Celebrating 40 Years Well-Loved

As I've sat at my desk not-blinking for the past several minutes my sleepy body awaiting a seemingly never-ending to-do list in this wedding season debating whether to take the non-existent time that I have to write this. When it occurred to me. This...This debate of time, priorities, choices,  is quite literally what this post is even about. Daily, we make seemingly insignificant choices. Ones that aren't life-changing in and of themselves but when you look back to another chapter in life you're more able to see just how far you've come. For better or for worse.

We hear those vows (or at least I do a couple times a week) and often with teary eyes, the bride & groom's emotions promising "for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness & in health" will carry more weight than the daily actions they give each other. Again, it's not usually the grand obvious decisions that are the tricky ones. It's not when a spouse has cancer, it's when they have the flu and you fall behind on well...everything. It's not the will I or will I not feed my family? It's the question of whether you'll go to that soccer game or school play.

I also think it's more easily heard the for "poorer" part without giving too much weight that the for richer may actually happen. But when we're blessed enough to live in the for richer do we slow up to be with those we've promised? Too often its' not the case. Generally, I find we paddle even harder, climb even faster, motivated with the taste of success on the lips the words often out the mouth become: "I don't have time for this." We'll find time to say, buy a house, have a kid or two, get that job, but when broken down to the daily decisions of doing "Whose turn is it" the battle of fairness is a brewin'...

A couple weekends ago my family paused to celebrate a pretty-big milestone. My parent's 40th wedding anniversary! Wow! One of the things at the party was a 50 foot time-line of photos & tid-bits about our life as a family. From mom & dad's first date, to our various houses, and pets, to now generations later grandchildren (not from me) (: Beyond the nostalgia of it all what struck me the most and is one of the things I most admire about my parent's is the personal sacrifices they have made to make their marriage not only survive but flourish in a way that brides & groom's are hoping for when they stand hand in hand vowing such promises.

I can testify that that it wasn't always easy for em. They had to choose...And day after day... Year after year that's what they have done. Chosen to love each other more than themselves. Chosen that even if it's not fair they'll sacrifice anyway. Chosen to trust that advice given by the other is given in love. Chosen to trust that the Lord's plan for them even when times get crazy is always the best. Chosen to re-align themselves, their marriage, and our family to the core of the gospel. Chosen to unconditionally love one another and us especially when it's undeserving. Chosen to celebrate life's little successes; Often with banners, kazoos, pom-poms, and lots and lots of whistling! They have chosen for over 14,600 days to be united as one. For better for worse. And because of all of this they both stand blissfully blessed in the for better.

I love you mom & dad. Glad I got to take a day away from weddings to celebrate the greatest marriage I know.