The Power of Example

I believe that Jay and I have an exceptional marriage. We have been married for a little over 6 years and although we have changed slightly as individuals, we have grown closer as a couple. People change...the key is to make choices to change towards one another instead of apart.
I can honestly say that life with him gets better and better and better.
We aren't perfect. We pick at each other from time to time. We drop the ball with our attitudes when we're tired...after all, you tend to take your frustrations out on the people you love the most...but we have never purposefully hurt one another, we have never let the threat of divorce EVER come across either of our lips, we laugh daily, we not only love each other...we really, really like each other.
There is no one in this world I would rather spend time with than Jay. He fascinates me...he still gives me butterflies in my tummy. A few weeks ago I was singing in the worship team and I looked down and saw him in the congregation and I got all nervous and giddy, like I was seeing him for the first time. He is my favourite human.
Regardless of what challenges we face, we have two things that only grow stronger with time: Love and Respect.
I believe a big reason why my marriage is healthy and strong is because I got to watch my parents do marriage right. My mother was/is an exceptional wife....my father was/is an exceptional husband...they taught me what love and respect looks like. There was never a time when I covered my ears to shield the sound of my parents fighting...there was never a moment where I questioned whether or not they'd stay together....I never had to wonder whether or not they were happy together...they were ONE... I never viewed them as single units. They were so completely united on everything which at the time I thought was normal but now I realize takes work, compromise, mutual submission and a depth of respect. They never made petty digs at one another...my father never treated my mother like her position wasn't important because she stayed at home with her kids and my mother never made my father feel inferior when there wasn't enough money to pay the bills...they had their priorities straight... God came before everything...and they knew that each other worked really hard and did the best with what they had.
I say all of this because tomorrow my parents will be celebrating 41 years of marriage and I not only need to congratulate them for that...I need to thank them.

I wouldn't know how to do this life with Jay properly is it wasn't for your powerful and beautiful example of marriage...a true testament of how Christ must feel about His church.
The greatest gift that any parent can give their child is a healthy marriage and because you gave that gift to me, I can give it to my children...and a beautiful, powerful and holy cycle of God-centered marriage will continue and grow stronger from generation to generation because of your example.
I love you both very much. Happy Anniversary.