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Early in our marriage we had been heading down separate paths.  Not with premeditation or malice.  Just with busyness.  Everyday activity that kept us both engaged, but not with each other.

I still remember one day having one of those discussions married couples have.  More like a debate – or should we say an outright verbal fight.  Both of us recognized, after a few minutes, that we were on the same page, just coloring with different crayons.

So, we took a scrap piece of paper.  One of those sheets that are part of everyday life.  And we scrawled on it – “We will work together” (or some close paraphrase to that).  Then I placed it with a magnet on our file cabinet (which I am currently sitting beside). 

Although the memory may have faded over the years, the idea has not.  Jill and I work together in partnership – and love it.  We know that we must if we are to live successfully together!

God helping we will continue on – for more years to come.

After almost 34 years of marriage (tomorrow will turn that calendar!), we find we can finish each other’s sentences.  We can sense a direction to travel together.  We can end up in the same store aisle on the hunch that this is where we will find what we need.

Most of all, I find that I listen very carefully.  If the volume of the listening ear is low for acquaintances, the volume is screeching when my wife speaks.  Loud enough to either warn me or encourage me.  Loud enough to push me to action or quiet my impatience.

This does not come in a short acquaintance.  This comes in trusted years of circumstance.  Where once I may have wondered the motive for a question or a directive, now I assume that love is the motivator.

Not that some pretty heated discussions do not ensue.  As a matter of fact, we are more animated now than when we were younger.  We do not fear being broken by the other because we know each of us is committed to the other – for better and for worse!

So, my thanks to my closest advisor.  You are who you are, and I thank you!

In two days I will have been married 34 years.  Which is the same amount of time my wife has been married.  In fact, to the very minute!

I reflect back to October 9th, 1976.  The day had wind, rain and snow.  The morning was occupied with the ceremony, the afternoon with a reception and pictures, the evening with gift opening and a first night as husband and wife.

We had saved ourselves for the marriage bed – in other words, no sex before marriage.  Not an easy task, and now-a=days almost looked upon as dysfunctional.

Far from it!  I recommend this approach of discipline.  More than that, there is a point of faithfulness involved.  The wedding sealed our intention to remain married for our life-times.  Prior to that, sex could have been misconstrued as a point of union, but with no real commitment.

We decided for faithfulness exhibited in a marriage bed begun as virgins.  34 years later I do not regret that decision.

Cataract surgery has become commonplace these days.  If you ever sit down with the over 65 crowd you’ll find many of them have experienced this lens replacement surgery.   My father, in his eighties when he had his surgery, wondered why he hadn’t undertaken this sooner.

My surgery appears to have gone well.  This morning at 6:50 I sat in the surgeon’s office and read over those rows of letters that prove I could see quite well.  We took time this morning to also replace my usual lens on my right eye with a clear lens.  Nothing like inserting a piece of plastic to just make your glasses look “cool”.  Otherwise I could have walked around without a lens for the right eye.  But even I thought that looked “geeky”.

Another lady from Kindersley had surgery the same day.  We’ll compare our adventures in the next few weeks.  Suffice to say, we are both in better shape.

And so, thanks for your prayers and expressions of support!  God is good!!