35 Years of Marriage

Yes, that picture was taken 35 years ago today. We were both only 22 years old and had no idea what our future would hold. If I were to talk to the woman in the photo today, I would tell her so many things she should have known on this special day. "Love your husband just the way that he is and don't try to change him. This isn't your job. It is the job of the Holy Spirit. Learn what pleases him and make it your ambition in life to make him happy. Love your husband deeply and be his help meet. Let him be the leader in your home in the way he wants to lead it. Don't get upset when he doesn't live his life the way that you want him to but learn to accept him and never nag him about it. You just work on yourself and becoming the woman that God has called you to be. Let His Word transform you."

I am sure if Ken could talk to the man in the picture he would have a lot to say also, like "RUN!!!" {just kidding} but we are both so very thankful how the Lord has used our past difficult marriage to help many others. Our greatest joy is to not only see our own children walking in Truth, but to see many marriages that were falling apart being restored. We love sharing this ministry together. The Lord has been very good.

Christmas 2015

Yes, our four children are faithfully walking with the Lord. {We would have had more if I hadn't gotten so sick since all I ever wanted in life was to be married and have children!} Each of their spouses are walking with Jesus too. We are enjoying our grandchildren immensely as they are the joy of our lives now. If you have a bunch of little ones and are exhausted, treasure these days as they are the most special years of your life. Children grow up quickly! Yes, the days are long, but the years pass swiftly by and then they are grown up and gone. Before you know it, you will have plenty of quiet time to yourself.

Our family that the Lord has greatly blessed us with!

Marriage is taken too lightly today. It's shameful to see so many marriages falling apart, especially among believers, and leaving the children behind in the ruins. Satan is the prince of the power of the air and he is our real enemy. If he can destroy marriages, he can destroy great nations. Nations are built upon strong, healthy families and marriage is the foundation. On the day we married, we committed to never using the word 'divorce.' This would never be an option. When this is not an option, you work things out and stick together through the hard times. Commit to being covenant keepers until death do you part.

I have gray hair {Thank you hair color!}, wrinkles and less energy. Time is showing on my face and body, especially since I have been through many hardships physically but this doesn't bother me. I had my time of being young and energetic. There are advantages to growing older; you don't worry about aging and its effects much anymore. I am just happy to still be here! Yes, Ken still rejoices with the wife of his youth. We love and enjoy each other very much. He told me the other day that he loves living with a joyful wife! We raised four children together and now we get to share in the privilege of having grandchildren. Our children have a home to come to on the holidays. It's not "mom's home" or "dad's home;" it's home. They have thanked us for the family they were raised in. It is a huge blessing from God to be raised in a home that loves Jesus. Like ours, it does not have to be a perfect home; just a faithful home that proves its love by being vow keepers.

The other day, I went to visit my daughter-in-law and my grandbabies. As I was rocking Baby Belle to sleep, Erin and I had a nice long conversation. She told me that she loves staying home with her children since they are such happy children. I told her of course they are happy! They have a mother and father who love each other deeply. They have a mother who is home with them full-time. They have parents who are raising them up in the Lord. This is God's recipe for happy children.

My parents, sisters with husbands, children with spouses and grandchildren!

And the generations go on. Our generation is a godly generation. Both Ken and I were blessed with godly families. All of my children will raise children to love Jesus. We are a remnant and a very blessed one. You can be as well. Live for Jesus. Love each other deeply. This is all you need.

Let thy fountain be blessed: 

and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

Proverbs 5:18

To the Wife of My Dreams!

I trust you will not mind me hijacking your post to tell you how my heart is so satisfied with you as you have become the wife of my dreams. Some 12-15 years ago I would cry out to the Lord begging Him to help you see how much I loved you and to help you find a place in your heart for vulnerability and trust of the man who was committed to love you forever. You certainly were a big challenge for me, far harder than the "Taming of the Shrew," but you were well worth it all. Five tough pregnancies, with one miscarriage and four beautiful children, incurable parasites for years, sandwich wreck between two semi-trucks on the freeway, brain tumor resection, neck fusion, failed brain tumor resection eight years later, cyber-knife radiation, pain, pain and more pain, and this year in and out of the ICU with below death value sodium levels. WOW!  You know how to test a husband's love, and I hope that I have passed your tests with flying colors so that it never has to be tested again!

Most importantly, I am so proud of you and your ministry with your blog and chat room. You have taught me many remarkable life lessons about how to accept life's sufferings and great pain while still showing love and joy in your life. I am astonished at times by how well written your posts are as they simply and clearly speak God's Word into the lives of your readers. Your unwavering resilience and commitment to God's truth even as your detractors say mean and nasty things to you and about us. Yet you live out every word you write on the blog as proof that a godly wife can indeed play out her God-given role with joy and submission, even with terrible heath issues.

But most of all, I love you dearly as you are indeed my best friend, my confidant, my lover and my great conversationalist. So much of our days spent focused on God's Word, our kids, and laughing and enjoying each other. I suggest that you and I have, after 35 years, come to know and be fully known by each other. We have no secrets, and nothing that we cannot talk about with each other. You make life fun and exciting, while peace and joy reigns in our home.

You are the wife of my dreams, and I hope and pray the Lord will bless us with 35 more years together. But whatever His plans are for us, I want you to know that I have come to see that you were indeed perfectly molded by God just for me. I am at peace and full of joy living side-by-side with you each and every moment of the day. 

Happy 35th Anniversary, Babes!  Love you forever! ken