Happy Anniversary!

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." -- Matthew 19:4-6 NIV

Seventy years ago, my grandfather talked my grandmother into marrying him. Seventy years! Most of us can't imagine living to be seventy, much less being married for that long. It's special to me for two reasons. First, you just don't hear about folks being married that long much. Most of us are pretty proud of making it five years...so it gives me faith to see two people actually stick to God's will for them. Second, I feel tremendously luck and blessed to have such a great example of what a successful marriage looks like.

My grandparents have two kids, a small horde of grandkids, and an even better number of great-grandkids. They've poured countless numbers of prayers out for all of us. I'm convinced there have been times in my life when their prayers might very well have sustained me! They argue and fuss like any couple, but I can't remember a time when they went to bed mad at each other and my earliest memories are of their smiles and their affection for one another.

I don't think we hold couples like my grandparents up in a place of honor nearly as much as we should. They have so much to teach us, by their words and even more importantly by their example. If you are blessed enough to have parents, grandparents, or other couples in your life that have stood the test of time and have the kind of marriage God intended when he said we would 'become one flesh', make sure you tell them how much you love them and appreciate them. Don't by shy about letting them know they are an inspiration to you to do just as well with your marriage! Thank God that these people have been made a part of your life and know that your life is better because of them. Who knows? Maybe you will have the blessing of celebrating your seventieth anniversary with your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids one of these days.