Many of you might remember from some of my previous posts that I totally forgot my tenth wedding anniversary 5 years ago! Well, when you forget your 10th, you can never make that up...you can spend much effort trying, but no cigar!!!
One thing you can do, however, is resolve not to forget any other anniversaries! That's the course I have chosen to take!
Yes, today is the 15th Anniversary for my wife Benita and me! I would like to commemorate this day by retelling the story of how we met!
It was 18 years ago almost to the day that the two of us met while on a trip to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia! She was from Dallas, Texas and I was from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Benita was travelling with her older sister and younger brother, and I was travelling with a group of friends from St. Eleanor Church...altogether there were around 40 people in our tour group from Chicago, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Denver, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, Florida, and even Canada.
In any event, we had both been married previously, both seperated, both in the process of divorce, and both looking for God to put some joy into our lives...The trip was more of a 'pilgrimage' than a vacation, nonetheless getting away from the everyday battle to mend broken relationships was welcomed by both of us!!! In the 80s there had been much ado made about some young children witnessing the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary in this little village in the middle of nowhere in the communist country of Yugoslavia where religion had been very much suppressed for many years! Most people in our group had high expectations of witnessing some type of religious occurrence...either the sun spinning, rosaries turning gold, the sun appearing larger and closer than it is, or perhaps even some healing taking place...not us!
Both of us were practicing Catholics at the time...and still are! But, our faith didn't depend on witnessing miracles, it was supported more by God's mercy and His ability to get people through tough times...we had many scars from our past that we carried around with us! You fought and clawed your way through life, and didn't wait for miracles to get you out of trouble...you just hoped and prayed that somehow God was present in your sufferings, and would give you a helping hand!
We met there for the first time...there were no hotels in this small town in this communist country, so visitors stayed with families in the village who were provided a subsidy by the government to welcome these type tourists! 'Travel' seemed to be the only source of income in this poor country with little or no natural resources!There were about 8 or 9 of us sharing the same residence with a family of four or five! I think our first meeting was over breakfast...one slice of very greasy looking baloney, homemade bread, and milk!
This was not a vacation for anyone looking to tempt a gourmet palate!
We visited several neighboring towns, Mostar, Dubrovnik, & Split during which travels we kind of 'hung out together' and began getting acquainted!
The entire trip lasted little more than a week, so we didn't have much time to spend with each other. The one thing we both had in common was our desire to pray...to get closer to The Lord...and find His healing touch!
Little did we know that 18 years later we would be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary, be the parents of 9 children, 3 grandchildren and one on the way, a fine son and daughter in law and a beautiful home in Douglassville, PA with 2 acres of ground on which our younger children can play!
Through it all we have felt the Lord's hand and his grace enabling us to endure and enjoy the many pleasures and sorrows of life...together!!!
Today, April 24, 2008, I thank the Lord for a wonderful wife, Benita, and for all the blessings he has showered upon us from that first meeting thousands of miles and an ocean away! I ask His continued blessing on this our 15th anniversary on Benita and me, and on all of our children, family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintances!
Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful day!
Comments(34)