20 Years & Counting

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Last month, Alton and I celebrated 20 years of marriage!  It was an exciting time in our house.  We pulled out our wedding album and the kids couldn’t believe how young we looked when we got married (we were also both a lot smaller).


 


Wedding Day
In 1997 we both walked down the aisle having no clue what the future held.  Neither one of us fully understood two simple yet complex words, “I do”. I’m happy to say that I’m still madly in love with him. I don’t just tolerate him. We’re not just roommates staying together to raise kids.


We are FRIENDS!


We make each other smile and laugh at our corny “inside” jokes.


Now, with that being said, we’re not a perfect couple by any means.  Does he get on my nerves? Yes!  Does he make me want to scream at times? Yes!  Do I get on his nerves?  No! 



Just kidding.  Of course I do. 


Despite those facts, he’s the one for me and I’m thankful to God for him.


20 years = 2 decades. 240 months. 7300 days.


To prepare for this blog, I wanted to get some advice from friends and family that have successfully made it beyond the 20 year mark together.  Here’s their tips for all of us to learn from:


  1. Have lots of understanding with each other.  Give to get.
  2. Don’t go to bed angry with each other
  3. Laugh often
  4. Be friends first
  5. Put God first and please Him first before each other.
  6. Don’t have too many expectations of your spouse.
  7. Accept each other’s strengths and faults.
  8. Communicate
  9. Be intentional about having fun together.
  10. Have lots of good sex! (Love this advice)


Recent trip to Busch Gardens!










Our advice for couples is to make a CHOICE to love each other.  It’s that simple.  Beyond all adversity, choose to love each other through it.  Keep your home a place of serenity and peace.  Read I Corinthians 13 for a robust understanding of the depth of LOVE needed to withstand the test of time (see an excerpt below).

 






Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end. (Posted by Renee)

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 20, 2017 at 9:24 PM

    Love love this post. Thank you for all of the tips. :) and congratulations on your 20th anniversary. God bless.

    ReplyDelete

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