27 years...

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Today is my parent's 27th Wedding Anniversary! Yep.. These two lovebirds got married way back in 1980 and through God's grace and their own love for one another, are still going strong into their old fogey years!

I have to say, having Christian parents who set an example by their own relationship is an awesome blessing to have in life. They aren't the perfect example (no one is really), but their relationship shows me (and others) that marriage for life is not only possible, but God's plan.

I was trying to explain this same thing to one of my friends at work who's getting married because she said to me something like:

'I don't think we will stay married forever'
And I just thought (in my head) WHAT?? So I asked her,
'then why do you want to get married?'
'because I'm in love'

She said that it wouldn't really bother her if she got married and had kids and then got separated leaving her kids in limbo because she thought it was more important to be 'true to her heart'. I just remember thinking it was so sad that she thought this way. So being a Greg Mazak fan, you can guess what I talked to her about next (if you can't guess, check this out).

The sermon actually says that we should choose to love (even when we don't feel it) because we can't base our vow-before-God-of-marriage-for-life on something as fickle as feelings. If we do, then when we stop feeling in love with our spouse, and fall in love with someone else, it will make perfect sense to get a divorce and remarry. OK, it's not the best summary, but you should really listen to it yourself if you haven't already done so.

She somewhat agreed with me, but was still pretty convinced that she was right in her own belief. All I can say is that I did my part in telling her, the rest is up to God.

As for my parents, I just thank God for them and their example for me. After 27 years of marriage, they still hang out together, go for walks, play scrabble, watch SBS foreign movies together, go on holidays with just the two of them, work together, pray together and bicker with each other too hehehe.

I thank God that they have stayed together and have, through that, provided the three of us children with the security that comes from a home united in Christ, and that they have worked together to raise us into the people we have become. I hope and pray that they will have at least 27 more years together - when they will be well and truly into their old fogey / mouldy oldie years!