10 Years

Ten years ago I married my bride.  I remember saying after the wedding was finished, "this is the best day of my life!" I am sitting here shocked at how the time has gone and what we have now been through together.  We have journeyed through so much it's hard to imagine what the next 10 years will bring.  From bible college, to living in Ontario, to pastoral ministry in the Prairies, back to Seminary, and then to Africa.  And through all those changes adding three precious kids to the mix.

Our wedding was a great day! It was a windy dry prairie day.  The grass and everything was still brown as ever.  Not great photo taking opportunities.   The reason we picked the date is because we wanted to be married as soon as we finished our third year of college.  In classic wedding fashion the ceremony started late.  That's because someone forgot the legal papers that we needed to sign back at the hotel in Caronport.  While the wedding was in Moose Jaw 20 km's away. Thanks to Amie's uncle who sped back to the 'port we had our papers but with a late start! I was sitting in the side pastor's room nervous and the longer I waited the more nervous I became.  Our reception was small, simple, and quaint.  Just the way we wanted it.  It was a special time of laughing, eating, and sharing with those that came.  For our honeymoon we drove our Chev Silverado to Ontario staying in B and B's along the way.  It's what we could afford as students.  I still want Amie to write a country song about it.  I think it could be a classic "My honey moon in a Chevy Silverado."  I think it would be a chart topper. 

I am so blessed to have a best friend to journey through this life together with.  C.S. Lewis writes, "Friendship must be about something even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice.  Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travelers." What I have found in my bride is a best friend and fellow traveler who wants to follow the Lord.  A best friend who wants that for me and more for me.  A best friend who is willing to encourage, rebuke, and challenge me to become a better follower of Jesus.  Friendship in marriage goes beyond "enthusiasm for dominoes and white mice" as I am sure Lewis would agree with.  We are slow learners but are starting to realize marriage is about "helping each other to become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us" (Tim Keller).  This has been a 10 year process and we are still learning what it is to love one another and help each other.  Living in Africa is hard and we are not perfect workers here we lose our tempers, we get tired, we at times feel useless in communicating with others here, we struggle with how to parent our kids and if we are even doing a good job.  But, I know I would struggle more but that God has blessed me with a best friend and lover to journey this road with.

The feelings we had for one another are different than they were 10 years ago.  The giddy feelings of newly wedded bliss wear off.  But, they can lead to a deeper joy and thankfulness.   So, 10 years ago was the best day of my life but I know there are good and even better days yet ahead if we keep Christ at the core. 
 
At our wedding I shared this verse as part of my vows.  It means more now, than it did then.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him a three fold cord is not quickly broken." Ecc 4:9-12.