27 Years and Counting

Tomorrow, I will have been married for 27 years. That’s quite a feat in today’s society. While the years and the experience have been glorious, they have not always been a breeze. There were some hiccups…some bumps…some curves…you know…stuff that you have to work your way through. Can you relate? Anyway, I thought I would share with you 27 things I’ve learned from 27 years of marriage.


Here goes…

1. Cherry Cokes make a nasty sound when thrown across the room.
2. By comparison, potato chips make less noise when tossed, but make a bigger mess.
3. “Eat your own stinkin’ dust” sounds an awful lot like “I hate your stinkin’ guts” when shouted from down the hall.
4. Asking your wife how to operate the camera while her intestines are laying open on the operating table after a C-section is not the most thoughtful thing to do, and is a bit embarrassing after that fact is pointed out.
5. Switching which side of the bed you sleep on can be dangerous when the alarm clock goes off.
6. Telling your kids something mean, unflattering, and insulting about your wife while on a vacation at the Grand Canyon can lead to a very nasty argument at the hotel later that evening.
7. You should never make a significant financial decision before discussing it with your spouse and sleeping on it at least one night.
8. Further, couples should develop a mutual financial plan and work it together from the beginning.
9. A mutual commitment to and love for God prevents a great deal of stress and promotes trust in the relationship.
10. Proving you’re right usually means that you lose.
11. Saying “I’m sorry” is always a good idea, but is most effective when you actually mean it.
12. As counterintuitive as this may sound, doing dishes can lead to a very romantic evening.
13. The things that you will enjoy doing together after the nest is empty will be different than the things you enjoyed doing together before the nest was full.
14. Waistlines will expand and contract, but your friendship will make that immaterial.
15. Odd days and even days is a good way to decide who chooses the movie.
16. Anniversaries come around at the same time every year, so it shouldn’t be so hard for a guy to remember to plan for them.
17. Holding in all the tiny little hurts can lead to one massive emotional explosion.
18. Don’t be afraid to admit when you are wrong to your kids.
19. You can teach your kids about grace by giving them grace.
20. Sometimes, chick flicks really aren’t all that bad….but just sometimes.
21. Debt is destructive…avoid it.
22. If your wife says she wants to do something that seems out of character, don’t ASSUME she’s kidding.
23. Never get too busy to spend time together.
24. A wife will cheat in a slap-boxing contest.
25. True love really does cover a multitude of sins.
26. Humility beats pride every time.
27. Twenty-seven years are only the beginning.

If you’ve been married for a while, I’d love to hear some of the things you’ve learned.

Someone told me just before I got married that marriage is a 50-50 thing. I disagree. It is a 100-100 thing. Both of you have to GIVE 100 percent. Sometimes you’ll miss that mark, but always reset your aim to that point and you’ll be okay.

Twenty-seven years have gone by like a blink of the eye. Here’s a cyber-toast to the next twenty-seven.