A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a wise wife is from the LORD.

-Proverbs 19:14

Eighteen years ago Lindsay and I tied the knot, which is an English euphemism for getting married (incidentally, I like the phrase because it implies permanence in the marriage union). In our culture when a person turns eighteen it’s a rite of passage. They are now legally considered an adult, and are able to vote. There’s nothing special about eighteen years, other than the experience and education a person receives over that time has, in theory, prepared them to be a productive member of society. Results vary.

So what can I say about our marriage after eighteen years of experience and education?

Lindsay is far more amazing than I realized eighteen years ago. We had known each other for just about three years when we got married. I was convinced Lindsay was amazing, but I didn’t know the half of it. Over these last eighteen years the Lord has shown me in a myriad of ways just how blessed I am to be her husband. A wise wife is from the Lord indeed.

I am not as amazing as I thought I was. This one is self explanatory. God is pleased to use marriage to expose sinful motivations: self-centeredness, impatience, laziness, being quick to speak, etc. I am thankful for this, because we need our sin exposed so that we can grow. Which leads me to…

Lindsay is super gracious. Like, eighteen years of putting-up-with-me gracious. Everyone loves Lindsay because she has a gracious demeanor. She doesn’t expect you to be perfect, and she’s willing to work with you as you are.  She has a servant’s heart, and her willingness to serve is unconditional.  She’s just solid.

Marriage gets better over time. It seems to me that our marriage is like slow-curing cement. After eighteen years of walking through life together I never doubt Lindsay’s love for me, her willingness to sacrificially love our children, her commitment to our marriage, and most importantly her faith in Jesus. Over eighteen years we’ve benefited from slow and steady spiritual growth. Our relationship is truly a joy, and I often find myself saying how thankful I am to be married to her.

I could go on, but I’m not supposed to write these posts. Oh well. Happy anniversary, Lindsay.