Monday, October 20, 2014

Fifty years and counting.




First thing I think as I look at the pictures to the right is, where did all those years go to? Seem that is a common thought for people our age especially after 50 years of marriage.

On  Oct. 20th  Ace and I  at 17  joined our lives together.  Did we have any idea how hard being married was going to be?  Any idea of the countless sacrifices we would make to struggle through some hard years, (notice I put an 's on the end of year)?   Without Christ in our life for the first 15 years it is nothing short of a miracle we stayed together.  Young love wears off after a few trials. 
In 1980 we took another step of faith and joined our life to Christ and life begin to take on meaning beyond just living the American dream.   Were the hard times gone? Of course not, in this life you shall have tribulations Christ said but with His help and His love motivating us we begin to learn how to over come time and time again.  

Endurance is the word that comes to mind as I look back at 50 years.  We have endured each others petty and not so petty frailties and stayed the course.  With both of us having a common goal of being transform into the image of Christ those struggles God used  to show us our sin and help us repent.   Forgiving one another became a way of life.  After 50 years we still have to forgive each other, which I am sure we will be doing till God takes us home. 

God took our broken lives and begin to use us in ways we could never imagine.   He has not  wasted a thing in our lives and only He can pick up the broken pieces and turn them into something that will glorify Him. 

Do we have any regrets, of course, getting married at 17 is not a wise choice but here we stand on this side of 50 years together.  Now, we know there is not another 50 years ahead for us... lets see, that would make us 115, hummm,  not gonna happen unless God preforms another miracle.  The few years we do have left we want to be used till we are empty so He can fill us up again.  

Funny...this morning as we were packing up the car to head out on our anniversary/ ministry trip my husband said, we did not have this much stuff when we got married and moved into our first apartment.  Amazing the baggage we have accumulated in the past 50 years, the things we think we need to even take a weeks trip.  Back then, there were no computers or bags, no golf clubs, no pill  boxes, I don't  even remembering having a cooler,  nothing by dreams and zeal that says, we can conquer anything. We know now, we cannot conquer anything without Him and He has given us wisdom on what to take as we travel.  One thing for sure traveling is a whole lot easier with a Wal-mart in most towns. 

It's been a wild 50 years of life and we have lived it fully and find ourselves thankful for all those 50 years contain, yeah, even the bad times.   Most people our age have a paid for house, a nice paid for car,  a pension, an RV but God put us on a different path, and we have loved every minute of it, no regret. He has always supplied our needs. 

Thanks for reading our "story".  Of course we would like prayer as we continue to minister. 
 1. for our health
2. for wisdom and understanding as we work with missionaries home for furlough. 
3. prayer for the one thing we don't like to mention but one must have, money,  it  buy gas to put in our car to visit these ones home.  Our support has dropped since we took up a stateside ministry.  And if I could be specific, we are looking to buy an newer car. Our 1992 Buick runs pretty good because my husband works on it a lot.  We have experience a few  breakdowns on the road which are costly so we have taken to renting a car for long trips. 
4.  For our two children, Jared and Tara and their families.   Our son and daughter in the picture are the best of the best and they have given us five grandchildren.   Yeah, we are blessed. 


37 comments:

  1. A beautiful tribute to Our Lord and Your Hubby-Lovely :)

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  2. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary for your 50th. This is beautiful to read ;)

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  3. Andre...thanks for comment. Can't wait to see you house and better yet can't wait to see the little LeComte...blessings my brother.

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  4. Denise, thanks you for your comment. This post was so easy to write, guess after so many years some things do come easier.

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  5. Launna, bless you for your sweet comment. Need to run over and take a look at your new blog. Blessings my sister in the Lord.

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  6. Launna, bless you for your sweet comment. Need to run over and take a look at your new blog. Blessings my sister in the Lord.

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  7. Happy 50 year anniversary, Betty to you and Ace! What a treasure and accomplishment with God's help. May this next season be sweet together and may you continue to see God do amazing things in and through you both. May he provide a car for you too.

    Re your comment on my post "What I Didn't Expect to Find in my Daughter's Homework.." Betty,

    Yes, isn't it exciting to see God at work in our kids and loved ones in general? It's so easy to miss that too. Hmm, convicting.

    Jennifer Dougan
    www.jenniferdougan.com

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  8. Oh Betty. You two are just too precious! What a wonderful story, thank you for sharing it. Happiest Anniversary to you both! What a wonderful accomplishment, and a testimony to us all.

    GOD BLESS!

    (You don't think you've got another 50???)

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  9. First, congrats on the 50. Not too many doing that these days. Second, thanks for the walk through time. Proof positive God can redeem any life and use it for Him. Way to go you two. Hope your trip was special.

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  10. Jennifer, it's a choice every day to live for Him which makes our marriage sweet. Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. Sharon, well we do have eternity together, guess that is more than 50 years. Since we will know each other in heaven...not sure if we will be married but I have wondered. If marriage is a picture of a relationship with Christ and that is eternal, our relationship will be eternal. Thanks my sister.

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  12. Bill, for sure our marriage is a testimony of God's grace and power to use broken people. His redeeming power goes beyond our upbringing , our mistakes, our old flesh that wants to live for self every day. Thanks Bill for stopping by.

