Saturday, May 12, 2007

LIST OF TEN...I read the following not long ago, filled with much wisdom and food for thought, especially for younger married couples today.


I once heard the story of a young married woman asking an older married woman the secret to her long marriage.

The older woman said,

"Early on I decided that I would make a list of 10 things that I would always forgive my husband for. I would not dwell upon these things and make a big deal about them."

The young woman said, "So what were those things?"

"Well, I never actually got around to writing things down, but every time he did something that annoyed me I would think, 'Now that is definitely on the list!'"

I think about this story often and see the immense wisdom in it. The joy of being married is that you have someone who has vowed to live with you and love you regardless of the many times you stumble. There is so much grace, given and received, that is needed to survive in marriage.

It makes me smile when I see couples that have been married for 30, 40, 50+ years. Usually they have a peace about them and always look at each other as if they have a wonderful secret just between the two of them. Moreover, of course, they do. Long marriages aren't bulletproof, but if the husband and wife have put their trust in God and believe that there is a greater reason for their togetherness than pure chance, or even fate, then the comfort of knowing they will always have each other permeates every part of their lives.



I am more than thrilled to cross over the threshold of thirty years of marriage with my hubby this year. I know we've already reached that point in time, where we are at peace with one another, our children constantly accusing us of having private jokes filled with specific eye contact nightly at the dinner table.

I have my mental list of 10 running in my head, as I’m certain my hubby does as well!

Do you? ...smile