Thankful Thursday: "Love and Marriage"

Today--again--I'm thankful for a solid marriage. I would *like* to take credit for having a marriage to be thankful for, but instead I give all the glory, with amazement and gratitude, to my wonderful Lord and God and thank Him for leading me ("No, not that way...no, no, *this* way...yes, that's it") with infinite patience to be where we are. Pride says to Self, "You're being hard on yourself; you did much to build, little to tear down," and sends my mind on a search of the files of my memory, to find proof. I am humbled that there has to be a search, and the proof isn't laying out in the open everywhere for all the world to see.  I did some building--I could have done much, much more.

I'm grateful, also, to my "straight arrow", consistent husband.  Many of the character qualities which my hubby possesses make it possible for us to have a strong marriage, and put me in a "recommendable" position.  We are polar opposites.  We had a pastor when we were dating, who, as a matter of course, took engaged couples through "premarital counseling" including a battery of personality tests. Everywhere the line on the graph went up for me, my fiance's went down. Every time his line went up, mine went to the same degree, down!  We were different as night and day!  One week before our wedding, our pastor gave us this "encouraging word": "You can still call it off."  The golden wisdom he left us with, truly gold, was when he dismally predicted, "The only way you're going to make it is with Jesus."  Friends, I'm so thankful I was told that's the only way we could make it!  For that's the only way *any* couple can make it! And it's the only way I would want to make it!  Praise God, it wasn't easy, but with Jesus we've "made it" this far!

When I was single, I was looking for a man with some of his qualities, but I didn't have the good sense or wisdom to be looking for other qualities the Lord lavishly threw in, which I had no idea were important! God is so good!  I "happened" to marry a man who came from a very Godly heritage: parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents who loved the Lord.  I had no idea how important that would be, when I was 20!  He is a man who is steady (I wasn't even aware I needed that), extremely hard-working, reliable, (kind of took those things for granted) and I can *count* on him.  I know that, though I am not easy to live with, and have my ups and downs, he's not going anywhere--he's totally committed to "til death do us part" and that is a very secure and wonderful "knowing" to have.  So, today, these are just some of the things that make me thankful for my marriage.  It's not "fireworks" after 32 years of marriage, but I'll take "rock solid" any day.

(Look for my new weekly series on "Love and Marriage" beginning this Monday, February 1, with topics including A Comparison of

Dating and Courtship, Interviews, What to Look for in Mr./Miss "Right", A Look at "Love" from 1 Corinthians 13,

Safeguarding your Marriage, Hazards to watch out for

in each phase of marriage, Forgiveness, and more.)

Oh, and come back and grab the button above!

It's Thankful Thursday, and thanks go again, also, to Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage for hosting TT this month! Go to her site to read other thankful posts and participate.