“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow…”
— Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESV
Well, today is a pretty big day around here. My human and his wife are celebrating 32 years of marriage.
That’s 32 years of sharing a home, raising three daughters, welcoming three sons-in-law, loving on four grandsons, and putting up with two dogs. One of whom, I might add, is considerably better than the other. (I’ll let you figure that one out.)
I was sitting on the porch this morning watching my human drink his coffee and read his Bible. He had that thoughtful look on his face, the kind that usually means he’s about to learn something, write something, or both.
Thirty-two years. That’s a whole lot of life lived together.
I’m just a dog, but even I’ve figured out a few things about marriage and family.
Love isn’t just about the wedding day. It’s about all the ordinary Thursdays that follow. Choosing each other when life gets complicated, forgiving when somebody gets it wrong, laughing when things don’t go according to plan, and sticking around when the road gets rough.
It’s raising children, watching them grow up, welcoming their families, and discovering that grandkids are God’s way of letting you enjoy the fun without having to pay for everything.
But somewhere along the way, my human and his wife have learned something even more important. A lasting marriage and a healthy family aren’t built on two people being perfect. They’re built on two people learning to depend on a perfect God.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that two are better than one and that a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
That third strand makes all the difference.
But here’s what I’ve figured out from the porch: The greatest love story ever told isn’t about a husband and wife making it 32 years. It’s about a Savior who loved us enough to go to the cross, take the punishment for our sin, and rise from the grave so that whoever repents and believes in Him can have forgiveness and everlasting life.
Marriage is a wonderful gift.
Family is a beautiful blessing.
32 years is worth celebrating.
But none of those things can save us.
A good marriage won’t get us to heaven.
Raising good children won’t get us to heaven.
Being a good neighbor, living a decent life, or even being a good dog won’t do it.
Only Jesus can.
The greatest legacy my human and his wife can leave their daughters, sons-in-law, grandsons, and even us dogs isn’t a perfect family story. It’s a life that points to a perfect Savior. Knowing our greatest legacy isn’t what we accumulate, but the love we give, the faith we live, and the people we point toward Jesus.
I’m thankful for 32 years of love, laughter, lessons, and family… and for two people who are still learning, still loving, and still walking together.
Happy Anniversary!
Love your old lazy dog…
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
