Today my adoring husband and I are celebrating our 3 year anniversary. I cannot believe it's been three years already. Well, okay, maybe I can because some days it feels like 20 years!
When we first got married I would have never imagined that in three short years we would be the proud parents of an almost one year old daughter, having a son on the way, and preparing to move to a different country! What a dream! What a blessing!
The past three years have been amazing. Don't get me wrong, there have definitely been those bitter moments where it seemed like we were floundering under deep water, vaguely aware that this whole marriage thing was maybe more than we had bargained for. And there have been quite a few of those moments- or more accurately those days and weeks and months.
But there is something that we have discovered. And that is Grace. God's grace. When I think about the grace that God has granted me time and time again, how can I not bestow that kind of grace on my husband? Phil can't read my mind; he doesn't know my thoughts, and he certainly doesn't know the unspoken expectations I have placed on him. And so in those moments I need to show him grace. He isn't always aware that he has hurt my feelings, said something that angered me, did something to offend me. And rather than holding it against him (which I often do), I need to show the man grace.
And the same goes for me. He needs to show me grace when I inadvertently disrespect him, am unloving to him, hurt his feelings, etc. Because the truth is that I often don't know I have done it.
Grace. It's the key to marriage. It's the key to any relationship. God has given us his amazing grace- and we certainly don't deserve. Through the tough times, and even the mediocre times, Phil and I have learned that extending grace to one another is one of the ways in which we can have a healthy marriage.
It's also important to have an amazing husband like I have :-) Hey, it's my anniversary, I get bragging rights.
Phil is so loving and kind and sweet. He really is my rock, my provider, my love. And one of the truly amazing things about Phil- he admits when he is wrong. I can learn a lot from my adoring husband!
I am looking forward to the next 3 years, and the next, and the next. I'm looking forward to the joys, the blessing, the expectant arrivals, the laughter, the tears, the fights and the make-ups, the stress, the annoyances, and all the in-between. I'm looking forward to life- just life with this man. My friend. My love.
Happy 3 year anniversary!
No comments:
Post a Comment