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  13. Congratulations! I so appreciate a good story, and yours is one that brings joy to my heart. I also appreciate wisdom more than the riches of this world which makes this a very posh retreat!

    I'm praying for all your needs and blessings, sister. God bless.

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  14. I do believe in true love in those early years, and marriage is difficult, usually because of our own stubborn self will.
    Congratulations on 50 years and May you continue to enjoy life together as long as God allows. Thank you for your beautiful story shared here at Tell me a Story.

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  15. Hazel, thank you for hosting a place we can drop our post and it always brings a sweet comment. Love your post on running out of gas, happened to me once too. I want that gas tank at least half full when I get into it. Blessings

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  16. Floyd, my brother, thanks for your kind comment. Our trip has been great so far. Tonight is our last night in the majestic Yosemite Park, breath taking. I like the ocean but I loveeeeeee the mountains. Blessing.

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  17. Happy 50th anniversary Betty! Such babies you two were when you were married. 17! Your marriage story is a joy to read and an encouragement to me. Endurance is a good word.

    Blessings and here's to another 50!

    <><

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  18. Hey Betty ~

    You've won a copy of The Nester's book THE NESTING PLACE at Creekside's autumn nesting delights house party!

    http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2014/10/goodies-autumn-nesting-delights.html

    Please head on over and party with us!

    Warmest blessings ...

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  19. Well, my husband and I won't be married for 50 years, b/c of MY age when we married. HE could make it, but not me. He was several years younger than I when the Lord put us together in '85. At 50 years, he'd be 75; I'd be 90. Our 30th is next September and that will be a treat! God has blessed us wonderfully. So, you made me smile and rejoice for you. Thanks much!!

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  20. Child of God, good to hear from you. For some unknown reason I have not been able to leave a comment on your blog. Endurance is a good word when we connect it to the Lord. Blessings

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  21. Linda, I love winning stuff, thanks.

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  22. Caryjo...30 years is along time. Ace and I were in Bolivia when we reached our 30th. Interesting the age difference, we know of another couple with the same difference and they are great together. You my sister are a blessing to me. I love your missionary heart.

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  23. Congratulations and praise God!
    I just prayed for you and your family.
    Have a blessed week.

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  24. Congratulations on 50 years of marriage! How lovely it was to visit your blog and see this lovely post.

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  25. Thanks you Lauren for commenting on my site. It encourages my heart to read the comments.

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  26. Thanks TC for the prayers. Loved your latest post.

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  27. Hi Betty! Happiest of Anniversaries! That is such a wonderful testimony to your faith and devotion to God and to each other. It has been a wild ride!
    I love that photo of you and your children. What joy :) God has blessed you, and you have blessed him with your faithfulness. Beautiful!
    Ceil

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  28. Ceil...thanks for the congrats and thanks for such an insightful post today on your blog...

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  29. Betty,
    Happy Anniversary! 50 is such a wonderful milestone to reach together and you both look so happy. Prayed for your prayer requests at the end of your post...((hugs))

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  30. Thanks Dolly for the well wishes. It is amazing how much life we have lived in those 50 years. Wish we had another life to give for Christ, those are the ones that will count in eternity. Blessings

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  31. Congratulations Betty and Ace! Wow 50 years! God is so good. His faithfulness to you warms and cheers my own heart today.

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  32. Ngina, thanks for stopping by...love your post on marriage my sister. Just last night we were with a couple with some problems in their marriage. They have had a vibrant ministry overseas then had to come home due to wife health. We were able to remind them life is in Christ, not in the place you serve and the marriage is the best place to put Him first in. OUt of that will flow wisdom and insight into the other areas of your life. The best compliment my husband gives me is when he tells others he could not have did the ministries God called us too without a good helpmate. Keep it up my sister, the enemy hates your post, keep taping the keyboard for Him.

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  33. Wow! 50 years is such an incredible accomplishment. I think one of the most inspirational things I've known in life is to hear of couples who endured and remained steadfast through challenges and over many years. It's truly inspiring, especially in the present climate where we're so used to instant gratification and quick outcomes - the contrast of lives lived with endurance, perseverance, faithfulness, consistency is all the more remarkable - I just feel these qualities are some of the richest qualities there are and yet so often overlooked. So, first of all congratulations (and those are beautiful pictures by the way). But also thank you, for standing the test of time and being one of the stars in the sky for those of us still learning our way to navigate by - an example of what it means to remain steadfast. Happy anniversary!

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  34. Micah, thanks for the comment. I think the best part of us now is being able to use the wisdom we have gained through the years to help others. Marriage is such a picture of our relationship with the Lord at times. It's never a 50 50 relationship as some think. It's always a 100 percent at all times which is exactly what Christ gave for us. As I wrote, forgiveness must become a way of life in a marriage for it to work.

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  35. Hi Betty...thanks for visiting my blog. I used to live in KY...for 11 years before moving here to NC. We loved it there! Congratulations on your 50th anniversary...wow, that's awesome! Blessings!

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  36. Debbie, I like the state of North Carolina too, love how they plant flowers on the freeways or interstates. Thanks for stopping by.

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