5th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” (Ecclesiastes)

Saturday, October 25, Cissy and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. Each of us knew what it was like to live as a single person and be completely alone at times. In providence we were brought together – two people to become one team.

The verses in Ecclesiastes show the benefits … working together productively, sleeping together peacefully, and meeting challenges powerfully. Note the progression of the numbers … one person, two people, three strands of cord. I believe that the three strands represent the lives of two people woven together with the presence, power, and peace of God. He is the all-important third Person in our relationship.

We have made marvelous memories in the last five years. We have found that even though most of our lives are spent in the daily doings of routine, lasting memories reside in trips and special events.

The first major trip we made before our marriage was for me to meet Cissy’s brother and family in Oregon. A few months later we spent a week on the North Carolina coast with my brother and sister and families. They presented Cissy a T-shirt signifying she was officially accepted in the family.

In July 2003 I led a mission trip to Nicaragua. Unbeknownst to Cissy I planned to propose marriage to her during the trip. On a recreation day at the beach we sat on a rock at sunset and I popped the question. Her initial response was, “Hmmm, I am 98% sure.” She rambled and stumbled with her words for some moments, and then finally said, “OK, I am 100%.”

We decided to have a small wedding with only our immediate family. We rented a large and beautiful home on Lake Petit in Big Canoe to host our five children for the weekend, along with spouses and grandchildren, in addition to my brother and sister and their spouses and one child.

Together we hiked in woods, raced canoes on the lake (mine flipped over), ate delicious food, and celebrated the wedding at Big Canoe Chapel. The whole family spent the wedding night under one roof. Cissy and I were even treated to a midnight serenade by the family.

We had a delightful honeymoon in Florida except … One morning Cissy woke up with a strange sensation when she looked ahead. She saw two of everything. Wow, I thought maybe I had given her too much loving!

But the double vision persisted, along with headaches through the following day (and for months to come). Cissy called her primary care physician and made an appointment for the day after our return from our honeymoon.

Subsequent appointments over the following months with an ophthalmologist, then a neurologist, and next a neuro-opthamologist finally led to the diagnosis of some type of brain tumor.

The neurosurgeon to whom we were sent described the location of the tumor in a critical and difficult location. He referred us to another neurosurgeon in Houston, Texas at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, arguably the finest cancer hospital in the world.

Over the last few years we have made a dozen trips to the Houston hospital that have included two surgeries and radiation treatment for a very rare type of malignant brain tumor. However, Cissy’s prognosis is excellent, and though there is still some discomfort, her recovery has been simply remarkable.

During this time period both of my parents died. Oh yes, there have been other means for us to experience God’s grace during these last few years. Not only did I gain a new bride and move to a new city and new home, I accepted a pastorate at a different church. After a year of conflict and disappointment and disagreement upon foundational Christian truths, I ended my relationship with that church. Not all of our memories are good!

A couple of weeks before the brain surgery we made a trip to Switzerland. We had a ball in the Alps in the middle of winter. Because of Cissy’s double vision we did not try skiing. Instead we rode bobsleds. Rightly so, Cissy was dubious that this activity was any safer, but we did have some good adventures.

Trips to Alaska and the Yukon, and to Costa Rica, have been other major trips for us. We generally celebrate our anniversary with a weekend trip to the North Carolina mountains to experience the beauty of the fall leaf colors. (We are heading there today!)

Monthly trips to a condo at Amelia Island in Florida have become a treasured time for us. For the last year we have gone regularly to The Reserve on Lake Keowee in South Carolina to lead worship services in their beautiful chapel.

Twice we have rented a house on the Gulf Coast and invited all the children and grandchildren to spend a week with us at the beach. In spite of the wonderful memories of great trips, most of all, though, we seek to make the most of daily doings at home. We enjoy our big yard with the woods and creek behind us.

The most special times are when our children and grandchildren can join us, especially on holidays. We have had two new grandchildren born since we got married. This year two children have gotten married. Our family is growing!

I made the “muvee” below for Cissy as a remembrance of our first five years together. VIEWER WARNING: It is almost 10 minutes long. It made be way much longer than your interest!