the simpsons 748 (Medium)

Friday, June 6th, is my parents’ wedding anniversary.  Forty-five years ago in Clearwater, FL (I think), my mom and dad got married.  Too often, it is easy to overlook wedding anniversaries.  They can become commonplace and can easily become ‘just another day’.  I often fall into this trap.  However, I truly believe that every wedding anniversary is significant.  It is a big deal.  It is to be celebrated and recognized.

The 45 years that my parents have been married is an incredible gift to me, my brother, and our families.  Let me share four reasons why their marriage is such a gift to us.

  1. Their marriage demonstrates loyalty.  In today’s society, loyalty is becoming a lost art.  People switch jobs.  They switch churches.  They switch spouses.   A marriage that lasts longer than a few years is becoming harder and harder to find.
  2. Their marriage demonstrates their God-given roles.  My father leads.  My mother follows.  My father loves my mother.  My mother respects my father.  This is as it should be.  This is how God intended it to be.
  3. Their marriage demonstrates correct priorities.  My parents are seldom apart.  Growing up, they rarely, if ever, spent the night apart from each other.  My father never went away for the weekend with his buddies.  I have always known that they were each other’s best friend and closest confidante.  After God, my mother is and has been my father’s top priority.  The same is true of my mother.
  4. Their marriage demonstrates joy.  Not every marriage is filled with joy.  Some marriages look down-right miserable.  Not my parents.  They are fun to be around.  They enjoy each other.  The joy they have is observable to outsiders.  They make marriage look attractive.  They have the kind of marriage that others desire to have.  Again, this is how it should be.  Marriage is a gift from God.  It should be fun!

I am extremely thankful to God for the example of my parents.  I am thankful that my children are able to see their example.  Their example is inspiring to me.  It shows me that I can do the same thing.  I can stay married for 45 years.  I can stay faithful to my wife.  I can be the husband God wants me to be.  I can choose to make my wife the top priority in my life – after God.  I can have a marriage that is filled with joy.

Mom and Dad – thanks for staying married and staying happy!  I love you and hope you have a Happy Anniversary.

What about you?  

What about your marriage?  I hope that your marriage demonstrates these same qualities.  A long and joyful marriage is one of the best gifts you can ever give to your children.

Stephen

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