It was over 40 years ago that I met a young man called Dave. He was seventeen and I was sixteen. We were very young, but we had a special connection right from the start. His awesome, sexy smile always warmed me all over. From the moment we met, we spent all of our time with each other.
My senior year in High School this man of my dreams proposed to me. We were engaged and August 1971, we were married.
We thank God for blessing our marriage. CAN A MARRIAGE LAST FOREVER?
Well, the years pass by so quickly. What have we done to make our marriage last? The most important thing was to put God first in our marriage. The second was that we always dated. When children came along, we loved them so much, but we loved each other differently. In a marriage relationship, your spouse must be your second priority after God. How can you do this in a marriage in our fast paced society?
WE HAD A WEEKLY DATE TIME, a time just for us as husband and wife. When the kids came along the dates did not disappear, in fact, they became more consistent because we needed to be alone together. Sometimes those dates consisted of just walking somewhere together, going to a movie, or just out for dinner. Even when we lived overseas, our dates continued. I think what I am saying is that the relationship between a husband and wife needs to grow together as the years pass, not apart because of our busy lives. It takes an effort to do this, but it should be fun too. Then when the kids grow up and start their own lives, your life is still filled with the relationship that you had in the beginning. It hasn’t died because of lack of time together, it has blossomed into something that makes you long to be together.
It’s now 38 years later for us. We are in Paris, France together for the ultimate date. God has blessed us with three wonderful weeks together, and we are enjoying every minute together. We are used to spending time together, because we have done it all our lives.
The ULTIMATE DATE
It was 10:00 pm. We stepped into the elevator that would take us up 90 stories in the Eiffel Tower. Slowing we began to go up into the unknown. Fear was battling inside of me, but I wanted to do this so I would NOT let it control me. As I looked out the windows of the elevator I would see huge pieces of grey metal immediately outside, but if I would look past that I could see the city of Paris getting smaller and smaller. After what seemed like an eternity, the doors of the elevator were opened. I carefully stepped out, not knowing what to expect.
What my eyes saw next was amazing. There was a heavy glass wall up about four feet, and then we were out in the open air. I slowly walked to the edge, holding on tightly to Dave’s jacket as the crowds of people were all around us. He of course, was not afraid at all. His profession takes him up to great heights all the time, but me, this was a very different experience.
I finally reached my hand over and grabbed the railing. Once I had my hands securely on it, I felt better. Then I looked over the edge down 90 stories and it was breathtaking. I could see all the bridges of the Seine River. The lights all across the bridges were making beautiful designs across the water. All of the massive monuments of Paris looked so small from this viewpoint. Then I turned and looked behind me and I could not believe what I saw.
The almost full moon was shining over the whole picture below us. I could not imagine how this moment could get any better. Here I was with the man I loved, in the city of Paris, up as close as I could possibly get to the moon, just being together as husband and wife.
We walked around enjoying the beauty of this moment. Then we walked down a short flight of stairs and there was another room. There were not many people in this area. We walked over to the edge and did something I had always dreamed of. Together we repeated our wedding vows. We committed ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives together. After we said the words, we embraced each other and kissed. I did not think anything could make this moment more perfect, but something happened that I could not believe.
Suddenly the Eiffel tower began to glow with flashing lights. We turned and looked up and it looked like stars were flashing all over the tower. It’s like the tower came alive. It was amazing.
As we stepped back into the elevator to return to reality, music began to play and the tower began its light show. All the way down we listened and watched its display of lights and music. It was more than I could ever imagine. When we arrived on the bottom we ran to the edge where were could see the whole tower and watch the show. Dave took some amazing pictures.
THIS WAS THE UTIMATE DATE we could ever have. Thank you God for ‘going before us’ on this wonderful adventure in Europe. Thank you Dave for being the most WONDERFUL husband in the world. You blessed my life in the beginning and every day since them. You are an amazing man and "I'M THE LUCKY ONE".
As we returned home refreshed and blessed by our European experience, we realize again how quickly life passes us by. We need to make the most of every moment that we are here on this planet earth.
