SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL...

Stop! Breathe deeply.

Begin bringing peace to the outer world

by regaining your own inner peace.

Choose love, choose gratitude, choose forgiveness, choose peace.

Begin with your own inner peace.

Then use that inner peace as a platform from which to approach the

outer world with perspective, understanding and patience.

Jonathan Lockwood Huie

My life is filled w/choices...decisions to be made...nothing outstandingly important tho'; after all, Michael has been 'officially retired' from the military since 1979. His second retirement occured in 1991 when he hung it up as Director of a school/hospital for children w/Cerebral Palsy & Spinebifida. I'm still an active homemaker, etc and I have absolutely no desire to retire!

Taking care of my #1 love interest is the joy of my life...he loves it, too. We've been together (not always physically) for sixty years! Woohoo...it is so wonderful and believe me it gets better every day! That's the truth and we'll happily shout it from our rooftop!

We've been asked by some how we've managed such a lengthy marriage...so well. Here's our thinking!

First off, it hasn't always been smooth as silk...more like burlap? Yep...rough and scratchy! The military service isn't exactly loaded w/silky personal choices so M spent months/years where the boys and I weren't allowed to go...oh my! However...with a great support base and the help of the postal service we survived. The 4 boys and I made audio tapes to send so Dad could hear their voices...mine too. We recorded songs for him...you know, stuff like that. I'm so thankful families these days have cell phones, skype and all that great way of communicating...even looking at each other. Oh wow! What a gift.

M and I have always tried our level best to keep God at the top of our list...first on our 'leader board'. We gave to Him first...always and never moved Him from the #1 spot.

When we were assigned to Greece we got in-country, settled the six of us and a mountain of luggage in the hotel and got the address of the church we wanted to attend (actually the only English one) which was across Athens to the seaside...long drive and our car hadn't arrived so off we went in a Greek taxi! Woohoo...what fun! How to get back home? Not a problem...we piled into a member's small car...six of us and five of them...I'm not sure they were delighted. Oh well...it was what it was, right?

Wherever we went...we all had a ball...what about the sad times? M and I are chuck full of grit, a great blessing, and made it; for better or for worse we held on to each other...and God was still our protector, our guide! We were never alone.

By no means do I intend to sound bragadocious...big word, huh? But my daddy was a giver...he gave and gave and gave. Daddy passed that on...I'm his girl allright 'cause I love to give. It's a wonder I don't bury M with 24/7 giving! He seems to thrive on it though...if not he's sure foolin' me!

Both of us are 'givers' but sometimes it caused some ripples. First ten years of our marriage we hardly had any money...but hey, we were deliriously happy! Having four handsome sons in less than five years brought not only 'shock' from M's mother but some unsolicited sympathy. She bought me a dress and woohoo...M hit the fan. "I can take care of my wife and YOU don't need to buy her clothes"..hey I was tickled pink w/new clothes. After all, I am a female...confronted w/two irate women M beat a hasty retreat! And...I kept and wore the dress...lots...so there, prideful Michael.

M had never relished accepting favors ~ he loved giving them. One of our mentors who was much older than M wisely took him aside and gave him a sweet lesson on accepting gifts...it took and he's much the better for it.

I feel like one of the biblical writers who said if all the things Jesus did and said were written down; there wouldn't be enough pages to go round. I feel that way about Michael and our life together. We are constant companions...we read together...study together...worship together...play together...I do the mental exercise, he does the physical exercise. (Monday I'm getting physical though)

For all of the above I am more than thankful...so much more.

We are now one in His Spirit...totally...I can't stress that enough.

WE ARE ONE IN HIM.

M looks at me...and I see wonderful, precious love...admiration...respect...and so much more!

I look at M...and I know, without a doubt, he sees those same things.

We chose love, gratitude, forgiveness, peace; we continue choosing those things.

That gave us inner peace...it continues giving us inner peace.

We used that as a platform to approach His world w/perspective, understanding and patience.

From the time we pledged our lives to each other, this is what our God expected of us; this is how we have sustained a great union for sixty years!

All of this we owe to God...He had a plan that is still in progress.

Oh how we thank you, Father...for so much...so much...everything.

From my heart...to yours!