Seek the Sacred Amidst the Ordinary

Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary. So I looked through old photos, of other times and other places. This photo was taken by my dear friend Pam Nelson, in Hermosa Beach, CA, not long after we started dating in 1986. It was a very late night, and Pam asked us to stop before heading up to Mark’s apartment to take this photo. Since then, we have lived Michigan, Colorado, England and Virginia. Our daughter Tori came into our lives 16 years ago. Both my parents have passed away, my father in our own home. A lot has changed over the past 25 years, yet the important things remain the same. Marriage is a covenant relationship, first and foremost a promise to God that you will remain committed to one another. It means sticking together, no matter what. I have heard folks say getting married is a leap of faith, but perhaps it would be better to say staying married is a journey of many leaps of faith. You may not be moving across the country or overseas, yet life throws you for a loop. Jobs change, families change, children grow up. Each time you are sure you have things figured out, it all changes. So I am blessed beyond measure to have my dear husband Mark faithfully at my side these past 25 years. He told me this morning that he was thankful that I was a patient woman, patient enough to stay married to him all this time. I would say the same thing about him. Take time today to consider what commitment means to you. Let that special someone know what they mean to you, and pray for the Holy Spirit to bless and protect your relationship, today and always. Photo by Pam Nelson