30 Years!

30 years is a long time:

• 30 years is longer than our oldest child has been alive.  
• 30 years is the length of a traditional home mortgage.  
• 30 years is longer than it took Solomon to build the first temple and his palace.  
• 30 years is older than the combined ages of Twitter, Facebook and Google.  

March 5, 1983:

• North Carolina sophomore, Michael Jordan scored 32 pts. on Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium 
• CMT launched its country version of MTV on this date.  
• Unranked LSU defeated the 7th ranked Kentucky Wildcats by 14 points
• Ronald Reagan was in the 3rd year of his first term as President of the United States and during that year:
• A postage stamp was 20 cents 
• A gallon of gas was $1.24 
• The average cost of a new home was $89,800 
• Unemployment was 9.7%
• Sally Ride became the 1st woman in space on the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Challenger
• Microsoft introduces Word
• Margaret Thatcher becomes Britain's PM
• The last episode of the popular TV sitcom MASH airs to a record 125 million viewers

On March 5, 1983, a very naive, young couple exchanged wedding vows in Indianapolis.  A day that saw sunshine, rain and snow.  On that day a journey began that would eventually produce two children, homes in four states, two careers, a grandchild with one on the way, and too many dogs to remember.  It has been a wild ride and though it sounds cliche' the time really has flown by.  Seems like it should be 15 years, not 30.

I am grateful God convinced her to marry me!  She makes me a better man, Christ-follower, husband, and father.  I wish I was half the husband, half the parent, and half the Christ-follower!  As I look back I see those two kids who were too young to marry and too in love not to marry.  There have been a lot of highs, the inevitable lows and much joy along the way.  For better or worse, in sickness and health: We have experienced both extremes of that promise many times over and were it not for God's grace and guidance we would've never made it.

I can't imagine life without her.  I've marveled at the way she's embraced the roles of mother, partner in ministry and best friend while maintaining her independence, something I really admire about her!  I love the fact that we don't have to agree on everything and we celebrate our differences instead of trying to make each other into something we're not.  The older I've gotten the more I've valued and embraced her gentle, but incredibly strong, quiet spirit.  I'm having a blast watching her embrace the relative new role of grandmother.  It's reminded me of what made her such a great mother.  The years have flown, but with an empty nest has come a renewed sense of why I chased her the summer of '81.

Her smile, her laugh and that matter of fact look when I'm trying to pull something over on her are precious to me.  Her tenacity and gentle strength during my cancer battle brought to mind the strength that enabled her to remain with a very young, impetuous, Type-A, workaholic driver who reacted far more than he deliberately acted in his 20's.

Gratitude comes to mind more than any other word these past 30 years.  I can't begin to describe how grateful I am to God for her, and how grateful I am to her for her love, care, attention, listening ear, wisdom, help, partnership, correction, laughter, and joy.  I love you Terese, happy 30th!