A Gift from God

This weekend, I celebrate 30 years of marriage with the love of my life.  We met in college the summer of my freshman year at Chico State.  He is my best friend, a gift from God.  We dated for a number of years during and after college before “tying the knot.”  At times, we took a break from dating giving each other the freedom to date other people but would choose to come back together as a couple.

Both of us came from divorced families, so the odds of us successfully remaining married for this many years wasn’t on our side.   Perhaps for that reason, it took us longer than most to make the decision to get married.   I like to tell people we’ve been dating for 40 years.  Just before we decided to make the commitment of marriage, we spent a time apart and of reflection.  I literally got down on my knees and prayed to God for the gift of this man, as my partner in life.  For that reason, I see my husband as a gift from God.

Whenever anything has been hard in our lives, my amazing husband has been there to soften the hard edges.  The most challenging one was when my brother, Robert, attempted suicide, shortly after we were married.   My husband was there with me to help my Mom clean out my brother’s apartment.  He went with me to visit my brother to take him on outings as he recovered from treatment.  My husband has been there to be a friend and encouragement to my brother.  That is love!!

My husband is someone I deeply respect and trust.   When we have had differences, I have prayed for God’s help and we’ve made it through our differences.   I praise God for the gift of my husband!