I Did, and "I Do"

(taken at the restaurant where we had dinner today)

Can it really have been thirty-seven years ago today that I said "I do" when the preacher asked me if I would love, obey, take for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part the tall young man standing beside me at the front of the little church?

I really had no idea where this road of marriage would take me. I didn't know that I would be living out in the middle of nowhere with no phone or even a television for the first few years of our marriage. I didn't know how tired I would be after working all day in a garden for I'd never done that before living in town. I didn't know how exhausted I would get when I had three children under four years of age. I didn't know that I would have to be the one who taught our children to read, write, and do arithmetic or continue to be their teacher until they graduated high school. I didn't know that I would have to face snakes, rats, racoons, coyotes and various other varmits out here on the farm.

I also didn't know then that my husband would never hit me or curse me. I didn't know that he would never leave me for another woman. I didn't know that he would go to work in good weather and in the worst of weather to make a living for his family. I didn't know that I would be loved and cherished and respected by him for all these years. I just said "I do" and stepped out on faith.

A lot of things I didn't know then. If I could go back thirty-seven years would I still say "I do"? Yes. I would. It has certainly not been a perfect marriage but it's been a good marriage. It's been a committed marriage through good time and bad times. It's been held together by the glue of God uniting our hearts together.

I can't remember how many people have come to me in the past two weeks to tell me that either their child, or sister, or themselves are facing a failing marriage. Satan wants nothing better than to break up good marriages. None of us are immune. Whether we are young or old we must stay on our guard and not let the devil get the best of our marriages.

Thanks to all who have sent their best wishes to us today.

"But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ." Galatians 6: 14

Marilyn