Twenty-six years ago today Ruth Anne Cosman declared her love to me and I to her in the sight of God and the presence of many witnesses. Many of those witnesses have since died yet there is still a huge group who heard us promise “For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish and to be faithful to you alone…” in the beautifully decorated High Park Baptist Church.
What were we promising? What did we really know about making a vow? Praise God for His grace and His keeping power. As Don Francisco sings, “I could never promise you on just my strength alone, that all my life I’d care for you and love you as my own….”
You see my strength is finite….very finite and now that I am on the home stretch towards 50 I find how finite I really am.
Today I redeclare my love to my wife – God’s gracious gift to me. She has been a great wife and has taught me much through her walk with God. She has been a great mom to our 2 daughters, Carolyn and Jane and has welcomed Becky Pope(when she was only 6 or 7) as a foster child and now under a kinship family agreement.
She is an incredible hostess. She can make limited quantities stretch and present them on our dining room table with elegance. She is always trying new recipes and gaining great ideas from her roster of magazines and “decorating shows.”
She is an incredible teacher. Few Junior Departments have such a rigorous instructor who passionately wants her students and teachers to grow in grace. Women’s bible studies, individuals and different groups have benefited from her Spirit-given gift of teaching.
She is a woman of prayer. With God, she knows and has proven all things are possible. God’s touch and help is sought for even the smallest details of catering, of teaching, of dealing with specific situations.
I am phenomenally blessed. Who can find a virtuous woman? A sinner like me who has been treated abundantly much more graciously than I will ever deserve by an amazing God.
Happy Anniversary, Ruth! I love YOU more……
