286/365

25 years.

300 months.

1300 weeks.

9125 days. 

3 jobs.

13 cities.

14 homes.

6 kids.

3 grandkids.

one very faithful God able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think.

Today proves exceedingly ordinary- driving girls to class and practice, finishing routine chores, sending ministry reports, teaching English class. I confess, I probably didn’t expect this 25 years ago. Oh, I knew life wouldn’t be all glamour, but I maybe hoped that a 25th anniversary day would have a destination involved, maybe some new bling…

Instead of a candlelit dinner in a faraway place, tonight will find me and my groom in separate places. He wakes up early on Wednesdays, so he’ll probably go to bed before I’m home from a late meeting. I’ll step lightly up the stairs, ready for sleep in the dark, and slip in bed next to him. I know just where my arm will notch under his and how my head on the pillow will fit next to his. That’s the comfort of 25 years. 

It sometimes surprises me, how much we know about each other. At this point, I have learned the certain phrases that come as predictable response. We correctly anticipate the other’s reaction to much of what we do and say. Yet, we find ourselves startled at the most unexpected moments. We stumble into offense and humble ourselves, repentant. We are the ever more the same and yet always different. We walk together in the constant ebb and flow of living out grace.

We promised as long as we both shall live just barely beginning to understand how hard some days of adversity, sickness and sorrow might be. 9125 ordinary days firm an extraordinary covenant. No matter the candles nor sparkly gems. This being known and being loved may be the sweetest reflection of the gospel we will know. We love because He first loved us.