ANNIVERSARIES<\/em>\u2026are a time of remembrance, reflecting back on what has gone before, what has brought one to this time and place. And I believe the longer the period, the more revered it is. We have had many over the life of our nation, and more keeps getting added. 4th<\/sup> of July, Pearl Harbor, D-Day, 9-11, you name it.<\/p>\n Recently, actually December 27th<\/sup>, Joanne and I celebrated our 60th<\/sup> wedding anniversary with our daughters and most of our grandchildren. Then Becky, our eldest, planned an amazing event where we celebrated with family and lots of our friends who have walked with us some portion of our years. The neat thing is, Joanne and I were here to celebrate it together, in person.<\/p>\n During the evening I read a very short poem to her. I\u2019ll share it with you.<\/p>\n I met you at a sock hop, you were 14 and cute as a bug; Why am I sharing this with you? Some people are amazed at long-term marriages, especially today. Many ask, \u2018how did you make it this far?\u2019 I hope you will see the answer in the poem. Marriage of two fallen sinners, two genders with each having certain expectations, varying agendas, hopes and dreams; coming together for life is far from a walk in the park. But is it worth it\u2014you bet! Someone has said that each spouse is God\u2019s sandpaper for the other. I agree. Shaping us into one!<\/p>\n During this time of celebration, Joanne shared some verses from Lamentations that got me to thinking. The message comes right after a familiar verse\u20143:23.\u00a0\u201cThey (his mercies) are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness\u201d. <\/strong><\/em>It goes on\u2014\u201cThe Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I hope in Him! The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep silent, because God has laid iton him; let him put his mouth in the dust\u2014there may yet be hope.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n When a husband and a wife are in the early years, much stress falls upon them as they move, hopefully together, into the formation of a family; into the journey of oneness\u2019. I think that is what the writer is saying to us. \u2018It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. Sit alone and keep silent!\u2019<\/em> During these years, the tendency is to throw in the towel, hit the road and be relieved of the enormous responsibilities, or differences. At least that is what their false mindset seems to be telling them. I ask you\u2014did Jesus avoid the cross? NO!!!<\/p>\n I can remember numerous times, because of my issues, when I simply had to go to my empty church and be with God. I didn\u2019t want anyone to see me or talk to me. I traveled to Sky Ranch one time just to sit under a tree next to a lake and meditate. Why? I have not a clue, but it seemed right to do it at that moment. To pray, and weep and beg him to hear me! (Let me tell you, it\u2019s far better than the local bar.) As I reflect on the verses above, God was \u2018putting my mouth in the dust\u2019<\/em>. And there you start receiving hope. At least I did.<\/p>\n Dads, husbands, do you want your marriage and relationships to endure and even prosper? Guard your ways, bear up to your responsibilities, stay the course, seek his mercy\u2014it is new every single morning. It has been for me, and for Joanne. It won\u2019t be perfect, but it will be great! Your kids might even throw you a party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reflection ANNIVERSARIES\u2026are a time of remembrance, reflecting back on what has gone before, what has brought one to this time and place. And I believe the longer the period, the more revered it is. We have had many over the life of our nation, and more keeps getting added. 4th of July, Pearl Harbor, D-Day, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60,67],"tags":[143,61,62,55,88,101],"class_list":["post-3086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abiding","category-role","tag-absent-father","tag-bcd","tag-bethedad","tag-brokenness","tag-encouragement","tag-marriage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3086"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3086\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAnd on that dance floor, you could really cut a rug.
\nThat very night you captured my heart;
\nAnd five years later we vowed, \u2018till death do us part\u2019.
\nHas not been perfect, but it has been great;
\nRemember, you wore blue velvet on our very first date.
\nTwo daughters and five grandchildren whom we dearly love;
\nLike you, each one a gift from heaven above.
\nGod\u2019s grace has been evident in every circumstance;
\nNow, Evelyn Joanne Paschall Dotson, may I have this next dance?
\n(Followed by the song, Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinten<\/em>)<\/p>\nFaithfulness<\/h3>\n
Endure and prosper<\/h3>\n