So I entered this contest. Sharing with them the reason we should be chosen. Was it the 9 kids that got their attention? Maybe being married 28 years? Was it the fact that this last year of multiple surgeries has stretched us as a couple more than any other years? Or the fact that I want to show our children that loving someone for this long can be done? That working through those most difficult times is possible. That leaning on the one who put us together in the first place is where you can survive and grow through any trial. That the enemy wants to destroy but God wants to shine through it all! Whatever the reason doesn't matter....We're getting married! Again!
I shared this past week that I had come to a point of needing a change. Needing to make my husband a greater priority, more than I have been doing for a while. That I really desire to learn to communicate to him how much he is treasured and loved. To communicate more. I really struggle with this. But I'm learning.
As we watch our children grow we realize we need to find more opportunities to do things together. New hobbies. New roads of exploring and learning together. After all,our arms and time have been full of babies and life. Our time together without interruption has been less than we would like but understand this is just a season....a very long and cherished one. But now it's time to learn to be a party of two every once and a while. We still aren't done raising our family. We have a few years yet. But it's an important lesson for our children to see that we put our marriage at the top of the priority list. I think they would agree. To teach our daughters to love their husbands unconditionally and our sons to cherish the loves of their lives.
All in all I have seen the hand of God in this past week. He has reminded me time and time again that He is in control. I just need to let go of that wheel.That He does hear me when I pray and knows the deepest desires of my heart. I am loved so very much!
I'm sure our vows will be very different than the first time. For it's this time that I can truly say "I wiiill" (My kids love to tease me about this statement.) understand that there is nothing to be taken lightly about marriage while loving someone until death do us part, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer.
So Kelley Holcombe.....I can't wait to marry you again! Although we are two very different people than when we started...thank God!... It's because of you that I am who I am today. I pray that God grants us many more years to learn and grow together. To treasure what we have been given. To love without expectations. To smile just because you hold my hand. To see the hand of God in all that we do and say. To be a light in this very dark world. To leave a legacy of two people that chose to follow God with all their hearts, trusting Him to write their story of Love, Faith, Hope and Grace. I now understand what it means to love you with all my heart! Now I can say...I do!
