Just Getting Started

Today (August 6th, 2009) I am stepping into a new arena in the world of the "web." I'm posting my first blog. I've been blogging for a long time (more than 34 years) only I do it on a platform on Sunday in front a lot of people and use verbal posting rather than printed postings. Anyway, as a young man who was trying to sell me something one day said, "it's the same, only different!" This day happens to fall the day following my 37th wedding anniversary. I met my wife in tenth grade and our first dates were very limited by the fact that I wasn't old enough to drive a car, I didn't have very much money and our parents were pretty restrictive about 10th graders dating! But... she lived across the street from me and it was easy to hang out at her folk's house or at my folk's house and that's what we did. By our senior year we were "steadies" (does anybody still use that word?) and then in 1970 I went off to Michigan to college and she stayed home in Brunswick and went to work for the Grants department store in Medina. We married between my second and third year of college and a new family took it's roots on August 5th, 1972. She wore a beautiful white wedding dress, her bride's maids wore floppy "hippie" hats and I wore a King Edward style tux with ruffled shirt and zipper platform boots.... we were stylin'!
Now the question is, where has life gone? 37 years of marriage, three married children, five grandchildren with number six scheduled for arrival early in 2010 and lots of life experiences now written in the history book of our lives. The Bible asks this question in the book of James, "For what is your life?" It also gives the answer, "it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, then vanisheth away." That's a pretty good description of life! When I counsel young couples about to get married I tell them that both life and marriage goes through "seasons." The Spring is the early time. It's all new and fresh and fun and everyone loves the Springtime. Then comes the Summer of marriage. Summer is the busy time. You're raising kids, mowing grass, paying a mortgage, it seems that your work is never done. Following Summer you'll come to the Fall season. It's a time when the kids are out of the nest for the first time. They're off at school, off to the military, married or just expressing their independence. It's a time when the two of you are back where you started, alone again together. If you've worked on your relationship and stayed friends through the Summertime you'll so enjoy the Fall season of your life together. Finally comes the Winter. Winter is a difficult season. However, if you're prepared for the winter you need not fear the cold! Winter can be filled with beauty and with the great anticipation of an approaching Springtime in land where as the songwriter once said, "we'll never grow old!"
Final thought for all the folks who have not yet celebrated your 37th anniversary.... don't get distracted by the noise around you today. Don't just live for today. The farmer toils in his soil by faith and anticipates the wonderful day of harvest. So many people around me right now seem to be living only in the moment of today only doing whatever seems to have the potential to make them happy even if it's just for today. Don't sacrifice your future happiness on the altar of your immediate happiness. The best is yet to come!