We Did It Again

Our Wuerch family gathering in Cabo was complete yesterday when oldest grandson, Braden and precious Ruth, were able to finally join us here. Last night was filled with celebration at one of our favorite places, Flora Farms. Here we all are now — all eleven of us (two buddies of the boys included).

And, after Braden achieving his PRO body-building card in Florida a couple of weeks ago, after such diligent hard work, eating discipline and conquering his goals, we could, at last celebrate his birthday that was on November 28th. Now he could heartily eat to his heart’s content and enjoy being celebrated. It was a great night of family fun.

And, it all fell on a special personal day that took place on December 29th, 2001 when my Sweetheart and I re-said our wedding vows after 35 years of marriage in a sweet ceremony at a chapel in National City, California. This year would have been our 55th wedding anniversary.

Besides the family photo from Flora Farms, these photo inspirations are near and dear to my heart. I’d like to say it was 35 years of wedded bliss that were all sweet, rosy and delightful times. And there were plenty of those, but in reality, there were plenty of ups and downs when we were just not on the same page. So on that 35th year of marriage, we were celebrating that we were two tough cookies that believed when we said our vows…..”To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part”, we meant it. As the years passed, the bond we had became even more precious.

Some of the vows I said were Ruth’s words to her mother-in-law, Naomi, when Naomi told her to return to her roots after her husband, Naomi’s son, had been killed. But Ruth said to her, and I said to my husband, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16). And, I certainly followed through on my vows as I followed my sweetheart and our various ministry locations and opportunities from Texas to Oklahoma to Canada. It was worth it all.

These photos were taken at the “re-saying of our vows” in National City where we had just opened a Food Pantry to feed the hurting and broken people in that area. We also had donated a new mini-van to the Food Pantry for their deliveries and pick-ups. So, in celebrating our 35th anniversary, we were also giving out of our gratitude for God’s faithfulness to us. Commitment and resolve to finish what we started paid off in immeasurable ways for us and others.

While we were in that sweet and tender time of recommitting to those beautiful vows we had spoken 35 years before — this time we did it in full knowledge that the roads could be very bumpy ahead, but it didn’t matter because our devotion and love for each other was worth it all.

I shared all this with you, my dear FB friends and family, before this year ends, for those of you who are married and are maybe facing some tough and challenging times, too. I urge you to be tough and steadfast to your vows before God, because tough times don’t last, but tough people, tough marriages, and taking tough stands on what commitment, love, trust, and devotion are all about, do. It is worth every effort, because the toughest journeys make the sweetest victories — even greater. Trust me. We proved it!