Love...

This post may be sappy, but somebody's gotta do it.

We met in August, were engaged by November and got married the following August.  We were married before we knew each other a year.  We were 19 years old.

We were young and in love.  And on August 10th, 1991, we stood before a packed house, standing room only church and made our vows to one another.  We didn't re-write them, or change them, or alter them.  

We said, "To have and to hold from this day forward." We said, "For better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health." I said, "To love, honor and obey."  He said, "To love, honor and cherish." We said, "from this day forward, til death parts us." 

People said we wouldn't make it.  People said we were too young.  People said we would fail.  People said he wouldn't know how to be a husband.  People said I wouldn't know how to be a wife.  Lovie said that was okay; "You and me against the world, Billie" he would tell me.  And somehow I knew he meant it.  

You see, my parents' marriage was chaotic and dysfunctional at best.  I never knew what a husband's love should look like.  I never saw what a wife's love was supposed to resemble.  I was going into the great unknown, armed with nothing more than hopes and dreams and a lot of prayer...and a man who loved me truly.

Yesterday we celebrated 23 Valentine's Days.  One as starry-eyed, love-sick dreamers.  Twenty-two of those as a happily married husband and wife.  

I have not always been a good wife.  There were times when I lost faith in love, gave in to emotion and fatigue.  I have voiced complaints and given my share of cold shoulders.  

But not John.  John doesn't take promises lightly.  When he said, "to have and to hold from this day forward," he meant it, and he's kept his promise.  When he said, "For better or for worse," he kept his promise.  When he said, "For richer or poorer," he kept his promise.  When he said, "to love, honor and cherish," he has kept his promise.  And now, when we come to the part of "in sickness and in health..." he continues to keep his promises to me.  

I know that he is God's perfect gift for me.  I could have never known love like this any other way.  I know now that true love is real; that dreams do come true.  My children are seeing how a husband is supposed to love his wife, and hopefully how a wife is supposed to love her husband.  

It's not about being right.  It's not about having the last word. It's not about making the other conform to your image or having your way. It's about accepting your spouse as God's perfect gift for you.  It's about cherishing every moment.  It's about laughing when you want to cry.  It's about hugging it out.  It's about Love...Christ-like love.  

Love is Patient.  

Love is Kind.   

It does not envy.   

It is not proud.   

It is not rude.   

It is not self-seeking.   

It is not easily angered.  

It keeps no record of wrongs.   

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects.  

Always trusts.  

Always hopes.  

Always perseveres.  

Love never fails.   

1 Cor. 13:4-8

Even when I didn't deserve it, even when I wasn't, as the poet said, "heaven's last best gift," John has always exercised these qualities of love toward me.  He is always patient, always kind.  If he is envious, he doesn't voice it.  He is never proud, or rude or self-seeking.  He is not easily angered and he keeps no record of my wrongs.  He does not delight in my evils, but forgives me quickly and thoroughly.  He always protect, always trusts, always hopes.

And now, he perseveres the storm again with me.  He shows me every single day that love never fails.

I am blessed.  John has always been and continues to be my perfect Gift from God.  I am happy to spend Valentine's day with him again this year...I am blessed to spend every day with him...

Only By His Grace,

Billie