Forty Years

Three days ago Tom and I celebrated our fortieth anniversary. I still can't quite wrap my head around that. The years flew by. I know that's cliche to say, but they honestly did. In preparation for marking the day, Tom wanted to take my engagement ring into the jeweler's to have a broken prong repaired.

I had worn that ring along with my wedding band non-stop for thirty-eight of those years, taking it off two years ago only after one of the prongs was damaged. The repair has been on our to-do list ever since, and our approaching anniversary made it the perfect time to get it done.

The original receipt was long gone, but thanks to some stellar detective work on the part of the salesman helping us, and confirmation of the purchase way back in 1984, we were on our way!

A repair specialist came out to take a look at the ring under the microscope. "Yes, I can see where the prong is broken off. It looks like there's quite a bit of wear on these other prongs as well. Let me see if we can just go ahead and replace them all while we're at it."

She disappeared into the back, and when she did, I looked over at Tom and said, "Wow, isn't that quite the metaphor for our married life together after all these years?!"

We're not "shiny" any more. There's a bit of wear showing on us as a couple. The newlywed phase has long given way to maturity, but, oh... how lovely the phase we are in right now. Though the "sparkle" may be gone, the spark is not. There is so much beauty in the depth and substance of our relationship today.

Yes, there was some wear and tear that happened along the way, but it was all part of God's grand plan to smoothe the rough edges of our lives as self-centered individuals and to morph us into a single unit, existing for the benefit and well-being each for the other, and, collectively for our family.

As the author of "our" story, God has taken us to some amazing places, places where we have been granted moments that glimpse the joy of heaven itself. He has also allowed us to travel down roads we would never have chosen, roads that tempered us... that brought us closer together, that forged an unbreakable bond between us.

Every experience... every tender moment... every belly laugh... every tear shed... they have all played an invaluable part in the two of us becoming one. It was all part of God's design.

Sometimes it takes a little time and a little wear to make the fit "just right," and we wouldn't go back to change a thing. Who we are now, I never could have imagined or envisioned standing before that altar forty years ago. Whatever I could have dreamed up...

could not have held a candle to this.

I love you, Tom, with all my heart... "more today than yesterday, and not as much as tomorrow." I look forward to the next chapter, and God willing, many more to come.

I'll be taking a short break from posting for a couple of weeks as I spend some time babysitting one of my little grand daughters and celebrating with Tom and the beautiful family God has given us.