Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Thirty Years Ago Today

George and I were married thirty years ago today (Flag Day!). We were young and innocent and stupid, but we were also stubborn and happy and in love.

It's still working.



George is not a frou-frou kind of guy (despite the pink tie), so his anniversary card is simple and to the point (pun intended).


The distressed arrow comes from Hero Arts Borders and Arrows set, and the sentiment is a very old wood-mounted Hero Arts stamp. The heart is actually a sticker...sort of squishy but pretty flat. You can see it better in the close-up.


We got all dressed up and had a lovely dinner this evening. Thirty years is an accomplishment, the kind of thing done by stubborn people who won't give up. I read an article recently that said couples who stay together are polite and kind to each other. Yes. That's true, certainly in our experience. But no matter how polite and kind two people are, it takes stubbornness, too.

Other than Jesus (for Christians), good manners, and stubbornness, what do you think it takes to make a marriage last?

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Hero Arts intense black
paper: Papertrey white and black
accessories: 3D heart sticker

45 comments:

  1. Congrats once again! Only 22 years here, but laughing is important too!

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  2. Congratulations ... a wonderful milestone !
    You've got it covered with Jesus, love, good manners (kindness, politeness & consideration) and a large dose of stickability, a dollop of sense of humour and covered with grace and forgiveness.

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    1. Thanks, Janet! Grace and forgiveness...daily.

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  3. Lovely card and congrats on 30 years. My parents hit 64 years and they say its not going to bed angry. Being able to give alittle, take a little and sometimes just forgive and forget. Also I think shared humour helps a lot too.

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  4. Definitely a give and take relationship, kindness and respect along with a whole lot of trust. Congratulations on 30 years of wedded bliss, Susan! In October DH and I will celebrate 32 years, and it seems like yesterday. Your anniversary card is lovely!

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  5. Happy anniversary to you both, lovely card too :D x

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  6. Many Congratulations - May your 30th Anniversary lead you into your Ruby Anniversary and thence to your Golden and Diamond Anniversary in His will.
    Here's a little verse to confirm that Jesus is in it too....

    "I once thought marriage took just TWO to make it go but now I am convinced it takes the Lord also.
    Not one marriage fails where Christ is asked to enter as lovers come together with Jesus at the center. But marriage seldom thrives and homes are incomplete til He is welcomed there to help avert defeat. In homes where God is first it's obvious to see those unions really work......
    for marriage still takes THREE."
    Penny Tanksley

    In this modern day and age perhaps some of this needs re-wording? Of course there are homes where the marriage is good even in a non-Christian environment - sadly nowadays it is also the case that Christian couples do separate...very sad.

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    1. Our pastor refused to let us blow out the individual candles if we did a unity candle (which we didn't). He said that a marriage is three people...the two individuals and the couple. Just because you marry doesn't mean you cease to exist as a person in your own right. He insisted that all three must be respected. He was right!

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  7. Lovely pic and make - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to the two of you ... we celebrate our own 30th in August - must've been a good year for weddings!

    Kathy

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  8. Congratulations to the both of you! Enjoy the day!

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  9. Congratulations - love the "simple" card lol - --- long marriage - takes patience and laughter !

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  10. Can't give advice on a long and happy marriage because I've never married. But I applaud those who make it work for 25 years or more. Thank you for sharing your blessed event with all of us, and for your sharing your creativity each day, too!

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  11. Congratulations on thirty years of stubbornness! Being stubborn for someone or something bigger than yourself is dramatically different from being just plain stubborn. I think it's mostly about being stubborn for Jesus as He is for you and your marriage. Hope you have another 30 or so. My husband and I are coming up on 43 this year.

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  12. Great looking couple mf! Congrats on your 30th -- many more to come!

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    1. Thanks, Vicki! I still need to get my celebratory mocha!

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  13. Celebrated 45 years in March, about 3 weeks later my husband passed away. Our anniversary, which was in the hospital, was his last truly good day of his life...for which I am truly grateful. I would add to all the wonderful comments about marriage that being each other's friend is a most important factor for success. Congrats on 30 years!

