For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife” (Genesis 2:24 NIV).

There seemed no better way to celebrate 50 years of marriage than to repost this blog/excerpt from Homespun Faith honoring our parents and inviting you to revisit our beginning.

 Planning a wedding while almost 500 miles from home was not an easy task, but we did it. Although time seemed to drag interminably, at last May 2, 1970, arrived, the day we had waited  for so long. The weather was a bit chilly and it rained a little, but nothing could dampen our enthusiasm. I wept happy tears as I walked down the aisle not quite six years after meeting my future husband at age thirteen.

After honeymooning in Front Royal, Virginia, we returned to Goshen, Indiana. We soon discovered our 2nd floor apartment got hot enough to finish  baking half-raw brownies left on the kitchen counter when I had to leave for work! Sloping floors caused any liquid spilled to run to the center of the living room, but we didn’t care. We had everything we needed, and the inexpensive rent helped us save money for Donn to go to graduate school in the fall of 1971. He worked in a trailer factory cabinet shop and I continued my job at Mennonite Mutual Aid.

Although we had our ups and downs, I don’t remember ever being tempted to run home to Mom and Dad. The training and example of our Christian parents had helped us realize that God’s plan includes not only being united with each other but also leaving our father and mother. Their example helped us stay the course when times were hard.

Thank you, Father, for Christian parents who modeled that marriage is forever. May our children and our grandchildren find that same example in us. Amen.

 ( Devotional from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leanna’s Books, Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445 or donaisy@neo.rr.com.)