the good, the bad, and well....you know

10 years ago, I a newly wed, just coming back from her honeymoon.  The future a blank slate and dreams, ours to create.  Dreams of promise, dreams of good times.....love, honor, cherish, times of plenty, times of health, times of joy and of triumph, comfort, and encouragement.  Who dreams of those vow-included struggles?  Not I.  Those are for the others.  Our love can withstand all of that.  No struggle here.

I'll pause as you compose yourself from laughter.

It took less than 6 months to realize that this marriage thing is a challenge.  Learning to live with another, no matter how well you think you know each other, is difficult.  And keeping those above vows during that process can be wearisome. 

In 10 years, we've gone through numerous job changes.  The times of want have been way more than the times of plenty. We've said goodbye as 4 Grandparents have passed on.  We experienced along with the rest of the nation, the change in terrorism.  We're in our 3rd place of residence.  The arguments and disagreements are so numerous they blur together.  I can't even count the number of vehicles we have laid to rest.  There have been words and actions that have cut deep.  And we have made decisions that would not be considered triumphal.

As we stood before God, family and friends 10 years ago, we acknowledged life and vowed to overcome.  And I didn't know it then, but those vow-included struggles, times of want, times of sickness, sorrow and failure.  Those are the most important ones.  They strengthen.  They draw you closer to Him and to each other.  After riding those, you know you can do anything and get through anything... together.  Cherish each and every moment.  Think of your own vows and your own marriage.  Thank Him for the good, the bad and the..... well, you know. Because a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc.4:12)