He Spoke Huskily
August 31, 2012
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| Photo credit to Keith M |
This morning, we woke to celebrate eighteen years together,
eighteen years of saying I do.
eighteen years of saying I do.
Babysitter teen children watched the youngest as my man and
I strolled by rose gardens, tinkling fountains, and clanking sailboats in
mirrored city skyline lakes. He unfolded paper thin.
I strolled by rose gardens, tinkling fountains, and clanking sailboats in
mirrored city skyline lakes. He unfolded paper thin.
“I woke up thinking these words this morning,” he spoke
huskily. “They flowed easily, and I teared up remembering.”
huskily. “They flowed easily, and I teared up remembering.”
20 years ago I met you, and thought you were interesting, Jennifer from
St. Cloud.
St. Cloud.
20 years ago I spent hours talking with you, getting to know you more,
learning who you were.
learning who you were.
20 years ago I would wait to see you, hoping you would come to a common
place where we would meet.
place where we would meet.
20 years ago I looked into your eyes and you into mine, playing a game,
involving our hearts.
involving our hearts.
20 years ago we started dating, searching to know if this was the one,
enjoying a started commitment.
enjoying a started commitment.
20 years ago we kissed, our hearts started to meld, our future started to
be realized.
be realized.
18 years ago we kissed again, on a bridge, over a waterfall, ring on hand,
joy in our smiles.
joy in our smiles.
18 years ago our future seemed to change, we wondered what was next, we
were together and God was good.
were together and God was good.
18 years ago our life moving so fast, we cried once on the floor, we held
each other, God held us too.
each other, God held us too.
17 years ago we had John, then Morgan, now Daniel, family together.
0 years ago I remembered what was, we kissed, our lives together, we
wondered about the future, it was good.
wondered about the future, it was good.
18 years from now….. I Love you.
My throat filled and
eyes blurred as I leaned close, kissing him beside the fountain, ignoring the
tourists nearby.
eyes blurred as I leaned close, kissing him beside the fountain, ignoring the
tourists nearby.
It hasn’t been an easy road to get here. We have worked hard, apologized often, and needed God’s power for softened hearts and gentle grace.
This week even, I argued with God in the shower. I argued with him in the
kitchen, slicing knife through tomatoes oozing red. Washing pasta spirals and
cutting sultry basil strips, I talked with God. In the silence, a Voice whispered, massaging my heart.
kitchen, slicing knife through tomatoes oozing red. Washing pasta spirals and
cutting sultry basil strips, I talked with God. In the silence, a Voice whispered, massaging my heart.
A turned off heart
was not allowed.
was not allowed.
I obeyed.
Choices shape our
lives. They shape mine.
lives. They shape mine.
Choose your promises.
Choose gentleness and grace. Choose to turn and invest again, anew. I chose
my marriage that morning, grimping toes on bare linoleum.
Choose gentleness and grace. Choose to turn and invest again, anew. I chose
my marriage that morning, grimping toes on bare linoleum.
Gritty grace conversations and leaning-into hugs followed,
but it started in my heart first. I chose my husband. In humble tones, we
talked this week, apologizing, choosing gentle grace, loving anew.
but it started in my heart first. I chose my husband. In humble tones, we
talked this week, apologizing, choosing gentle grace, loving anew.
Thank you, God, for your patience with me; for perseverance, and your extravagant grace.
Linking with Imperfect Prose…
With permission from my man… 🙂
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
Neat post!!!
Beautiful post!
Congratulations Jennifer! Praying for you both as you venture out into more years and new territory together! You're a beautiful woman of God. ~ Blessings, Amy 🙂
I wish you more married years of choosing your husband every time, with God's way of gentle grace, apologies and loving anew….together (GOD YOU & HUBBY with your kids).
Beautiful words from hubby. I admire men who writes notes and letters to the wife. Not many do.
More blessings from above to sustain you.
Happy weekend and enjoy your renewed vow.
Thanks, Liz!
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
Angelonwheels,
Thanks you. I need my Abba daily, hourly, for any relationship I'm in. He's good, isn't he?
Have a good week, friend.
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
Amy,
Yes, more years, more territory! Thanks, God!
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
Lolita,
Yes, a marriage needs God's help to be strong, I believe. At least, I sure need his daily strength and power.
Thank you, Lolita. 🙂
Jennifer
jenniferdougan.com
we are neighbors at Em’s…happy anniversary…beautiful post…keep doing this things…wrestling with God…choosing your husband…it is worth all the work…it only gets better and better. blessings to you~
Love that letter written by your husband. It's twenty two for me and like you, I'm so grateful we chose each other.
Happy Anniversary, friend. This? "Choose your promises. Choose gentleness and grace. Choose to turn and invest again, anew." Yes. It is ever a choice, a beautiful choice even on the hard and frustrating days. Celebrating your love along with you today. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Ro,
Nice to meet you, friend. Thanks for stopping by, and wrestling along with God wth me, and delighting in choosing marraige, choosing your mate.
Jennifer Dougan
jenniferdougan.com
Redemption'sbeauty,
Congratulations on 22 years! What an adventure and pirvilege, huh? Yes, that choosing of him every day…
Thank you for stopping by.
Jennifer Dougan
jenniferdougan.com
Cara,
Thank you. Yes, that choice, daily, weekly, choosing one's man… and I am so floored by God's transformational joy and love that he tosses into the mix with our obedience.
Have a lovely week,
Jennifer Dougan
jenniferdougan.com
oh friend. i love this tender peek into your life. what a beautiful tribute to a loving marriage… such a rarity these days. bless you both.
Emily,
Thank you for cheering on the hard work of marriages. Hard, but so worth it.
My man can write, can't he? 🙂 What a debonair man. He surprises me.
Jennifer Dougan
jenniferdougan.com