My wife Monique and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary with a wonderful weekend away.
We went to the Savour Stratford Culinary Festival, where I accidentally kicked an extension cord and plunged the Tasting Tent and its 300 occupants into total darkness.
We stopped off at The Olde Hide House in Acton to get an old leather jacket of mine repaired. The lady seemed puzzled when I asked if I could return my jacket because it wasn’t working anymore.
We tried jalapeno fudge, roasted garlic fudge, fish tacos and barley wine. Thankfully, not all in one sitting.
We shared some great times, toasted 22 years together, and savored the prospect of 22 more.
Frankly, the last 22 years haven’t always been easy. They haven’t always been fun. But they have definitely been worth it!
Sadly it seems that more marriages these days are living by the lyrics from that old Trooper song…”we’re here for a good time, not a long time.”
I’m definitely no marriage guru, but I have noticed four things over the years that I feel have really helped our marriage survive:
- We are the same people when we are together as we are when we are apart. If you can’t let your guard down and be completely transparent around your spouse, you’re going to wind up exhausted.
- We have and pursue our own separate interests (within reason, of course). While it is normal for sacrifices to be made, spouses should complement each other, not constrict each other.
- We pray together. Not as often as we could or should; we’re working on that. But there’s something very powerful about joining each other in prayer.
- When something worth saving is broken, you don’t just throw it away. You fix it. Kinda like my favorite leather jacket. Sure, it has some worn patches and scratches. That doesn’t mean it needs to be tossed. That means it has character.
Happy anniversary, Monique! I love you!
The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. – Proverbs 18:22
What marriage “secrets” have worked for you and your spouse?
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy anniversary Larry!
A big thing for my wife and I aare regular getaway’s together. We make it a priority to get away with just the 2 of us at least twice a year.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..How do we slow down when life feels out of control?
I hear you on that one, Kevin. It was so refreshing to be by ourselves, even if just for a weekend. Thankfully our boys also took great care of the house while we were away!
Happy Anniversary!
Keep dating your spouse. We try for a weekly date night and a weekend getaway once or twice a year.
Jon Stolpe recently posted..The Lost Key
Good call, Jon. It’s so easy to get caught up in all the busyness, and not spend the time together that we should.
Love this, Larry. Happy Anniversary to you and Monique!
We celebrated a dozen years in July. And I’m pretty sure we make each other laugh more now than we did when we were dating.
Leanne Shirtliffe (Ironic Mom) recently posted..Rhyming, Cribbage, and a Disappearing Child
Thanks, Leanne! Monique will be pleased to get anniversary wishes from her favorite blogger. Laughter is such a huge part of it. We even had a good laugh when I caused the blackout. Well, after they fixed it, that is…
That is something I would do, Larry. I think on our second anniversary, my DH fell through a rotten plank on the deck of a beach restaurant in Thailand. The fun never ends, eh?
Leanne Shirtliffe (Ironic Mom) recently posted..Rhyming, Cribbage, and a Disappearing Child
Put your wife first before everything (other than God of course). Pursuing other interests is perfectly fine, but I have found in my own marriage that if my wife feels I’m valuing anything more than I value her, she’ll begin to resent it and wish that I did it less or gave it up altogether.
As long as your wife understands that she’s #1, she’ll encourage you to pursue those things that you enjoy. She just needs to know that she’s not competing with them.
Chris recently posted..Business Blessings
Spot on, Chris. My wife graciously allows me to bow out of shopping excursions with her mom and “girls night out” with her friends, while she allows me my reading/writing time and the chance to go out with the guys to watch movies like The Expendables. It works out well!
Speaking of which, tomorrow night, 7:15. You in?
Deal, bro. Tuesday movies with the boys. Woo hoo!
Happy Anniversary! God bless you with many more years together.
tcavey recently posted..The Cost of Discipleship Chapter 12
Thank you very much, TC!
Stopping by for the first time…happy anniversary! My husband and ibare about to celebrate five blissful years, and to hear an honest evaluation of the things that matter (and keep the covenant strong even in the tough times) is always encouraging. Glad you’re still both crazy for each other and crazy enough to try jalapeno fudge!
megan@positivelyimperfect.com recently posted..Make It Count Monday – Vol. 1
It sounds really strange but it was SO good! Glad to have you here, Megan!
Happy anniversary guys!!!!!
Jason recently posted..What if Jesus said no?
Thank you, Jason!
Best wishes for your next 22. My advice is to marry someone that you can laugh with and cry with. It is a sign that they will share the good and bad with you, by your side. And it’s good if they can share the remote and the popcorn! Love to read your posts!
Well said, Julie. Thank you!
Two words: Yes. Dear.
Happy Anniversary!
seekingpastor recently posted..The Aroma of Christ
Words of wisdom, Matt.
Thanks!
Props on 22, Larry (and on eating jalapeno fudge… sounds intense)!
Stephen Haggerty recently posted..September 2012 Beard Of The Month
It was amazing. It started off tasting like really good, but plain, fudge. Then a few seconds later came this wave of jalapeno heat that was just the right intensity. Fantastic! Thank you, Stephen!
Congratulations to you both! Quite an accomplishment these days. And the points you make are so true. We’ve been married 43 years and when we hit the 25 year mark I was working for Pepsi in NYC. My boss took his whole outfit for a dinner cruise around Manhattan for some business reason but after dinner recognized us for our anniversary. When he did one of my co-workers without hesitation said, “To the same woman!” A sign of the times.
It’s always a pleasure to hear from you, Ed. 43 years – that’s definitely worth celebrating!