In my last post, I mentioned that I was reserving my 600th post to talk about a major milestone that I was approaching.   It would have been more correct to say that Debbie and I were approaching.  In a few days, we will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary!

I’m absolutely flabbergasted by this. It seems like we were just married a few years ago. But then I look at the size of my children and reality strikes.

When I reflect on the past twenty years, I am keenly aware of how fortunate I am. I have not only found someone who agreed to marry me, but someone who has chosen to be my best and most intimate friend. Virtually every evening, after the kids have gone to bed and Debbie sits next to me on the couch to unwind from the day’s activities, I am stunned by the fact that this beautiful and brilliant woman has chosen to spend her life with me; to spend that day with me; to spend that night with me.

Debbie has seen me at my worst. She has witnessed and borne the wounds of my bad decisions, my immaturity, my evil heart and my dismal failures. And despite all of this, she still chooses to love me, to trust me, to believe in me and to share her life with mine.

For those who have not met Debbie, I wish you could spend some time with her. She is gorgeous. She is intelligent. She is witty. She is funny. She is compassionate. She is courageous. She is spiritual. She is wise. She is virtuous. She is caring. She is sacrificial. She is optimistic. She is forgiving. She is generous. She is gentle. She is imaginative. She is loyal. She is an amazing person. (Oh, and did I mention she’s a Sci-Fi geek too!)

Forgive me for indulging a bit, but I absolutely love taking walks with Debbie with her hand in mine. I love looking into her eyes. I love it when she flashes me that smile that is for me alone. I love laughing with her, holding her, watching her.

When I look at Debbie, I am very conscious of how rich a man I am. I have been privileged to have spent most of my adult life with my best friend. I often imagine the kind of person I would have become without Debbie in my life. I know I would have become a self-absorbed and immature little man at best. But because God graced me with such a wonderful woman, I am confident that I am becoming a better man.

I have thoroughly enjoyed starting a family with Debbie and watching our four children mature into beautiful human beings. I see their mother’s winsome character in their lives and hope they come to realize how fortunate they are. And while I’m saddened at the thought that my children will eventually grow into adults and move on with their own lives, I’m comforted by knowing that Debbie will always remain at my side.

In fact, so much has shifted and changed in our lives. I have lost jobs and started jobs. We have changed churches and explored different forms of Christianity. We have watched friends move or die. We are watching our parents grow old and our children grow up. But through it all, our friendship and marriage has been the one constant unto which I have held.

I look forward to growing old with Debbie. I don’t know what the future holds for our lives. But I know that through the good and bad and through the joys and struggles, our love will surpass everything.

I love you, Debbie. I loved you beyond belief on our wedding day and my love has only grown over these twenty years. You’re everything to me and I pray God grants us many, many sensational years together. Happy Anniversary!