Bill
Bill is the total bomb in my book. I love his sense of humor, his generosity, and his faithfulness to me and the kids. He loves us sacrificially and would do anything for us anytime, anywhere. If I wanted the moon, he'd find a way to give it to me. He demonstrates Christ's love to me in tangible ways every day, and our time reading the Bible and praying each morning before he goes to work glues our hearts together. He truly is God's gift to me.
My Kids and Grandkids
The Lord blessed us with seven children: Taylor, Peter, Andy, David, Jack, Olivia--and Annie, who went to heaven almost six months ago. We are thankful for our two beautiful daughters-in-law, Cris (Peter), and Naomi (Andy), and two sweet little grandchildren, Irene and Brady, (Peter and Cris'). They each have unique gifts that bless our family--we love them and pray for them every day.
Jesus
He is the Author and Finisher of our faith--and our marriage. How would our marriage have survived without His discipline, provision, guidance, healing and comforting? He is the third cord of our "3-fold cord" spoken of in Ecclesiastes 4:12, binding and strengthening us in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad. His grace covers all our sin, and makes us one--each day.
Praying for 30 more,
Jean
Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God's holy ordinance, through which he wills to perpetuate the human race till the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of the generations, which God causes to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom.
In your love, you see only the heaven of your own happiness, but in marriage you are placed at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal—it is a status, an office. Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule, that makes the king, so it is marriage, and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man.
As high as God is above man, so high are the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of marriage above the sanctity, the rights, and the promise of love. It is not your love that sustains the marriage, but from now on, the marriage that sustains your love.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "A Wedding Sermon from a NAZI Prison"
8 comments:
Happy Anniversary! There are so many who give marriage a bad name in our culture. What an example of faith and love you two are. Praying that one day, I'll be reading the bible with my beloved and praying over our family. But for now, i'm blessed to read on my own and pray to the Author and Finisher of our faith. xxxooo
Thanks, Gretchen. It occurred to me to say that reading/praying with your spouse each morning isn't necessarily "the bar"--I saw an interview with theologian Wayne Grudem & his wife, Margaret, where they recommend that couples have their OWN study time each day. And we obviously don't do that--so are we deficient?
I know that wasn't your point--you just want to be able to share your spiritual life with D. But, when that time comes, it may look different than what we do, and that will be perfectly fine.
Bottom line--each marriage is unique, and your time reading and praying alone now will be--and is--a faith builder for someone else. You are a virtuous and faith-filled woman, and I will pray that God would give you the desires of your heart.
:-)
Wow! Where was that quote when we were looking for "wedding blessings" for our kids?
Great blog entry and great quote!
Praying for 30 more, too~
Congratulations!!! :)
Thank you, Jean. As always, you lift me up. I am ever grateful for where I am, right.this.moment. And so grateful for you.
A wise elderly man, who had celebrated 60 yrs of marriage, told me (quite seriously) that the 1st 30 are the hardest. :-) So, it should be a cake walk from here on out!
Love you both; you are examples to us all of what a real marriage, sustained by Jesus Himself, is all about.
Happy Belated Anniversary!! (I have been without Internet for a while.) Thank you two (as one) for such a fine example of a Godly marriage. I have never met Gretchen, but I thank God for her faith and patience. A fine example for my own daughter in this world we live in today. Praise God for the faithful!
Continuing love and prayers,
Terri W
PS I have been at Mary Bridge 30 years now. I have been telling people for years that I started when I was 4.
Happy belated 30th to you and Bill! I'm surprised the pastor agreed to marry two 14-year-olds. Hmmm....
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