Last weekend, the family and I were in the great state of South Dakota. We went there to celebrate my wife's parents 35th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, they chose to renew their wedding vows with family and friends in attendance. It was a great day.
At the reception afterward, the smartest member of my family got up and gave a toast to her parents. In it, she thanked them for the great example they have set for us in our marriage. We've made it 10 years so far. This got me thinking about how lucky we are as a married couple. My parents will celebrate their 36th anniversary later this year, and my wife's parent just celebrated their 35th. In a society where divorce rates approach 50%, that's pretty remarkable.
This also got me thinking about what that example has been. I think what I've seen from both our parents is an enduring love...not a "mushy, oh I'm so happy" type of love, but the kind that gets you through the ups and downs of life together. It's the kind of servant love that Jesus taught us about. I've also learned that marriage isn't a 50-50 deal. There are times when one spouse gives 100% and the other can't give much at all. That's where being willing to serve out of love is most important.
In my own parents marriage, I know it hasn't always been rosy. But through it all, my mom and dad stick together and work through the bad times together and enjoy the good times together. I've seen many of the same qualities in my wife's parents over the past 10 years. I hope that my wife and I are following these examples in our own marriage. I know I'm not the easiest person to put up with, so I'm sure she's following these examples every day.
This past weekend was great, but the best part is that now that I realize this, I will be forever grateful to the loving parents who have set these great examples for my wife and I.
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3 comments:
Wonderful post, Jake! Sometimes, even with the example right in front of us, we don't make the connection to how we might live our lives. I'm glad you made the connection. Congratulations to your parents, to Amanda's parents, and to you!
Thanks for sharing such a personal message. It seems positive opinions about traditional marriage are getting fewer and fewer these days. I loved reading this encouraging comment. Forward my congratulations and thanks to your family and extended family for providing such a great example!
I have to admit, that I got the idea for my toast from my dad, when he was planning his toast. He told me he wanted to add a thank you to his parents for giving him a good example of what marriage is and what it means to be committed even during the hard times. My Dad wasn't feeling that good at the reception and didn't mention this in his toast, so I thought I would mention it and add my thanks to my parents. Your parents deserve thanks as well, Jake.
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