A Decade of Loving

This day, ten years ago, my life began anew. The theme for our wedding was "Let Us Begin in God's Presence." I married my best friend, and he became an instant father to my three boys. We added two girls of our own along the way. As I reflect over the last ten years, I feel like so much has happened, and in many ways, it seems like it has been much longer than just ten years. In other ways, it seems I have just blinked since we were saying our vows on that stormy July the 4th, 1998.

The pictures above show many of the changes that have happened in 10 short years. My little children in the wedding, mine and those belonging to dear friends, have grown up. My junior bridesmaid married this year. My flower girl and ring bearer are nearly grown. My dear grandmother now lies with her hands folded in rest. The New Orleans Manor, where we held our wedding dinner, closed for good just the other day. The wedding ring I gave my husband fell off his thinning fingers in March and was lost for good. My dear husband is about 125 pounds lighter than when we married. There has been a lot of change.

Some things are the same. We are so happy that our parents, both sets, are still alive and relatively well, though they have all had life-threatening illnesses in the last 10 years. We nearly lost every one of them. Ginny had cancer. Bill had his whole belly burst open after a surgery. My dad had his heart valve replaced, and my mom had a mystery illness that nearly got her, along with bladder and uterine cancer. Yes, we are very fortunate that God preserved them.

I've lost all my grandparents that were alive when we married. I miss them every day.


I was thinking what I wanted to say in this post, but my sweet husband beat me to it, saying it better than I could have today. He left this beautiful letter and a song for me on my desktop, for me to find this morning. So I thought I would just post it here.

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Dana,



I am so happy to look back over the past ten years since we were were married and so much that we have been through!



We've been through the better and the worse, in sickness and in health,
We've certainly seen the richer and the poorer, and our share of trials and difficulties.



But through it all I remember the fondest memories, of singing together as a family in long car rides to Columbia and road trips to and from New Jersey. I remember worshiping when it was difficult, and when obstacles and challenges presented themselves.



I remember bedside in hospitals, with and for each other in the Joy of a newborn child, and in the suffering of each other and our loved ones.

I remember elation and wonder at each of your pregnancies, and the sorrow of loss and the tremendous elation of incredible wonder and magnificence of the birth of healthy baby girls.



I remember when we have struggled to make ends meet, and when we have done just a little better and enjoyed some small pleasures in life.



I hope that as you look back too, you will remember beginning in God's Presence.
You will remember Hope, and Faith, and Wonderful Blessings we have shared together.
You will remember times we shared with those so precious to us, family, brethren, and friends. Worshiping as a family and watching our children grow in knowledge of the Lord, and growing and maturing into wonderful young people.



God's providence has always been there for us, and has always supplied our needs. His goodness and watchfulness has looked out over us and protected us and has lifted us up when it looked to all like we were going down. How out of the blue, in "God Style" he provided us blessings and vehicles and a home and jobs and churches and brethren to grow and learn and worship with.



I will always be there for you, Lord Willing, in all my imperfection and faults (perhaps some fewer as days go by). I will stand by you, will encourage you, protect you, and provide for you and our children as long as I possibly can, by the Grace and ability God gives us. I hope to learn to be a better husband and father, and servant of the Lord. I hope to be useful in His kingdom and to lead our family to a closer walk with him.



I Love You. I have HOPE for our future. Begun in God's Presence. Continuing on in FAITH. Walking in LOVE. With JOY, and endurance, and patience, and steadfastness.



You know me now and I know you now. There aren't as many surprises anymore, as we can complete sentences and thoughts of the other now. We are so different in so many ways but also the same in so many ways. But also bonded together by God in ways that I am convinced that we cannot even fully understand.



I love you! I Have HOPE for our Future! I have FAITH in God's providence and care. I have JOY in His rich blessings and mercies, which are new every morning.

Here's to the next ten years!!!!!!!


Yours in Love,



Tim