I Know Whom I Have Believed...


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Remembering the Promises

You asked me around 9 am this morning if I remembered what I was doing 39 years ago at this time...and I couldn’t answer your question.

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I remember I had been awake for hours already and was getting ready to “go get married” later that afternoon but the details of that last unwed morning elude me.

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Ah, dear husband, how sweet to grow old with you and be forgiven for memory lapses...but while my mind can’t hold on to every little thing...what’s important is stored in my heart forever.

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"You cannot return to a time,
but you can return to a place where promises were made."
divd

While standing before God as He blessed us with the words of that little preacher man, we promised to have and to hold, from that day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both lived.

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We have kept those promises...and more...these 39 years…

We have shared:
  • Perfect harmony and intense debates over our opinions
  • Joy at welcoming our 3 boys into our lives
  • Thankfulness for the daughters those boys chose
  • Amazement at how smart and hilarious our grandkids are
  • Laughter at the antics of your bothers
  • Grief when we couldn’t hear their voices anymore
  • Tears as we said goodbye to loved ones who left empty chairs around the table
  • Pain in our bodies and bewilderment in our minds as so called perfect plans failed 
and so much more...to fulfill those promises... 

We have seen each other sink into sand up to our knees and then climb up onto that Solid Rock...

I had to see you thrown into the lion’s den, and while it nearly broke your body, you came out stronger in spirit than ever...

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So now there is a storm...with thunder rumbles and lightening bursts...and wind so strong our umbrellas turn inside out...

We can no longer rely on our own understanding for 
anything and everything

BUT

 3 things remain always:

FAITH
in the One who knows us best
and knows what is best
to bring about His will for our lives

HOPE
that things will turn out alright in the end
because what the Lord created on August 9, 1977
will always be in His hands
and we can trust that the next chapter in His story for us
will be so much more than we can ever imagine...

and especially
 
LOVE
for Him
and you
and me
and us
and we
and forever and ever, amen!

And that's a promise!

Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly,
love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love
.


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6 thoughts:

Peggy said...

ALWAYS and Forever!!! A Blessed and Happy Anniversary Karen and Rick! Beautiful, beautiful memories and a full package of such durable love built on those 3 that will ALWAYS remain and hold you and your umbrella through those storms: Faith, Hope and Love and may you continue to remain strong as God continues writing your beautiful love story to a triumphant finish! Praising God for those promises and strength to see them through ...

This warms my heart and now I wanna now --- what was the answer to Rick's question because he had a reason for asking it? {he probably did not mean at that exact time or did he?}

Congratulations on your lasting love of 39 years! ~Peggy

NanaNor's said...

Dear Karen, Happy Belated Anniversary! I've got to check out your other blog too. It's been many years and it's good to be back reading about your life.
Noreen

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

This is such beautiful writing describing yalls love for 39 years! Congrats!! I love your list of how life is with the kids, gkid are smart and so funny! The empty chairs are so missed. I love your description of perfect harmony and intense debates, which is most of marriage I think.

Crown of Beauty said...

You were married only one year ahead of me... Ernie and I were wed on March 18, 1978. We would have celebrated 38 years of married life this year, if he were still here on earth. But he went home to heaven eight years ago, leaving me with 30 years of beautiful memories. You write so beautifully, that each time I have a chance to drop by and read your words, I do not just read your posts once, but go back to the top to read again, and again. I do not visit too many blogs these days, unlike before. There was a time when people used to connect through blogs, not through facebook. I like facebook, it affords the quick communications, but I love communicating and being in touch heart to heart through blogs, even if I cannot write posts as often as I used to. I love the blog friends I have made through the years - and you are definitely one of them. Happy 39th anniversary, dear Karen.

Summer said...

Congratulations to 39 years of beautiful life to you and yours- together ♥

summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

Linda said...

This is such a lovely and inspiring post! Happy Anniversary to you both!

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