Looking Back, Looking Forward

 

This last weekend, Ann and I celebrated 56 years of mostly married bliss. I first met Ann in church, and was immediately captivated by her smile. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever met and I fell in love instantly. That hasn’t changed.

We were married in our late teens in the church where we met. Now, three daughters, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren later, we look back on God’s grace and goodness to us throughout the intervening years.

Sure, there have been bumps along the way. What marriage worth its salt hasn’t? In fact, marriage difficulties, like pain, are a God given warning that something is wrong and needs fixing. They are rarely an indicator that the marriage is finished!

This common misconception results in terminating potentially good marriages too soon. Working through difficulties together results in greater appreciation for our partner and a stronger marriage. No ship’s captain learns his craft on a calm sea!

Have we wasted some of those years? Probably. But as we get older we increasingly realize that we have only so many days given us and need to use each one we have left for eternity.

So our mid-seventies are not a time to kick back and veg out. If they were, we might as well be dead, for we’d simply be waiting to die! As long as God gives us breath, we wish to use whatever time we have left to support others in the faith.

We will continue to enjoy our life together, the world, family and friends God has given us. We will continue to write, to leave a legacy for those who follow us, to remain faithful to each other, and supremely to God who gave us life and fellowship with Him for time and eternity.