Yvette, 16 years ago, at the time I am writing this it was the night before our wedding. I had a bachelor party of sorts, (we played a James Bond game on the Super nintendo). Then we hit the bed fairly early so I would be rested up before the wedding the next day. I lay there in the bed at your brother's house trying to get to sleep and failing miserably. I don't know how long I lay there unable to sleep. I was nervous, scared, excited and ready to get through the day. I must have finally fallen asleep because next thing I know it was time to get up, have some breakfast, a shower and start getting dressed and made presentable.
You are my beautiful bride and I admit a part of me was so relived when I saw you coming down the aisle. A part of me kept thinking (what if she changes her mind). I was so happy and you were (and still are) beautiful. I really didn't pay that much attention to the service I don't think. I was concentrating on how scared I was at the new life I was starting and how often I looked over at you. I remember saying our vows, and hoping I was heard, the seemingly forever wait to sign the marriage certificate as it seemed like everyone else had to sign ahead of us. Then we went over an pinned on the board on the wall of the church.
We had the dinner, the toast, our "first dance", which I think may have been one of our first dances :). I haven't ever been much of a dancer. I lack the coordination. Finally getting to our room and spending the night, and morning as husband and wife before going back to your parents house where we had more partying.
That was sixteen years ago now. Over 1/3 of our lifetime has been together. We have been through the joys of bringing 4 lives into the world. We have had our share of pain and heartache, blessings and trials, sickness and health, and even richer and poorer. We are still together, still blessed and still in love. I promised this day 16 years ago to be with you for all my life and I continue that promise to this day and all the days that follow. I cannot and do not want to imagine or know what my life would be like without you by my side.
With you by my side, and with and by, the grace of Jesus, I have become a better man, a loving father, and grown beyond what I was then. Some of it is just growing older, and more experienced. But the love and partnership and sharing a life with you has helped me grow.
I love you. I love the way you are always there for me. I love the compassion and caring you have not just for us, but for the church family we have. You are quick with the encouraging words, the ears ready to listen and the shoulder to cry on. I love that you are a mother for our children. I love to know you are by my side at night. I love the kiss we share during greeting time at church. It is a small thing perhaps, but it is special to me. I love to see when you paint and the enjoyment you get from the creative expression. I love that you chose to join your life to mine (and continue to do so) so that together we are building a family and our lives.
I love that you are willing to forgive my faults, my failings, and my absent mindedness. I know I can be exasperating to you at times and I hate when I fail and disappoint you. Yet you have been so loving and forgiving. You have shown me grace, forgiveness and love at times when I have been everything from simply forgetful to cruelly selfish. In short, you love me even through the flawed person that I am. I thank the Lord for you and for your love.
I am not the man I should be, and I know that I have to continue to grow. I pray that I can be the man you need and be the compliment to you, that together we will continue to grow to be the "one flesh" that is greater than the two of us individually.
What I need to do is to learn to be Love as shown by 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Happy Anniversary Hun
Love
Jason
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