A Toast to Fairy Tale Love

Today, I must deviate from finishing my "Live Out Loud" series that I have been posting this week. Seventeen years ago today, a beautiful young maiden bonded herself in marriage to an ape of a young man. They were clueless, but they were in love. They were encouraged by those around them with uplifting phrases like, "you'll never make it," "you are way too young," and "how are you going to survive?"

Well, we have made it and yes, we were young, but our commitment to each other and to God has sustained us through more trials than I care to repeat. But, I cannot fathom going through our life's struggles with anyone but my beautiful bride. If you were looking for fairy tale love, ours is a different kind of fairy tale. Of course, it is still being written, but nevertheless it has been my dream come true.

Allow me to regale you with tokens of love around our home: laundry, runny little noses, early morning cups of coffee, late night grocery store runs, weekly house hold chores, one of us hunched over the porcelain throne in the wee hours of the night revisiting the evening meal and many other glory free events. Had you talked to us seventeen years ago, our vision for romance and marital bliss would have included none of these. Of we would have had hours per week of passionate love, quiet walks in romantic getaways, vacations galore, etc. But if you have been married for more than a couple of years, you are chuckling with me at the foolishness of this thinking.

Jill and I do life together. She has a servant's heart and is more committed to me than I am to myself. She has weathered many storms at my side, and for the most part, she has just clung more tightly to my arm where many would have released their grip long ago. Now, we are in the stage of young children. Our hours are filled with shaping little minds and training them up in the way that God and wired them to go. So, we scramble for a few moments together here and there. Much of our future, even the near, is uncertain, and yet God continues to flesh out His love and grace on me through her. She is God's love for me with skin on.

She deserves so much more than I could ever provide. Many past anniversaries, like this one, are without luxurious gifts and expensive tokens of love. But I cherish each one. At our wedding, I sang to her Steven Curtis Chapman's song, "I Will Be Here." I would have never known the depth of how true that song is today. Should God tarry in taking either or both of us home, I look forward to the years to come at her said. Perhaps her Galahad is more like a green ogre, but to her once again, I pledge my love. She is definitely getting the short end of the stick.

Jill, my wife, my lover, my partner in life, I love you.

Happy Anniversary.

Your Husband and Ogre,

Tony