“An excellent wife, who can find?”

                                                Proverbs 31:10

Today is my wedding anniversary.

I’ve been looking at that last sentence for two weeks, trying to figure what to say next. How do I say what I want without getting sappy, at which the kids would say, “UGH, stop, that’s gross” and reader would say, “Well, that’s a little TMI (too much information).”

How do I tell Maria the difference she’s made in my life? The ways I’ve changed, hopefully for the better. The security and safe place she’s become. My perspectives that have changed. The belief she has in me and what I do and how that makes me better.  The compassion she shows when I’m sick. The encouragement when I’m down.

In my world of deep and boring theological books, how do I tell her that the best quote I have to describe our marriage is from the book Winnie the Pooh: The House at Pooh Corner. “If you live to be one hundred, I want to live to be one hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.”

The only difference I’d make in our marriage is that if I had to live my life over, I’d have found her sooner so that I could love her longer.

We don’t go on as many “date nights” as we should because by 5:00 pm we’re just too tired to go back out. (Henny Youngman once said, “Some people ask the secret of a long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.” Not true, sweetie,)

We are becoming our parents, spending weekends working in the yard and doing projects in the house and then saying, “Have you seen the Advil and Tylenol?”

We fall asleep on the sofa and in the chair earlier than we used to. And we can finish each other’s thoughts and sentences.

Scary. But oh, so comfortable and in a good way.

I just don’t know how to say all that!

Or maybe I just did

Happy Anniversary, Maria. I love you.

“Father, Thank you for the gift of love and for the people who change your life for the better.. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Grace,

Rev. Dan