Thirty five years ago this weekend,

I married my best friend.

Can we really be

that old

-

to have been married for thirty five years?

As children I watched you play, never dreaming our two lives would someday become one.

And then, God placed you in my heart

and me in your heart, and on July 13, 1974

we began a journey as husband and wife -

best friends

-

trusting God to make known the path He had for us!

I remember a few years ago, you began telling me,

"You know we are living out the greatest love story ever!”

And I

boastfully

thought to myself,

“Wow! We must be pretty good at this marriage thing!”

Then you gently told me what you meant by this assertion.

God places such a high calling on marriage that He chose the greatest love story of all time to describe how a husband and wife should love and live together. How we live out our marriage

can show the world

His

greatest love –

wherein Christ laid down His life for His Bride, the Church.

Although

WE

have changed in our outward appearance as 35 years has left its mark on us, I can say that we are

still

living out the greatest love story of all time!

So in honor of our 35th Anniversary, I say thank you . . .

Thank you for promising to travel together as one,

to live out our lives together.

Thank you for holding my heart so tenderly,

in times of great joy and deep sorrow.

Thank you for listening to the voice of God

over the many voices of this world.

Thank you for willingly and faithfully providing

for our family along the way.

Thank you for being a godly leader for me,

and our children, to follow with confidence.

Thank you for teaching and modeling

the pathway to peace for our family.

Thank you for remaining my best friend.

After all these years,

I would say

yes

all over again!

I love you!