Sunday, September 4, 2016

CELEBRATE!





I was 16 years old when a young man in a blue cotton oxford, button down collared shirt began walking me down the hall after class in high school.  I didn't know him, only his name.  I don't remember ever speaking to him before then and didn't know anything about him....except that he was REALLY cute and a SENIOR!  Later that day, in my speech class, I asked another senior girl if she knew him and anything about him.  She didn't know much but they had been in school together for a while and that he was VERY cute.  Yes, I was 16 years old, a junior in high school and never dated before (I wasn't allowed to begin dating till I was 16 - thank you mom and dad - a favor realized much later in life)!

That would make it 50 years ago in December.  50 Years....I was never great at math....but that seems like a long time to me.  5 years later, we were married...I was 20 years old, just shy of 21.

Today, we celebrate 45 years of marriage and the ride has been incredible!  We've have 3 children, 3 daughter in laws, 3 grandchildren (to date....just waiting for more!), gone thru job advancements and loss, deaths of loved ones, laughter, tears, moves to wonderful cities, travel to places I never dreamed I would get to go, lots of golf, tennis (when we were young and had good knees - ha!) and much more.  In all this time, thru thick and thin, God was with us.  His grace sustained us thru it all and blessed us even in the tough times.

People today seemed so surprised when people are married for such a long period.  But why?  Why does it seem strange to them?  Yes, we had to work hard at it.  But it was worth the work, worth the joy of accomplishment, worth the result of 45 years with the most precious family we could ever imagine.

There is a reason our marriage relationship is so important to God.  It is a picture of His loving relationship with us.  He is our bridegroom who will never leave us, always love us unconditionally even when our love for Him isn't as visible as it should, will always be faithful and raise up a family of believers who are strong, loving and kind.

Yes, we all have our quirks and things about each other that drive us crazy.  Yet, I've come to discover that these are the very things that we fell in love with.  Those individual imperfections that are so endearing when seen in the big picture.

I am grateful God created each of us with special identities.  I am grateful God shows us unconditional love even when we run from Him for something greener on the other side.  I am grateful He never gives up on us and woos us back to Him.  I am grateful he will always be faithful to us and never forsake us.  I am grateful He has taught me the meaning of true love and paying it forward.  I am in love with my God and the beautiful husband He provided for me.

Who has your everlasting love?  Don't wait for this "big" years...celebrate every day!