Happy Anniversary!

It is hard to believer 7 years ago today, J.Ed and I commited our lives to one another in front of God and our family and friends in Charleston, SC. It is even crazier that 9 years ago June 1st marks the day we met, and the day our lives changed forever. Moments like this always make me reflect on the bigger picture of marriage and I am thankful to the One that made us that He had the other in mind during the design process. He has given me a partner, a co-pilot, a best friend, a playmate, my balance, and my heart, who loves me in spite of myself and loves our children the way I prayed my husband always would.

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about how many marriages around us are ending and how much I am grieving the loss of these relationships for these people I love. I know every situation is different, I know how hard it can be, I know you don't always feel like putting in the work, but I also know love isn't a feeling, it's an action, it does. I can say from experience, that coming out the other end of a hard time in your marriage can be the most freeing experience in your life as you realize that together, with God at the center, anything is possible. The model of effort and intention that blesses your children for their future relationships is one only we can teach. My prayer is for marriages everywhere, that we all cling to those that God has blessed us with, knowing that being ruled by faith instead of feelings, produces action and actions are how you really show love in the first place. We are priveledged that God finds enough favor with us to break our relationship when we need to shift our focus off ourselves and have it rebuilt with Him at the center.

I am also reminded of something John Piper said in his book, This Mommentary Marriage. That marriage is not designed with the single purpose of making us happy but to be an earthly representation of Jesus' relationship to the church. Therefore our job, no biggie, just love your spouse the way Jesus loves you, unconditionally, without judgement or anger, without keeping score, oh and your doing this so others can see you model this and want a relationship with him too. Humbling, yes. Impossible apart from grace, yes. But so incredibly encouraging to me because it gives reason for our strife and purpose to the pain. That every conflict and also every resolution is designed to make us more holy, not necessarily more happy. I have digressed right to the top of a soapbox!

Happy Anniversary to the most incredible father, loving, Godly, humble, and not to mention super cute and fun, man that I know! Thank you for being my Boaz. Here is to many many many many more!

The first night we met! I love that someone captured this moment, who knew??

Such an incredible day

We celebrated this weekend with dinner at the Southern and our favorite band, the Avett Brothers. It was pretty much perfect. Their lyrics pretty much sum up how I feel about love and life, so it was pretty poignant.

I made this for J.Ed. This is one of our favorite lyrics from one of their songs with some of my favorite pictures. We also got tickets to see Daws and Shovels & Rope in a couple weeks. If you can't tell, we share a love for a particular kind of music:)