Today marks our ability to survive thirty-three years of wedded life. Yep, you read that correctly. Thirty three years.
A few days ago as I considered this impending and momentous occasion (because, let's face it, thirty-three years is an achievement in this day and age), I was feeling really reluctant to celebrate. Life was feeling a bit blah, possibly an anticlimactic reaction after Christmas and having the joy of the whole family around, possibly tiredness (I haven't slept well over the past few weeks), possibly hormonal, and possibly just that I'm all celebrated out after weeks of celebrations leading up to Christmas (not that DH and I attended either of our work functions but there were still other celebrations to be had).
As I was thinking on this I was reminded of Captain Jim in L. M. Montgomery's "Anne's House of Dreams" where he says, "But it ain't our feelings we have to steer by through life--no, no, we'd make shipwreck mighty often if we did that. There's only the one safe compass and we've got to set our course by that--what it's right to do."
Now, while there is probably no "right" thing about whether or not we celebrate an anniversary (and I'm glad now that we did), Captain Jim's words are so true when it comes to relationships, and especially marriage.
In this day when we're told to "follow our heart" or that "we deserve to be happy" or that we should "express what we're feeling" taking a different road - such as ignoring our feelings or acting contrary to how we feel - is often frowned upon or misunderstood.
But as Captain Jim said, our feelings shouldn't be our compass in life, especially as Christians.
There are times we don't feel loving ...
Times when we feel that we deserve our own way ...
Times when we feel like giving up ...
Times when we feel like we just want to think about me for a change ...
Times when we may even feel unhappy ...
And if we act on those feelings we could very well find that we do indeed "make shipwreck mighty often".
Rather than letting our feelings govern us, we need to set our compass by God's Word and do what is right. Whether DH and I celebrated or not today, wouldn't have made a mite of difference in the scheme of things, except that it was a reminder to me that marriage is often about setting our feelings aside and doing what is right - honouring our vows, loving another human being, acting contrary to our feelings at times. And sometimes when we do (as I discovered today) the blessings can be more than we imagined.
A few days ago as I considered this impending and momentous occasion (because, let's face it, thirty-three years is an achievement in this day and age), I was feeling really reluctant to celebrate. Life was feeling a bit blah, possibly an anticlimactic reaction after Christmas and having the joy of the whole family around, possibly tiredness (I haven't slept well over the past few weeks), possibly hormonal, and possibly just that I'm all celebrated out after weeks of celebrations leading up to Christmas (not that DH and I attended either of our work functions but there were still other celebrations to be had).
As I was thinking on this I was reminded of Captain Jim in L. M. Montgomery's "Anne's House of Dreams" where he says, "But it ain't our feelings we have to steer by through life--no, no, we'd make shipwreck mighty often if we did that. There's only the one safe compass and we've got to set our course by that--what it's right to do."
Now, while there is probably no "right" thing about whether or not we celebrate an anniversary (and I'm glad now that we did), Captain Jim's words are so true when it comes to relationships, and especially marriage.
In this day when we're told to "follow our heart" or that "we deserve to be happy" or that we should "express what we're feeling" taking a different road - such as ignoring our feelings or acting contrary to how we feel - is often frowned upon or misunderstood.
But as Captain Jim said, our feelings shouldn't be our compass in life, especially as Christians.
There are times we don't feel loving ...
Times when we feel that we deserve our own way ...
Times when we feel like giving up ...
Times when we feel like we just want to think about me for a change ...
Times when we may even feel unhappy ...
And if we act on those feelings we could very well find that we do indeed "make shipwreck mighty often".
Rather than letting our feelings govern us, we need to set our compass by God's Word and do what is right. Whether DH and I celebrated or not today, wouldn't have made a mite of difference in the scheme of things, except that it was a reminder to me that marriage is often about setting our feelings aside and doing what is right - honouring our vows, loving another human being, acting contrary to our feelings at times. And sometimes when we do (as I discovered today) the blessings can be more than we imagined.
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