By Douglas V. Gibbs
August 18, 1984, Virginia and I recited our vows in the backyard of a preacher's house. Our mothers were present, and the rest of our families were waiting out front. I was going to be shipping off to bootcamp a week later, so our honeymoon was going to be short and sweet, followed by six months of military separation.
We celebrated our anniversary last weekend, but tonight I brought home a single red rose, and a card with a message of devotion.
Our marriage has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. We are about as opposite as they get, and for the first twenty years of our marriage we fought like cats and dogs over those differences. As we got older, however, the Lord showed us how our differences are advantageous. Her strengths are my weaknesses, and her weaknesses are my strengths. So though as individuals we scratch our heads in regards to the other, as a team we are unstoppable.
Besides, I teased her earlier today, the rockiest, most difficult hikes are always the funnest, and most rewarding.
She said something about our marriage being the face of a cliff.
Yes, but we have climbed it successfully, anyhow.
Our children are grown up, and we have two grandchildren that mean the world to us. Our home is rather small, but it has always provided what we need. I have always worked, she has not (for the most part).
The Lord never gives you more than you can handle.
At one point during the mid-nineties we were having difficulties, and in a conversation with my dad who has been married to my mom for forty-plus years (step-dad, not my father - my biological father passed away eleven years ago), he gave me the following advice:
"Whether or not she was the right woman when you married her, when you said those vows she became the right woman in the eyes of the Lord. Instead of trying to change her, just love her; and grow. As you grow, she will have one of two choices. Grow with you, or fall behind. Grow, love her, and serve her."
Shortly after that my wife accepted the Lord, and our marriage has been pretty darn good ever since.
Of course, there are a number of stories that line the rough path along the way to 26 years. From the fact that we are high school sweethearts (young, immature, and cocky), to the difficulties we had with our kids when they were teenagers (who acted young, immature, and cocky), the journey has been one filled with storms.
The Storms of Life remind me of the trip the disciples took with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. The winds whipped up, the seas came crashing down on the boat, and the disciples ran downstairs where The Christ was sleeping. They cried out, "Will you have us die?"
Jesus replied, "Have you no faith?"
He later calmed the storms, and they made it to the other side of Galilee.
That trip the disciples took with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee is much like our lives. The storms are battering us, and we have a choice of losing our faith, or gaining our sea legs. We have to remember that in the game of life, Our Lord never promised us a smooth ride - in fact, as a Christian the storms will be even more severe as we are constantly under spiritual attack; but He did promise us He'd get us to the other side.
26 years down, a bunch more to go. We have our sea legs, and we have learned to weather the storms together.
26 blessed years.
What a ride. . . so far.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
Our marriage has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. We are about as opposite as they get, and for the first twenty years of our marriage we fought like cats and dogs over those differences. As we got older, however, the Lord showed us how our differences are advantageous. Her strengths are my weaknesses, and her weaknesses are my strengths. So though as individuals we scratch our heads in regards to the other, as a team we are unstoppable.
Besides, I teased her earlier today, the rockiest, most difficult hikes are always the funnest, and most rewarding.
She said something about our marriage being the face of a cliff.
Yes, but we have climbed it successfully, anyhow.
Our children are grown up, and we have two grandchildren that mean the world to us. Our home is rather small, but it has always provided what we need. I have always worked, she has not (for the most part).
The Lord never gives you more than you can handle.
At one point during the mid-nineties we were having difficulties, and in a conversation with my dad who has been married to my mom for forty-plus years (step-dad, not my father - my biological father passed away eleven years ago), he gave me the following advice:
"Whether or not she was the right woman when you married her, when you said those vows she became the right woman in the eyes of the Lord. Instead of trying to change her, just love her; and grow. As you grow, she will have one of two choices. Grow with you, or fall behind. Grow, love her, and serve her."
Shortly after that my wife accepted the Lord, and our marriage has been pretty darn good ever since.
Of course, there are a number of stories that line the rough path along the way to 26 years. From the fact that we are high school sweethearts (young, immature, and cocky), to the difficulties we had with our kids when they were teenagers (who acted young, immature, and cocky), the journey has been one filled with storms.
The Storms of Life remind me of the trip the disciples took with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. The winds whipped up, the seas came crashing down on the boat, and the disciples ran downstairs where The Christ was sleeping. They cried out, "Will you have us die?"
Jesus replied, "Have you no faith?"
He later calmed the storms, and they made it to the other side of Galilee.
That trip the disciples took with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee is much like our lives. The storms are battering us, and we have a choice of losing our faith, or gaining our sea legs. We have to remember that in the game of life, Our Lord never promised us a smooth ride - in fact, as a Christian the storms will be even more severe as we are constantly under spiritual attack; but He did promise us He'd get us to the other side.
26 years down, a bunch more to go. We have our sea legs, and we have learned to weather the storms together.
26 blessed years.
What a ride. . . so far.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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