22 years ago this Saturday, I said, “I do” and so did she! That was the forging of a dynamic-duo. We didn’t know then what we know now, but if we knew then what we now know, I would’ve entered marriage with even more joy than I did on that day so many years ago!
1. She completes me.
I know, right!? So cheesy you’re looking for the tortilla chips! But this is for real. I mean, Jesus really completes me, but he has certainly used Linda as a major part of that process. We really do work well together. She is good at things that I am not. As a matter of fact, I would suggest that the world wouldn’t want to play host to a Linda without a Don or a Don without a Linda. It would not be a pretty picture.
2. Adam, Luke, and Leah
We *obtained* children. And they have added so much to our lives. It has been an amazing process to see Linda become a mother and move with grace through the various stages of life. I have lurched forward into this process as well with less grace but substantial effort. We make a pretty good parenting team, despite our many flaws and failures. We are not sure if the best use of the college fund will be for education or counseling. But we love our kids and we have worked together to stay on the same page with parenting.
3. Marriage has been sanctifying.
I am better than I ever could’ve been without Linda. Sharing life with Linda has been tough. And the primary reason it has been difficult is my own selfishness. God has used her to help me see the sinful tendencies in my own heart. Through our relationship a lot of junk has been brought up, repented of, and released to the forgiveness of God. Nothing sanctifies quite like an argument with someone you love about something that doesn’t matter. I have been moved at times in this marriage to see how utterly, ruthlessly, and senselessly stubborn I can be. And there have been apologies and forgiveness granted enough times that we must be pressing in on the seventy times seven. I hope we don’t get past the 490 mark . . .
4. We are both tenaciously committed.
But I’m actually confident we won’t get past that mark. Little did we know that we were saying “I do” to someone who is tenaciously committed to those vows we took 22 years ago. There have been some miserable years in this 22 years of marriage. There have been some very serious disagreements. There have been some serious losses. There has been some laughter and there have been plenty of tears. But in all of this, we have not used the “d-word”. And we have both had such a strong commitment that I have never, ever felt unstable for a minute in Linda’s commitment to me. I have never conceived of a pathway out that doesn’t involve my coffin. (Side note: we have decided we are going to die together in our sleep in our 90’s). And I am VERY happy to be “stuck” with her for a lifetime.
5. She’s a hottie.
Boom! On this point you might roll your eyes and say, “get a room!” Well thank you for the suggestion, because that is EXACTLY what I did. We’ll be rolling out of Kalamazoo this afternoon around 2pm to go celebrate our anniversary and we might come back tomorrow . . . Peace out.
