Last week I realized this Friday was a very momentous date for me. On Friday, July 16, fifty-six years ago, I married Bill.

Some people marry young as I did and live happily ever after….For us, there were stormy seas those first years. We, as I imagine many couples do, didn’t blend our lives easily. There were years of struggles, but the latter half of our union, we were blessed with oneness.

I clearly remember every moment of that evening. After a year of planning, purchasing all the necessary materials for my mother to sew my dress, pick out material for my bridesmaids, decide on the colors for our wedding. The flowers, the cake, and even groom’s cake. The church was beautiful. We were ready.

The ceremony went by so quickly. My first thought as we walked down the aisle as Mr and Mrs was, it’s over! Don’t misunderstand, I was in love–madly in love with that man, George William Rudberg, Jr. As much as a nineteen year old bride could love. I wanted to marry him and be with him the rest of my life and in a blink of an eye, I became Mrs. Shirley Rudberg.

We had a lot of growing up to do and that we did. For about twenty years, neither of us believed our ship of marriage would last, but it did. Twenty years, we limped along, but about that time, we decided we needed to get some help. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t instantaneous at all, but we made progress. For all the years of storms, there was peace and companionship, and deeper love and understanding.

We took a communication class that seemed to make a difference. We learned to listen to each other. Encourage one another instead of treating the other like they were our enemy. I started doing little things for him that seemed almost insignificant to me, but it meant everything to him. Instead of my talents being a competition with him, he learned we could be a team with our talents combined. He always appreciated my appearance and his nickname for me was gorgeous.

We had a wild ride, the next twenty years. We hiked, climbed mountains, and rocks. We did them together. And that’s what made the difference.

This morning I read this. I believe that’s what marriage could/can be like:

…Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3b-4).

Toward the end of our forty years together, we fought a bigger storm in Bill’s battle with Chronic Leukemia, Shingles. A stroke ended his life.

For those of you in the middle of a storm, ride it out. Stick with it. It won’t be easy, but it is worth it. I’d never guess our marriage would last, but it did. It was stronger than ever when we said our goodbyes. It is worth the time, tears, and effort.

Happy Anniversary, my love. I’ll see you later—-in Heaven!