Thirty-six Plus

36+ years.

36 married years. 

All that time ago, when this man became entangled with this mess of a girl, he had no idea what he was signing up for.  We were young, and probably—most likely— dumb, but sometimes that doesn’t matter.  What matters is when two people love each other, get married and make the conscious choice to make it work…it spite of themselves.  

We got married and headed straight into life. The life that was good, the life that was hard.  In fact, we simply grew up together.  God was merciful on us and led us down the path that was leading straight to a life that attempts to honor Him.  

We had three children that we couldn’t imagine being without.  They are the best parts of us and they complete us as our family.  Each and every second we spend with them are a gentle reminder that God does everything in His timing and it is always good.  It’s more than good.  It’s a testament to God the Father who knows what we need and when we need it.  We needed Him and He knew we would need them.  

This is my favorite picture of them!

The interesting thing about this wedded union bliss that God gives us, is that even in the difficult areas of life, when things aren’t  quite what you imagined and the way isn’t looking so easy, God always comes through.  It’s not hard to get sidetracked when the money isn’t there and the people you parent are sick or feet are getting too big for their shoes and their legs won’t stop growing.  This house experienced more than enough of this and in each and every situation, it always worked out.  God supplied and we were thankful.  

In all our years of having children in the home, we have wiped noses…and other area’s…fixed scrapes, put butterfly bandages on gaping wounds, gone to the ER on more than one occasion, given hugs, helped tie shoes, or velcro, (thanks to Grandma), broken up fist fights, driven to bajillions of ballgames and practices of every sport possible, listened to new readers read out loud, (Lord Jesus, help us), wiped tears, attended awards dinners, graduations, all culminating into watching them drive away into their own lives.  

And for us, it was worth every tiny second that flew by in the blink of an eye.  

In the tenderheartedness of God, He saw fit to give us added blessings in the form of grandchildren. Whoever said, “ Grandchildren are your reward for not killing your children” may have been onto something.  Those tiny and growing forms of their parents have us completely smitten.  They are certainly the prize.  In a strange set of circumstances, grandchildren almost, almost allow you a “do-over’. All those things you thought were so important and you realize later that they weren’t…..you get to fix it with the grands.  Eating in bed and having dessert for dinner turns out isn’t such a bad thing after all. 

(On a side note, Moses had just been released from the E.R)

That is thirty six years of home-life.  Thirty-six years of loving and living, disagreeing and making-up.  

So, what happens now? In this world of throw-away marriages, uncontrolled living, and general world craziness, we choose to follow God the best we know how.  We don’t always get it right, but we try, and in the midst of that we have moved into a different level of living.  It’s that easy, peaceful place of loving and accepting exactly who we are: 

He likes ballgames, I like shopping

He likes meat and potatoes, I like salad and vegetables

He likes to have a plan, I’m good flying by the seat of my pants

He thinks he’s organized, I know that I am not

He doesn’t mix his food, I mix everything ALL TOGETHER

He likes to stay up late, I go to bed with the sun, just about

He would rather watch, I would rather read

and….

He sacrifices on my behalf

He lets me go first, in most things

He says I can watch what I want to--
                   (unless World Cup, Super Bowl, All-Star games, NBA or  

        Final Four tournaments, or anything like it are on..…if so, I can forget it)

He eats whatever I set in front of him…except broccoli and that is my uncle Don’s fault 

He is an AP owner, because I am

He gives away more than he keeps

and….

He loves God more than he loves me. 

That’s why all this works.  

I have been over-loved and over-supported for the last 36 years. 

Long ago and far way, God ordained that two imperfect people would find each other and carve out a life that produced three impressive children and some incredible grands.  

So for the next thirty-six years, I’m praying that we spend every bit of time we have here on earth loving God, loving our people and loving others.

And if it happens that we have a little bit more fun, laugh routinely and love each other more, I'm good with that. 

If fact, I'm counting on it.  

 

Happy Anniversary to us.  It's been a wild ride.