A Look Back
Over Labor Day my husband and I celebrated our anniversary. During our much needed, restful looong weekend I had a chance to look back over the years that have so quickly passed by. Over the years we have experienced, like most couples, highs and lows. God has blessed us with a strong faith, with my husband's long and respected career, the birth of our biggest blessing...our children, our children growing into wonderful, loving adults, seeing our son get married, and thus gaining another daughter. God has also seen fit to bless us with a wonderful home in the country that is such a retreat to see the majesty of our Father. We have had the opportunity of being able to live near both sets of parents,siblings, nieces and nephews.We have experienced the love of loyal friends,and been blessed with a wonderful church family...basically a life filled with joys! We have received in abundance both blessings and mercy, love, loyalty, compassion, and growth. But looking back and thinking about being a teen bride I know I could have never understood then what was going to be ahead of me....the paths that God would lead us down. "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6.
Then my thoughts wander to the low times...growth is hard...life is hard! I remember standing beside my son's hospital crib when he was just weeks old and calling our priest because we were told my baby had crib death syndrome.The memory of months on end of my daughter's bout of mono, and what it did to her mentally, is still fresh in my mind. I remember all the long 24 hour shifts my husband worked and then the hours he put in to his two other jobs. At times it felt like I was raising our children alone. Then there were the regular struggles of marriage and communication, of differing expectations, the struggles of raising children and trying to discern what the Lord wanted for OUR family. Some of the other lows were losing both of my in-laws, the struggles with my migraines, the loss of serotonin which left me like a zombie, the accident that almost cost us our daughter, the loss of my husband's job and his year of unemployment, and then most recently his "on the job injury" that required surgery and four month recuperation. And through all these low/hard times I know that my Lord and Saviour loves me and this path is also His....Exodus 9:16 "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name be proclaimed in all the earth."
Having been married for over thirty years, yes, we have had our most joyous of highs and also our most lowest of lows. In the hard times, not only have I had the love of my life standing beside me but I have had a heavenly Father that has held me in his arms and he has "turned my wailing into dancing, he removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 31:11-12. Whether our path was smooth or rocky the Lord has reminded us, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'this is the way ; walk in it.' Isaiah 30:21.
What does the next thirty plus years hold? I am sure, that just as it was back then as a teen bride, I have no idea what is ahead. I do know "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God." Micah 6:8. And that any path we travel down there will be three of us...my husband, my Lord, and myself..."The day is yours and yours also the night and I will forever praise you for you are my God." Psalm 74:16
Then my thoughts wander to the low times...growth is hard...life is hard! I remember standing beside my son's hospital crib when he was just weeks old and calling our priest because we were told my baby had crib death syndrome.The memory of months on end of my daughter's bout of mono, and what it did to her mentally, is still fresh in my mind. I remember all the long 24 hour shifts my husband worked and then the hours he put in to his two other jobs. At times it felt like I was raising our children alone. Then there were the regular struggles of marriage and communication, of differing expectations, the struggles of raising children and trying to discern what the Lord wanted for OUR family. Some of the other lows were losing both of my in-laws, the struggles with my migraines, the loss of serotonin which left me like a zombie, the accident that almost cost us our daughter, the loss of my husband's job and his year of unemployment, and then most recently his "on the job injury" that required surgery and four month recuperation. And through all these low/hard times I know that my Lord and Saviour loves me and this path is also His....Exodus 9:16 "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name be proclaimed in all the earth."
Having been married for over thirty years, yes, we have had our most joyous of highs and also our most lowest of lows. In the hard times, not only have I had the love of my life standing beside me but I have had a heavenly Father that has held me in his arms and he has "turned my wailing into dancing, he removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 31:11-12. Whether our path was smooth or rocky the Lord has reminded us, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'this is the way ; walk in it.' Isaiah 30:21.
What does the next thirty plus years hold? I am sure, that just as it was back then as a teen bride, I have no idea what is ahead. I do know "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God." Micah 6:8. And that any path we travel down there will be three of us...my husband, my Lord, and myself..."The day is yours and yours also the night and I will forever praise you for you are my God." Psalm 74:16
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