bob. She can cook like a gourmet chef. She runs one heck of a 400 meters. She can sew really good and make all kinds of Martha Stewart-type stuff around the house. She's really handy in the yard. Le is really smart. She is an awesome Mom to Walton, Neva, and Graham. She does great ministry in her home and at the church. She is a thoughtful and caring daughter to Mom and Dad. She sends me really funny emails. She knows how to have a good time. She can sing like an angel. She can talk intelligently about sports. She is a great judge of character (which comes in handy when she is screening potential sisters-in-law). Le excels in many other areas as well, but like I said, I won't go on all day.

Le and I are only 16 months apart, which means it won't be too long before I too get old (scary). Growing up, we were always involved in a lot of the same activities and were always playing together. I remember always wanting to be like her, and always wishing I could do the things she did. As a kid, Le would always learn or accomplish everything first, but then, like a good big sister, she would always teach me. I learned so many things from her, from riding a bike to naming the Presidents. She even taught me to drive before I was legal! When I was six, Le told me about Jesus after she had accepted him, telling me that she wanted me to go to heaven with her and Mom and Dad. I was always trying to follow in her footsteps, and that was usually a pretty good place to be.



Being siblings very close in age made Le and I very competitive with one another, and drove both of us to be better. I still remember us racing down the hill to our house, running uncontrolably fast but not wanting to slow down and let the other one win. I also remember the high expectations of every teacher that had previously had my sister in class. We were so competitive that on long car trips we would tickle one another's feet and try to see who could hold out the longest without laughing.

Le and I have always been very protective of one another, at times with comical results. I remember once in middle school (when she was bigger than all the boys) she threatened to beat up a neighborhood kid who was messing with me, and he wisely left me alone. I also remember in high school getting in a few scraps to defend her honor. It has alwasy been commom knowledge that I don't put up with sister jokes.

I thought she was crazy when she decided to get married at 20, just when I thought we should be pursuing other craziness together on the UK campus. Turns out, she knew what she was doing. She was aiming for the right kind of success, and she has found it. While I was running around looking for "fun" and trying to make a lot of money, Le was building a loving home, a beautiful family, an effective ministry, and even a little business on the side. She realized what was important, and once again, she taught it to me.



If I stopped here, it would be a wonderful picture of the awesome person whose birthday we celebrate today, but I would be skipping one big part of the story. Many people can say how much they love you, but it is rare to see love demonstrated the way my sister has shown her love for me. Six and half years ago, my kidneys failed and I required a kidney transplant. My sister (who not surprisingly was the best match) insisted that she be the donor. Despite being told of the possibility that she would not be able to have children, Le went through the surgery with me and gave me one of her kidneys. She put her life and her dreams aside to take care of me and mine. After the surgery, I found myself acting a lot more like her. At first I thought it was because a part of her body was inside of me, but I realize now that it was because once again I wanted to become all of the good things that I see in her.

I have been blessed to have Le as my sister, my friend, and as an example to follow. She has always been there for me, loving me, encouraging me, sacrificing for me, being honest with me, and showing me the way. We have celebrated the best of times together, and she has been there during the worst times, crying with me and even making me laugh. I am so thankful for the relationship that we have and for all the memories that we have made, and I look forward to more together in the future.

The highest compliments are the ones paid to us by those who know us best. I know Le's strengths and I know her faults, and I know God could not have given me a better sister or friend. In 30 years she has accomplished more than most do in a lifetime, and she has begun to build a legacy that will long outlive her. She understands the meaning of success, and like a good teacher, she is not only achieving it, but she is showing others how to do the same. Today, on her birthday, I celebrate Le's life, but even more so I celebrate the way she lives it, and I thank her for showing me how to live mine.

Happy Birthday LE! and many, many more
Proverbs 31:29-31