Articles
A Good Wife
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He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord. (Prov. 18:22)
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Fifty years ago today, two starry-eyed teenagers said, "I do," having no clue what they were signing up for. After half a century of laughter and tears, struggles and triumphs, and a whole lot of "I'm sorrys," we're finally getting this marriage thing sorted out.
The Lord has blessed us with four beautiful children, along with two others who, sadly, we were never privileged to know. Together with their good spouses, these kids have blessed us with seventeen grandchildren. To young people today who think marriage and family is too much of a hassle, we can only say: Yes, it's a huge hassle--and so worth it. The best things in life are not free.
Our paths have crossed those of so many others over these years. With some we have lost contact. Others remain close friends to this day. Others have passed on to their reward. All have left their marks on our lives, and for that we are grateful. Hopefully we have reciprocated that influence.
And the adventures we have experienced together! Camping trips with the kids (and camping in our basement for a week when an ice storm knocked out the power), ziplining in Colorado (pictured), a trip to Nuremberg, Germany, remodeling several houses, soccer coach/mom, PTA president, graduate school, and countless other escapades that, had we been told on our wedding day that they were in our future, we would have responded with, "You're kidding?!"
It hasn't all been fun. Melissa has had to patiently endure several inexplicable (and costly) career changes in her husband's life. I, in turn, have had to fish a car out of the pond, because someone (ahem) did not know to leave the stick shift in gear. We early on learned that it does no good to complain or lecture one another about these mistakes. Some things we just have to laugh off and try to do better next time. But always, always, always as a team, never as competitors.
If there is one thing that has made the road easier to navigate, it's been our shared faith. From the beginning our common commitment to the Lord and His guidance has been the bedrock that brought stability to everything else in our lives. We're not perfect; but we stay close to Someone who is. That makes all the difference.
Thank you, dear, for fifty years of unconditional love. May we have many more.
--David
