This week Hubby and I celebrated 51 years of marriage, a great accomplishment for any couple. Yes, like anyone who is truly honest, we鈥檝e had our ups and downs but as the years have gone by our love and appreciation for each other has only continued to deepen. As Dooley Wilson wrote in his song 鈥淎s Time Goes By鈥�, it isn鈥檛 the passing of time or even of that initial infatuation with each other, that binds two individuals together, its their commitment to one another. Ken Rolheiser, a Saskatchewan columnist whose work I always admire, wrote in his weekly column, 鈥淲orld Wide Marriage Encounter tells us that today one in two marriages fails. If the couple is married in church and continues to go to church, only one in fifty fails; but where the couple is married in church, continues to go to church and has a prayer life together, the failure is one in 1005.鈥�
I wonder what the stats would show concerning those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ? How does that affect the way we interact with others? With our community? Sadly, I can think of so many who started out with great intentions, only to let difficult times deter their spiritual progress. On a more positive note, however, it鈥檚 been a tremendous blessing to know those who have continued to grow in Christ over the years. In fact, I鈥檓 looking forward with excited anticipation to having coffee with friends this coming week. I鈥檝e known them for nearly 20 years; they were and still are, an example and inspiration.
No matter our marital state, our faults or failures, God has glorious plans for our present and our future. Hang in there 鈥� someone is counting on you鈥nd me!
鈥�Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing鈥egardless of our conditions.鈥澛犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅�
(2 Corinthians 5:10)
