Bobby and I celebrated our five year anniversary on Friday and someone asked, "What is the five year gift?" I didn't know the answer at the time and I actually still don't know now -- not that I am opposed to giving gifts according to tradition, I find that quite the challenge sometimes, but this one snuck up on us both a little --- and it turned out perfect.
I have thought a little about the gift of marriage lately due to many factors -- our anniversary, the Gaffney's love story and the recent weddings I have helped with. And in all of these things I have thought back to our wedding day. A dream of a day it was for us and our families. I can go back to any hour of that day like it was yesterday. Ask me about two weeks ago and I will pause, but that day, I hold near and dear to my heart.
And as I have thought, the day itself will always be a gift from the Lord, but the marriage is the real part. Five short years into it and I can say that no other relationship in my life has pointed me to my need for Christ than this one. I have seen more than I wold like to admit of my selfish tendencies, my desire to act one way and in reality do another, my expectations, my pride --- my sin --- and by the grace and mercy of Christ, Bobby and I have been humbled, broken, forgiven and renewed together.
When I think of marriages that I admire, it is always a man and wife who have been through life together sharing all of the ups and the downs. Not that they hope for the downs, but they come through the other side with a deeper appreciation, trust and affection for their spouse. The "ups" in life don't do tend to do that. Like I was reminded recently, the most important day of a marriage is not the first, but the last --- because for better or for worse we stand together as sinners who need Jesus. I pray that we love another in a way that speaks volumes about the grace we have been given. I love you Bobby and so grateful that you were hand-picked for me.
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