Thankful For the Anniversary We Didn't Expect to Celebrate!

A year ago we didn't expect to celebrate our 47th Wedding Anniversary. Doctors gave us a grim cancer diagnosis.  "Rapid progression, unresponsive to treatment, low survivability" concluded a mountain of test results.

To our surprise, the peace and presence of God, which other cancer patients attest to, filled us with praise, thankfulness, and humor. We determined to laugh, celebrate each day, and treasure the time we had left together.

If my days were short, I wanted them filled with joy, not sadness.

 Oncologists urged us to go away and have fun. I do what my doctor orders.  Last September we headed for Hilton Head to celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary. For two glorious weeks we enjoyed our love, the blessings of being alive, the treasure of time together.

In December my doctors were as excited as we were to learn a new drug had been approved for my type of cancer.  Take 3 pills a day  (one in the Name of the Father, one in the Name of the Son, and one in the Name of the Holy Spirit) and your cancer progression may stop.

And stop it did! 

Today my blood counts are normal.

 I feel better and have more energy than I have in years. 

Other than my cute chemo curls, there are no side effects.

This week Dan and I celebrate an anniversary we didn't expect to see—our 47th! We're returning to the same Hilton Head condo with thanks to God for the sweet gifts of marriage and time.

Looking back,

 I realize this last year has been the best year of our married life. 

Why? 

Because when we face the death of a spouse, priorities and perspectives change.

We treasure every moment. 

Idiosyncrasies are funny, not irritating.

We dance and sing together. 

We hold hands.

We sit together on the couch. 

We touch—often. 

We do today all the things we talked about, but never made time to do. 

We kiss—over and over. 

We tell each other "I love you"—constantly. 

We stop arguing. 

We treat each other with kindness. 

We let each other have his/her way. 

We go to bed together. 

We look into each other's eyes when we  speak and when we are quiet. 

We smile. 

We laugh. 

We love deeply. 

Cancer was a gift to us. A wake-up call to the treasure of love, life, and time. Don't wait for a crisis in your marriage to begin living love deeply.

"Above all, love each other deeply . . . . " 1 Peter 4:8

Praying for marriages as we splash in the Atlantic Ocean!