Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Happy Anniversary


I know you show up here to get a little something to take with you. A little giggle or a nugget of some sort. Well, this morning I'm going to tell you where my cup of cold water tends to come from. Today Mike and I celebrate 8 years of marriage.

A little history. My Junior year of college I had the privilege of joining a team and pioneering a ministy opportunity in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mike, unbeknownst to be had also taken the same opportunity. He's from Lancaster, I'm from Augusta. I was coming from Georgia College and he was coming from Valdosta State. The buzz was that some engineer quit his job to be a P.E. teacher...what a whacko! Well, as I've shared before, he won my heart over the summer. The following year we were married.

It was a struggle at first. I have told him that I married him more on a promise that he would become the husband of my dreams. I had been in a long relationship that, well, it was sort of hard to just move on. I wish I could say it was total crazy love...I knew I loved him and that God had promised good to me. I said yes with excitement and fear of the unknown. I knew that Mike loved me with every fiber of his being. I was 22 and just out of college. I had a lot to learn.

Fast forward and Mike is the promise. God was right about this man. Mike has provided me with the life of my dreams. I'm sure it might not look like much to someone else, but I spend my days doing what my heart has always desired. We are in agreement in my role as wife and mother and there is never any pressure for me to get a job. He laughs when I fall apart, knowing that I'll pull it together...and probably write about it later. He knows that women's bible study will always have a place in our life and that sometimes I'm just not going to cook.

He is my cup of cold water. He is the reason I blog. He believes that I am good at this. He has urged me several times to do more than write a Christmas letter and never balks at the time I spend on the computer when an idea just hits me and I have to get it out. He is not offended when I tell him EXACTLY what to do for our anniversary..he's thankful. He doesn't want to disappoint me, so I give a cheat sheet. Buy a card, sign your name, and write in our journal. That's it.

So, I don't wish to make any other woman struggle. I know that for many women their husband is not their cup of cold water. Marriages are under attack, we must join together and beg God to show us mercy and favor. I believe that biblical marriage can and will change the world. When men love their wives as Christ loved the church and when women respect their husbands as the head of the house. Ladies, this is different than the model of the world. God tells us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but transformed by the renewing of our mind. I think our marriages fit into this model. Imagine someone walking into your home and finding peace and harmony because husband and wife are in accordance with God's will. If you think for one minute you won't have an opportunity to share Christ you've got another thing coming. The lost world is watching...let's give them something to talk about.

Happy Anniversary, Babe. You are the greatest promise ever fulfilled...besides Jesus!

Note: Mike and I have screamed and yelled (have screamed and yelled, he is extremely level headed) and stayed up late duking something out. We recognize when the enemy is using us against each other and we pray like heck to be safe. I cry, he grovels...we struggle...we are all supposed to be struggling with all of His energy that works so powerfully in us. Also, a pretty intense book that I have read is called Created to be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. This is not light reading by any stretch...she's pretty intense, but I gleaned alot from her wisdom.

7 comments:

Linda said...

I need to get back into that book. My friend sent it to me when I was living at my mom's, waiting to go to Germany (yeah, that long ago) and it was really a revelation. But I've long since put aside a lot of what I read and was implementing. Gotta be the devil...

Happy Anniversary. Your family is lovely, and Mike IS the perfect husband for you. God's blessings are strong!

Kim said...

Ali,
I remember when you told me you were thinking about blogging. I'm so glad you did. I've truly enjoyed reading each and every entry. Even if I'm a bit rushed and think I'll just skim over sections, I end up going back to read them anyway because I want to see what I missed! LOL! And your pictures make them even more special. Thanks for sharing your heart with us. Oh, and HAPPY anniversary!

Suzanne Moon said...

Happy Anniversary!!

Heather said...

Happy Anniversary!! Love the family pic. Ella is getting so big. She's beautiful. Anson and Julia haven't changed too much just many inches taller. Love you all!

Jaime said...

Yeah, I finally see pics (very cute ones, btw!)And beautiful post on marriages- it is so true that if more people could catch of a glimpse of how marriage is supposed to be, truly serve each other (as Christ's perfect example showed us)- how happy the world would be! Not that it's easy, but so worth it! Happy Anniversary, you have much to celebrate for being a wonderful couple!

Eric Livingston said...

I was recently sharing with another friend who is walking through a bad time in her marriage (they are not Christians) about how if a marriage is to succeed, there is a necessary surrender that HAS to take place. She sort of balked at that; but the more I think about it, the more easy it is to surrender a part of me to my husband because he does love me the way he's 'supposed' to. It is a joy to becuase I KNOW the kind of man he is and that his desire is to put Christ first in all things, including our marriage. You're right about biblical marriage changing the world...no wonder why that is what is most under attack in our churches.
Happy anniversary
Dixie

Just His Best said...

Happy Anniversary guys!!! I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for your next 8 years together!!