25 years of Trust

Yesterday Carolyn and I marked the 25 year moment in our marriage

Even as I write this it is very hard for me to get a handle on this length of time

25 years

In a way it seems so long ago

In other ways, it's like yesterday as I see Carolyn walking down the aisle towards me

We invited a small group of friends over to not only celebrate, but also share some new promises we desired to give each other

As I thought and prayed about these promises to make to her-before God and our friends-I couldn't help but think about the role of trust in our 25 years together

Trust has been an important (if not the key) ingredient in our lives

A glimpse would include

Early on in our marriage I had a very difficult time saying I was sorry for anything. I remember the first time telling her how sorry I was for basically just being a jerk and having her forgive me and saying she loved and accepted me anyway

Her unconditional acceptance of me regardless of...whatever...set in motion a sense of trust that I could share whatever and it would be okay for us

I trust her now more than ever

She has told me I have her trust as well

When I honestly listen
By not trying to fix everything in our lives
By seeking her best-often at my own expense
By just holding her and saying nothing (sometimes for a long time!)
By apologizing even when I was partly right-taking the lead in starting the conversation
By doing dishes and folding laundry which speaks to her love language
By providing for her and the children financially

These experiences in life formed the new promises we made to each other for the rest of our marriage last night

It was a beautiful night with the love of my life

I trust her totally