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  14. Add my congratulations to your accomplishment, no small deed in today's world. I think respect and honesty are paramount in a long relationship—plus always kissing good night before going to bed. And before leaving for work the next morning.

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    1. Jeanne, George and I disgust our children with our lovey-dovey goodbyes and hellos!

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  15. Congrats on 30 years! We'll be 25 next year and I agree that it takes stubbornness, a dislike of change and it helps to marry a packrat (they get rid of nothing, including spouses). :-)

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  16. Congratulations on your 30th anniversary! Great picture for framing!

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  17. Happy anniversary! You both look great! Our 30th anniversary is this summer too, in August. The secret to our happy marriage is that my husband is very easy-going. :) Also, we are similar in our faith, our overall values, our ideas about money, our standards of neatness--many other things.

    I also think a very important factor in marriage is that we think of ourselves as being on the same team. We are not competing with each other about who knows more about something. I know more about certain things, and he knows more about certain things--but that just means that as a team, we have lots covered. I know couples who resent when the other person is right about something, and I just don't relate to that. I'd much rather my husband be right about something than be wrong! If your partner has skills in some area beyond yours, be glad! He's on your team, so that helps you too. In basketball, who would grumble about having Michael Jordan on their team and complain that he always makes his shots? I wouldn't! I would just pass him the ball whenever I could, because he's on my team, and his points help me win too. But it seems so many couples compete with each other and try to score points against each other. Think of yourselves as a team!

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    1. I'm grateful George loves to cook...not my strength. ;-)

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  18. Happy Anniversary! I'm afraid I got divorced after 27 years of marriage but I think you hit the nail on the head about kindness to each other. I hope you and George have many more happy years together!

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  19. Happiest congratulations to you both! My DH was always kind and we talked a lot! I mean about a lot of different topics mostly because he had so many interests and a ton of knowledge. Miss him even after 10 years.

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  20. Little late with the Happy 30th Anniversary! Loved your question! We are Christians! We are approaching our 52nd August 15th. Lord willing! Today the bank manager at our bank asked how long we had been married. She said she thought we were newlyweds by the way Darrel was looking at me. Since I nearly lost him Valentine's Day 2007 when he had a heart spasm and ended up with anoexic brain damage, that was a special comment to receive. Thus we nearly missed our 44th. Life support two weeks; immobile the next 3 weeks in cardiac care; two weeks in caregiver's rehab. I am thankful I still have him although he thinks I would be better off without him. NOT! Value each day and looking forward to that 52nd anniversary.

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  21. Congrats Susan!!! That's a very happy milestone! My hubby and I are married 17 years but together 22, and I would have to say beyond everything else you need friendship! You can't just love each other, cause those early butterflies wear off pretty quick and soon you're dealing with each other's... idiosyncrasies. You have to genuinely like each other's company, and want to make each other laugh like you would your other friends. And be just as happy to have comfortable silences too. We have a teenager, and apparently this is the time that all my son's friends' parents are getting divorced! My hubby and I can't understand it!!! They're having affairs, mid-life crises, and one even dumped her husband for another woman! My husband is so thankful that I've never been fond of drinking water, cause something must be in the local water supply around here! Waiter, another Coke please :-) Oh, and perseverance to make it past the rough spots. I told my husband before we married that divorce was not an option. If he didn't see a way to stay married to me for life, don't marry me. Sucker...

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  22. Congratulations! Quite an achievement!

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  23. Congratulations! We just hit 34 years (on the 11th). A newlywed had just asked us the secret - and, in our case, it was the fact that we promised before God and family and a LOT of people, that we were saying these vows, "For better or worse (there's been some of that), in sickness and health (a bunch of that too), in richer and poorer (that's happened too), until death do us part (and that HASN'T happened yet!) A good sense of humour helps too... Our wedding text was Eccl. 4:9-12 - and we recognize the importance of that three-fold cord...

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!