Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand . . . Trust God: See all, nor be afraid! —Robert Browning

It was a Wednesday morning on a beautiful fall day. The sun was shining brightly. The air, warm with a touch of fall crispness to it. I was enjoying a women’s brunch in lovely surroundings and I saw on my cell phone a flash, indicating someone called and left a message there. I didn’t recognize the number, but noticed it had a “503” area code. Would that be the guy who I’d been exchanging brief emails on the couple matching site? I stepped outside the room to listen to the message and sure enough, it was that guy!

It was two days after Labor Day that September 4, 2013. Thirteen years ago.

I walked outdoors and returned his call. We made arrangements to meet at a Starbucks halfway between my town and his–about fifteen minutes from my house.

I was five minutes late as I briskly walked up to the coffee shop. I saw a man with salt and pepper colored hair, wearing jeans and a  black polo shirt. He had his back to me and I could see he was looking around for a face he hoped to recognize. “Are you Jim?” I asked. He turned around with a smile, opened up the computer on the table behind him looked at it and said,

“You must be Shirley!” He said with enthusiasm.  I must have looked like the photo I shared. We sat down and had that first cappuccino together.

It started with a cappuccino

That took us on a journey we are still on. If you know me, you know the story. How we sat at that table in the noisy coffee shop, ignoring the people around us, focusing only on each other. We told our stories and we still are telling them thirteen years later.

Not to be out-done, eight days after this first date, Jim asked me to marry him. In his hand, he displayed a little box that had a ring in it, along with a speech I’m sure, knowing him like I do now, he prepared carefully.

And today, we celebrate that date. We’ll stop whatever we’re doing, we’ll remember. We’ll drive to that same coffee shop and drink to the success of that first date.

Next year, we don’t know where we’ll be. Will we still be here, alive and well? That is unknown, but if we are, we’ll remember again and celebrate.

Jim was prepared to meet me that day, hoping I would be the woman he’d desired to meet.

I was willing to try–again–to see if this man was the one God had ordained for me to meet.

Our hopes were fulfilled that day thirteen years ago.

Every year, no matter where we are, we sip a cup of coffee together.

My husband Jim and I often say, “We’re standing on the shoulders of our previous spouses,” because our previous marriages have benefited our present marriage. Although not perfect, our marriage is as close to perfection as life can be on this planet.

We both realize that our most important relationship is with our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the most permanent relationship you will ever have. Our vertical relationship with God outshines and deserves the most attention. It lasts through eternity.

Although we love our spouses here on earth, marital love is temporary. “For in the resurrection there is no such thing as marrying or being given in marriage” (Matthew 22:30 PHILLIPS). Marriage is a gift from God for us to enjoy here. “God gives the lonely a home” (Psalm 68:6 NCV).

I don’t know the future, but I know I can trust my Savior. He brought me through the very hard times I’ve experienced. He is with me in the joyful times too. He is with me when I celebrate birthdays or anniversaries, when I travel with my Jim, when we have new adventures, and when we make love.

Sometimes there are niggles of fear that creep into my thoughts. What if Jim dies? Can I make it without his love and care?

We pray that God will grant us many years together, but we know that our lives are truly in his hands, not ours. We can trust in the God who loves us more than we love each other.

So we do just that. We trust.
And he’ll be there when he takes each of us home to him.

Father God, thank you for inventing marriage with the first couple and smiling on marriages here on earth. We benefit from each other and the strength we give each other through marriage. Help us to honor our marriages and treat them as a precious gift. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Write a prayer of thanks for the positive aspects of your marriage—past or present.

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We think of the song below “our song.”  We’ll probably dance to it sometime today.