Sixteen years ago this morning, we were married at Bethel Lutheran Church, in Bath, Ohio.

(Our scanner doesn’t work, so I took some pictures of our pictures…)

It was a misty, rainy day…but cleared up enough for a few outside pictures.  Our reception was at Stan Hywet Hall in Akron, Ohio.

We drove to the Adirondack Mountains for our honeymoon – 9-29-96 thru 10-5-96.  Stopped & stayed at Seneca Lake – Belhurst Castle on the way out, and on the way back.  Visited Lake George – Alpine Village/Prospect Mountain, Lake Placid – Whiteface Mountain/sites of 1980 Olympics/High Falls Gorge, Fort Ticonderoga, Albany, Ithaca – Buttermilk Falls, and Watkins Glen – state park.

Father, it’s hard to look at these pictures from 16 years ago without feeling a “tinge of regret” – a regret for not recognizing the darkness we were walking in.  A regret for promoting a false illusion that we were “better than” we really were.  Thank you for allowing us to still feel that “tinge of regret” – may it keep us humble – may it continue to drive us to seek comfort in You, not one another – may our marriage bonds strengthen each day as we seek to serve You together – may it burden us to tell others of our journey, to tell of where Your Hand has been both then and now… BUT, may we not dwell on that “tinge” – remind us of Your Words in Romans 8:1-4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.  How appropriate that the verse emailed & txted to us today from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries was Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”  I look forward to each new day that You give me here to live.  There are not enough words for me to express the feelings of thanksgiving I have for my salvation, for my marriage, for our children, and for our journey.  May our worship be our walk, and may our walk increase Your Flock.  AMEN

Thought I’d end with sharing a favorite anniversary card I have in my “scrapbook”.  Shouldn’t be a surprise why I like this one, lol… 🙂