Today Tina and I celebrate 21 years of marriage.

The Lord says in Genesis that it is not good for a man to be alone. I agree. (Always good to agree with God!)

In a day when many of the naysayers in my life are divorced and set to the side, Tina and I are coming into our own. This is our finest season. Our greatest moment! We have great children, who while they experience the bump of relationships are doing well. We have 5 lovely grandchildren. And we have a bright future.We do not live today as if we can fix it tomorrow. Today is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice in it. We love His grace.

But there was a time…

I have not made all the right choices.( Tina was one of my best. ) (My wife had “do you ever count the cost?” on a recorder. But God is merciful and greatly to be praised. A long time ago we decided the greatest legacy we could give our children was two parents living in the same home. So, even when divorce was on our lips we moved with commitment.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

If two people seek God, love God and devote themselves to the process they will make it. In a day of microwave life, self-centeredness, there is a way. Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

I am not condemning those who have not made it. It took Tina and I 3 times each to figure this game out. Blended families, histories (Traded for His story!), warped thinking all have the capability to destroy a relationship if you allow them.

My life frequently is “spur of the moment” while Tina’s is not. (We used to kid that she had to plan for spontaneity.) She has settled me and I have moved her up the ladder to medium hot sauce!

If you think diversity is not the reality of true unity, you have totally missed what God does. He took two completely different people and allowed us to come together. There is hardly anything we “agree” about in average life. I like hot foods-Tina moderate. I like our home cool-she likes our home warm. My idea of order is not on this planet. Tina can organize anything.

Only yesterday I was thinking about some married couples I know. The dirty cars, the laundry piled up, the messy environments, etc., never “bothered” them until they got married! What??? Did you not see? Now in my defense I now have all my “stuff” in one box that I pick up nightly before Tina gets home. The world says this…A man marries thinking his wife will stay the same…a woman marries thinking they will change the man. For the most part neither is truth! And frankly you probably do not want it to be…

My friend Roger said one day, “Don’t marry a bum. Don’t let your kids be bums. Don’t let your kids marry bums!”

I am thankful to many who have walked with Tina and I over the years. And I am going to thank some of them here:  Bob & Honey King, Roger & Phyllis Brooks, Phil & Wendy Coy, Rick & Faith Blaisdell, Keith & Cherith, Steve & Claire McCullough, Darryl & Martha Rodman, Wayne & Irene Anderson, Todd & Dee, Brian & Candice Simmons David & Jill Lane and Mark & Jen Sanchez. They were many who moved in and out of lives. These were some of the couples that walked with us when hell was breaking loose. Our children have walked with us.

My parting advice is probably this. Nothing is forever except life! Seasons end and seasons begin.