8-Year Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday marked 8 years of marriage to the man I love!  We are so thankful to have persevered through the last 8 years together.  As we sat down to enjoy a celebratory meal last night, we recounted all the trials we've had to work through since the day we got married.  Truthfully speaking, we were pleased with ourselves for just getting beyond the first year! 

On August 2, 2003, we had every expectation that our new life together, which was just beginning, was sure to be a good one!  Just like every newlywed couple, we couldn't wait to embark on this new phase of life together!  And while it has definitely proven to be the very best decision (outside of salvation) that we have ever made, it brought with it a lot of struggles as well.  If we add it all up, these last 8 years have primarily been the worst years of our lives.  From the very beginning, we've had to endure separation from our families (physically and emotionally), suicide, job losses, loneliness, brain tumors, infertility/adoption, miscarriage, beytrayal, and death (to list a few).  To anyone on the outside looking in, or to anyone without the hope of a Savior, it would almost have seemed like a sure fit for divorce during any one of these trials.  Emotionally speaking, it required more of us at any given time than we were capable of giving on our own.

This leads me to 2 thoughts: 1. the idea of commitment in a marriage is not a suggestion, or even a hope, but rather an absolute requirement; and 2. A (fulfilling) marriage without Christ is not attainable nor sustainable at all.

If we were married under the pretense that we could "get out" at any time, especially when the going gets tough, then there's no chance in this world that we would have celebrated 8 years of marriage yesterday.  But because we were married under the truth that this union is eternal, selfless, sacrificial, and a convenant we entered into with God Almighty, we had every reason to fight.  And if we hadn't spent the time intentionally growing together as a unit and growing individually in our relationships with the Lord, then the umbrella of commitment would have been that much harder to stand up under.  We had to really learn how to depend on each other to meet our respective needs, but we also had to learn that we can't base our marriage on each other's ability to meet those needs alone, it was up to the Father to be that ultimate fulfillment for us.  Which leads me into thought number 2 . . . 

If you are choosing to live for yourself, to seek love and fulfillment solely from a spouse, or derive daily hope from another human being, you will be let down in every possible way imaginable.  Christ's example of love for His church is the ultimate destination point for joy, fulfillment, hope, and peace in every circumstance.  There's no way Chris could have met every need for me after we lost our baby and my father in the span of 3 short months just earlier this year.  If I didn't have the relationship with the Lord that it required of me at the time, I can honestly say that I might not have made it through to the other side.  There were days when it seemed so dark that I thought I'd never see the light again.  But then, as faithfully as always, God whispered His strength into my heart and gently reminded me that this life is not our own and this place is not our home and the valley is only for a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things.  He would pull us up and choose to bless us as a result of our obedience to Him in our individual relationships but also as a result of the deliberate choices in our marriage.   Without the leadership and example of Christ in our life together, we could have never persevered through the struggles we've encountered along the way.

While these last 8 years have been a challenge, completely unpredictable in every way, I am eternally grateful for the lessons I have learned, the reminder of our complete dependence on God for everything, and the countless ways it has caused us to "grow up" and think beyond ourselves; to draw strength during our most difficult seasons from the the One who promises to be all things for us at all times if we just choose to turn to Him for everything in this life.

So "happy anniversary" to my man, Chris Harrell.  Thank you for choosing to follow after God with complete and total devotion and for leading our family in a way which pleases His heart and mine :)

enjoying dinner at The Capital Grille in Uptown Charlotte

dangit if I forgot to wear flats for our anniversary picture!

An Evening with Old Friends

Let's be clear, by "old" I mean long-time friends, not OLD friends :)  Tonight we had the privilege of spending time with some dear friends over a homecooked meal.  I ask you, is there anything better?  I love catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time and hearing all about their life.  And tonight, I especially loved seeing Rachel and Jared's beautiful children!  It's crazy to think that something as innocent as 2 friends that hung out in the same "circles" 15 years ago turned into marriage and 3 wonderful kids!  Rachel and I were best friends in high school.  I'm pretty sure we did absolutely everything together!  And BONUS, she was my neighbor too, so we just had a ball together all the time!  Jared entered our world shortly after and spent his remaining high school years with us, and before we knew it, they were saying "I Do" and he was whisking her off to the opposite side of the country (for nearly 10 years!!!).  But God has brought them back to North Carolina (Raleigh, in fact) and now I get to see them almost any time I want!!!  It's truly fabulous and I am so very excited to have them back!

Tonight was our long-awaited reunion dinner.  While planning our menu, I thought to myself . . . these folks have been in the north (Washington state) for too long, it's time to reacquaint them with sweet southern goodness :)  So we had a feast of rosemary chicken, collard greens, pepperjack macaroni and cheese, roasted parmesan potatoes, sweet corn bread, watermelon, and sweet tea.  It was delish and thoroughly enjoyed by all :)

Mmm Mmm Good!