Category: Love

The words still echo, “A 3-cord strand is not easily broken”.   A vow still intact, “I promise you forever!”  It was the ceremony of our dreams. And today, after more sun-kissed horizons than I can count, and the man I said yes to kissing me good morning,

The rhythm of our porch swing lulls us back and forth

A piping hot cup of home roasted brew in hand, we celebrate a unique and privileged milestone…30 years of marriage. The self in us wants to pen a perfectly packaged “10 keys to a successful marriage”, but the soul in us says getting there was anything but “perfectly packaged”.

The rhythm of our porch swing lulls us back

It started with changing my name, and things have been changing ever since: Changing addresses, changing diapers, changing careers, and yes, changing seasons.    In 30 years of marriage, the only constant we have known is change.  Even the fierce flickering flame of our young love has changed. It has become as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable. 

The rhythm of the porch swing lulls us forth

 That 3-cord strand has saved us more than once, and the promise of forever knows a sacredness we couldn’t have possibly understood, so long ago.  Living OUR story (and not someone else’s), has allowed us to build an incredible life together, a beautiful family.  Sharing like values has been our honor, and making decisions bigger than ourselves has kept us both humble and dependent on the third cord in our strand.  I could spend all day talking about our life and the imperfectly-perfect journey that has made us the husband and wife we are today,

But the rhythm of our porch swing lulls us

Our loud and busy teenagers have grown into adulthood and their own young love; and while our youthful beauty may be fading, at the center of this life and love that we’ve built, these things remain:

The power of commitment

A strength of friendship that both fun and fortitude has fashioned

Hearts of steadfast, endearing love

And a deep devotion to all that has been and all that will be.

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.  If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm.  But how can one be warm alone?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.                      Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT

Happy 30^th Wedding Anniversary My Love,

From the rhythms of our porch swing,

Crystal

We had so much fun this past Friday night, going on a date and recreating our engagement photos (from 31 years ago).  ENJOY!   In all of our 30 years of marriage, date nights, have been a #1 priority. 

Photo Credits: Val McClure

More years than I can believe, have slipped by us!  And since that day, I have learned that great stories aren’t just “written”.  They are walked out and felt deep in the soul. They are forged thru great responsibility and every decision point along the way.  After 27 years, there are a lot of chapters!  All of them making us who we are today.  I sit in the still of the morning with a sense of awe and wonder.  A sense of accomplishment and reward.  We’ve camped in some pretty green pastures along the way, but we’ve ascended some pretty rugged terrain too.  True love binds our hearts, and it binds our story!  How does one celebrate so many years of writing together, walking together, feeling together?    

And, because there is still a lot of “story” to write, we keep walking, we keep feeling, 
and ALWAYS making time to do some of our favorite things…..

today, April 13, 2018, we push the pause on schedules and responsibilities
to seek out a corner coffee shop in a quaint little town
and we write yet another page in “our great story”,
Thanking God for ALL he has given to us
IN EACH OTHER. 


Happy Anniversary My Beloved! 
With Love, Both Now and Always,
Crystal