Happy Anniversary

The altar at Trinity Lutheran 1/26/1985.

38 years ago, Rhonda and I were married. I recall looking ahead to our 15th anniversary and marveling at how far away that seemed.  As it happened, that day far into the future occurred 23 years ago.

Looking back, we were young, 20 and 21 year-olds who thought we knew what we were doing and ready to take things on together.

In Des Moines that day, we didn't anticipate three years in South Dakota where our first child was born or moving to Wisconsin where we celebrated adding a second boy to the family.

Jobs changed, sometimes involuntarily, but God's benevolence guided us to new places and better opportunities.  More important, our faith kept us together through the ups and downs, the good and bad.

Our wedding napkins.

We didn't anticipate the places we'd live or the career changes along the way.  

 

 We've grown, changed, and adjusted; sometimes at different paces or level of excitement; but did it together.

 That young couple in 1985 wasn't thinking about life 38 years down the road like the couple now isn't able to wrap their heads around life 12 years from now.  The blessing is we're together to see what comes next.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

 

If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

 

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

 

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.   Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12