This morning as I was working out on the elliptical machine, I was reminiscing over the past 53 years of marriage to the man I'm still in love with. My machine was facing the Granbury Lake and the beauty of the scene prompted a thought about our marriage of 53 years.
First of all when we first bought our boat we had to learn how to drive it, park it, fill up with gas, find the route without stumps along with regular maintenance. Down through the years we have hit stumps which caused damage. There have been years when the drought limited our use almost entirely. Each year we need a "tune up" along with winterizing it for safe keeping. Almost every time we go out for a ride the spider webs seem to have taken over and we must clear them out. Even the cover for the boat needs to be cleaned every so often. Aside from all of the "upkeep", not mentioning the cost, the ride is worth it all!! All of the preparation takes much longer then the "ride"!
As I look at the timeline of our marriage, I see all of the above AND MORE! With each hurdle such as: tune ups, stump repairs, damage control, cost, dry times, stormy times, maintenance and more, it takes preparation, work and time. Once we make the commitment, I can only see 3 causes to "sell the boat": abandonment, physical abuse,& extreme emotional abuse. In my timeline of marriage, I went over the difficult challenges and every time found there was a thread that carried me through.
I was listening to Celine Dion singing "I Surrender" while working out and I focused again on THAT word. When we get to the place where it's not all "ABOUT ME", I can get through the stumps in marriage. Struggles come, even the word "hate" no doubt enters the picture, "bail-out" is considered, "wear out" sets in, selfishness becomes the culprit many times. I can truly say; it has been worth 53 years on this journey of discovering what submission and true love are all about. Of course facing issues together works so well, but sometimes we are alone in our muddle.
In summarizing my thoughts I guess I feel it's not up to my mate or anybody else to meet all of my needs and make me happy. God is the only "force" that is capable and able to do that for me. IT WORKS! Of course life is challenging and the stumps keep getting in the way, but the practice of submission, love, acceptance and work make the journey worth it all.
May this "note of 53 years of marriage" be an encouragement to everyone who reads it. Be Blessed
