What We Remembered Sitting in Church This Morning

As we were sitting in church in SC this morning, I suddenly remembered that it is our 46^th wedding anniversary! I also realized that this is not the first Sunday morning that the realization that we have forgotten our anniversary has happened. Doing some calculations, it must have been 6 years ago today at Crossroads Bible Church in Panama, that Pastor Steve and Heather Gunn greeted us with anniversary congratulations ….and we realized that we had forgotten. (Good memories of times spent in Panama flooded.) Of course, then I proceeded to forget again until right now in the late afternoon that it is a special day and to announce it on FB.

Obviously, we do not make a big deal out of these kinds of events. (I told Paul that we wanted a big shindig on our 50^th in 4 years. He asked, “Where?” and we are a bit stymied to answer that.) However, just because we do not celebrate excessively does not mean we take our marriage for granted. We do deeply love each other. I know that we are stronger and more fulfilled together than apart. I know that we could not have done the things in our lives spanning 4 continents and 6 countries alone. I know that we could not have raised our 4 beloved children without each other. I know that the educational level and teaching expertise that we have acquired has been enhanced by our intellectual compatibility. I know that we have challenged each other spiritually and emotionally to grow. I know that we are extremely different people who have learned to live in harmony and accomplish much, both on a daily basis as well as over a  long span of years.  I know that our shared cultural heritage of Northern Minnesota has kept us sane when nothing else around us has made sense. I know that we still have many shared years of love and ministry together. I know that we are both very excited to return to Peking University in Beijing, China on Friday, August 24, for the next year of teaching English to Ph.D. students. We’d appreciate your prayers.