“Constant Through the Trial and the Storm” *

 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” * *

When Al and I were married in 1982 I laughed at the thought of still being around to celebrate our 50^th anniversary. At the time, he was 39 ½, and I had just turned 35. The year 2032 seemed far away, in the distant future.

Would we still be alive at 89 ½ and 85, I wondered? It was hard to imagine, especially since we were just starting out on the beginning of our “long-lasting relationship!” That prediction was made by Al when we were still dating!

Al’s adventuresome spirit expanded my horizons to faraway places and new experiences—kayaking, canoeing, sailing, backpacking, riding the rails, bicycling, trekking through the snow on skis and snow-shoes… We both loved the outdoors, and along with God’s help, that is what brought us together.

A colleague of Al’s and good friend, who was in the wedding party that November, gifted us with some wonderful pictures taken on a cross-country ski trip during the winter. One of them, staged by photographer Bob, showed the two of us down in the snow laughing, with our long skis crisscrossed and tangled. It captured the essence of our marriage with its ups and downs, just like any marriage!

 Another photo showed us smiling at each other, me holding on to Al’s elbow. “Awww, now that’s a picture of true love!” commented a young woman as she looked at the picture framed and now hanging on our bedroom wall.

And a second prediction was made from a person on a cross-country ski trip when Al led the way through deep snow, carving out a trail for the rest of us. “Honey, you’re going to have a hard time keeping up with that man!” He preferred going uphill, whereas I liked the downhill part of the trip!

After we had been married for quite some time, I remember Al’s saying, “Let’s just age together.” Now that was an easy goal to achieve, at least the aging part!  Of course, there were many roadblocks along the way: not being able to have children of our own; Al’s many orthopedic surgeries; and losing Al’s daughter Shanda last November were tough times.

But by God’s grace and mercy, we have become a close-knit team over the last 42 years, with the love we shared at the beginning growing ever stronger. Now the far distant future doesn’t seem so far! With a lot of the journey behind us, the roadside marker of 50 years seems much closer. Of course, we aren’t there yet!

The words of John the apostle in 1John 3:2-3 (NIV) are encouraging and give us hope. “Dear friends, we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” God working in and through us to change us into the people He created us to be! Praise the Lord!

Someone once asked me the secret behind our being so happy. At that time, I replied that it was our common faith in Jesus that held us together as a couple. And I still believe it. Trusting in Him for guidance, praying together, worshipping together, serving Him together, day by day, have been a big part of our lives.

We have changed from those early days, but God has remained the same, a solid foundation on which our lives have been built. The author of Hebrews in the New Testament reminds us that despite our aging and the changes that have occurred in our lives throughout the decades, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:7-8) NIV

 

“One Thing Remains” *

 

“Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains, yes, one thing remains

 

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me…”

 By Brian Johnson, Christa Black and Jeremy Riddle

 

**James 1:17 NIV