I won’t waste time or space apologizing or making excuses
for my absence. It will probably be more of the rule for a while here than an
exception. That’s just the way life goes at the moment. Not a bad thing! Simply
a change.
But today – the 18th anniversary of marriage to
my Daniel – I felt like sharing a few thoughts if y’all will indulge me.
While the institution of marriage has been under constant
attack for pretty much forever, one of the more popular disparages is the
belief that marriage is just a piece of
paper – an expensive legal document binding two individuals, so fragile that
another expensive piece of paper can un-bind the two individuals just as easily.
Whether you believe in then necessity of that piece of paper
or not (for the record – I DO believe in obtaining that piece of paper), belief
systems lead to behavior and if one believes that marriage is just a piece of paper, then any relationship/marriage
that one enters into has little hope of being treated any better than a mere
piece of paper.
The serious truth is, marriage is much much more than a simple, flimsy, worthless piece of
paper.
Marriage is…
A covenant.
A vow.
A promise.
A design.
A higher calling than any other relationship.
Hard work.
A miracle.
A state of doing – not just of being.
An active occupation, not a passive label.
A purpose.
A destiny.
It’s forgiveness…long
suffering…patience…responsibility…sacrifice…
Living 1 Cor. 13 every second of every day.
Friendship.
A muscle to strengthen – one that atrophies and dies when ignored.
It’s a messy collaboration – like a dance meshing patterned
choreography with ad lib free style creating one fluid motion of two
individuals.
It’s all the excitement of mud wrestling – along with all
the dirty slime.
It’s playing game after game in the Major Leagues, winning
some – losing some, but not quitting because the goal is the World Series.
It’s family vacation – a maddening but memorable adventure
that barely escapes attempted murder.
It takes the effort of a gladiator – life and death on the
line.
Marriage is selflessness – a monumental task for us humans.
Marriage blends polar opposites – happiness and sadness,
highs and lows, the good and the bad, bliss and misery – to accomplish a
beautiful, unique, solid, miraculous goal.
It’s the ultimate vulnerability and the ultimate security.
A piece of paper doesn’t hold a candle to a marriage.
All of this and more for eighteen years – by the grace of
God – with full-hearted gratitude – for as many years as the Lord will tarry –
may the adventures of Dan and Lori go on and on.
Daniel Lundquist, I love you.
(photo by yours truly!)
