wedding anniversary – Barefoot Lily Lady

Anniversary Morning Coffee

Every morning, as I sit bleary-eyed in front of the bathroom mirror getting ready for my day, my kind-hearted husband brings me my first cup of coffee. That little gesture is a sweet reminder that Wayne loves, honors, and cherishes me as his wife—49 years today, in fact. How grateful I am for this man’s faithful love and care for me.

Another sip of coffee as I glance in the mirror, then I pick up my hairbrush and begin smoothing the tangles away. I smile as I think about how I was 15 years old when I met Wayne. He was a sailor stationed at a naval air station in Hawaii. We had been writing to one another for a few months but met for the first time in person at church when he was home on leave.

As I got to know him better in those few weeks, I found myself wanting to do things that pleased him—like growing my pageboy hairstyle longer because Wayne said he liked long hair.

He still likes my long hair, so not much has changed about my hairstyle since the 70’s, except that the gray hairs now outnumber the brunette hairs. I have tried to cover those gray hairs in years past but now consider them a badge of honor. As I look at my reflection in the mirror today, those gray hairs framing my time-worn face remind me that God has blessed me.

The years of marriage that lie ahead are surely fewer than the ones behind, but we have every confidence they will continue to be blessed. Even if our golden years together are sprinkled with hardship and painful loss, we have assurance of His faithfulness. The Lord promises, “Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you” (Isaiah 46:4).

Linking up with Kate and friends at Five Minute Friday. This week’s FMF writing prompt is: FACE. For instructions on how to join the link-up, click here.

A Financial Lesson

As of today, Wayne and I have been married 47 years. He is 72 and a full six years plus a smidge older than me. While we both hope to walk this life together for another decade or so, my wise husband has been setting aside some time for financial training. He’s teaching me some of the stuff I may need to know if he meets Jesus before I do. As we cover different subjects, he is creating a very detailed step-by-step reference guide for me, which I have dubbed ‘Operation Widowhood’.

Death is not a respecter of persons. Death will happen to all of us at some point and none of us knows when. Statistically speaking, in the marriage relationship, women often outlive their husband by an average of 5 years. When it comes to handling the financial matters of life like investments, insurance policies, taxes, and such, most widows are not ready to walk life alone when their spouse dies. Truth be told, most of us don’t even know how to pay bills or do the banking because our husbands handled that matter.

As of today, Wayne and I have been married 47 years. He is 72 and is six years plus a smidge older than me. While we both hope to walk this life together for another decade or so, my wise husband has been setting aside some time for my financial training. He’s teaching me some of the stuff I may need to know if he meets Jesus before I do. As we cover different subjects, he is creating a very detailed step-by-step reference guide for me, which I have dubbed ‘Operation Widowhood’.

Forty-three and Counting

We met through the mail when I was 15 and he was 21. He was in the Navy and I was in high school. Just before my 17th birthday we decided we wanted to get married, then got officially engaged on my 18th birthday, and married the next summer on my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary – July 3, 1976.

We’ve now been blessed with forty-three years of marriage and two children, Matthew and Elisabeth. We’ve seen God provide godly spouses for each of them. Icing on the cake…before long, the Lord blessed us with grandchildren: three grandgirls and three grandboys.

We’ve also been blessed to put down roots in only a handful of places: one apartment and three houses we have called “home.” I remember back in 1977 we discovered a little gem on 49th Street that would only cost us $10 more per month than we were paying in rent for our little furnished apartment. It wasn’t very big, but it was ours and perfect for our little family of three (soon to be four). God provided then, and He still provides for us now.

Our first Milwaukee house – 4823 N. 49th Street

Over the years we’ve owned our fair share of pets (thankfully, not all at the same time) : one guinea pig, one cockatiel named ‘Jingles’, two gerbils named ‘Digger and Aaron’ (apparently NOT brothers, as evidenced by their very large family), one hamster named ‘Houdini’ (he actually did disappear and we’re really not sure where he went), two “free” dogs (Dusty and Hooch), and one porch kitty who adopted us three summers ago.

I think Dusty was our favorite
Our porch kitty – Smoky

On this day, our 43rd wedding anniversary, I could think of no other person on earth who is as perfect for me as this man. May the Lord bless us with more years to walk together in love, as Christ loved us.

Ephesians 5:2:”And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”.
Life is Good!

Learning the Lesson of Love

Just sharing a short thought that came to mind today. I can’t imagine doing life without my husband. I know that someday one of us may walk the road of life alone – for we know not what a day will bring forth. But today, as we quietly celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary, I give thanks to God for this man with whom I share my life.