I’ve read many accounts of how a wife was chosen in Scripture. It’s clear, God guided the servants who were tasked to find that special someone, often an integral part of salvation history. Let’s take for instance Eliezer who was sent by Abraham to find Issac a bride. The sign Eliezer prayed, would be the women the one who offered to give him some water to drink and also to water his camels. (Gen. 24:13-14)

I have a pretty good idea what my father’s prayer was because he said it a lot. “If he ain’t Catholic don’t bring him home.” My dad had been a Marine and was very dedicated and active in the Catholic faith. He knew first hand the importance of a shared faith in marriage. “One less thing to fight about, and one more thing to share together.”

When I met my special someone at a disco, my father was not happy that it happened in what he referred to as, “the meat market.” Yet, the first time they met, he connected with this young military man who was also Catholic. I had been praying to meet the man God had chosen for me, and yes, God can answer prayers even in a disco.

It was Rebekah, who asked to water Eliezer’s camels. She would have listened to his proposal to travel to a distant land and marry his master’s son. I too, listened over the ensuing months as Mark described the military life and what it would be like as his future wife. It all sounded fun and adventurous.

On this day, forty four years ago, we signed a blank check to have and to hold, from that day forward, to love and honor each other in all circumstances, all the days of our life. No more did I know what was coming, than any spouse does for that matter.

That’s marriage.

We had no idea what lay before us but we vowed to do it together with God at our center.

We couldn’t have imagined the wonderful highs, nor be fully prepared for the devastating lows. We signed that blank check and to this day have been faithful as we faced it all together. When we lost our first baby we cried together, and after years of prayers when the miracle came the joy was overwhelming.

Five unique and amazing children that were our love made manifest and our legacy in motion. Five teenagers and all that comes with that made us smarter, and unified in our discipline. No, it didn’t magically happen, but through trials and mistakes, we learned to trust each other’s judgements more.

His broken foot, my broken body, coughs, flues, hospitalizations, and the occasional lost child; were all opportunities for us to pray together, and lean on the Lord more than worry.

We are both newly retired and are fully into the ‘go-go stage’ racking up air and land miles. It’s been a heck of a ride at times, but mostly it has been an incredible adventure; one I could have never imagined. This life we’ve shared, God knew in advance, would be the means used to sanctify us. He knew where I was weak and Mark was strong, and vice versa. He has become the person in this world whom I fully trust with my life. He has proved his worthiness time and again through all we have endured.

So today I want to say Happy Anniversary to my best friend, and the man I made the promise to so many years ago. With God at our center, we will be able to do marriage together another couple of decades, God willing. I love you.