Grace Gratitude & Giggles: {Grace} In Marriage

I know I previously wrote about needing Grace in parenthood, and while that is still very true, Grace in marriage is an absolute necessity...especially for me! Marriage is a dream when you're single, something you can't wait to experience, loving someone so much and having them love you back, spending your lives together as a team and making all your memories together...sounds so wonderful! For me marriage has truely been a dream come true, but it has only been that way because of one word: GRACE!

I was NINETEEN when I got married! I knew I was young then, but now I can't believe how young I was to be making such a decision, and NO ONE was going to talk me out of it! I was head-over-heels in love and I could not wait to become this man's bride...I was selfish and immature but also really cute and funny, which is part of the reason why Avery continued to love me I think.

I have to brag on Avery or this blog would not be true to how I feel, and I hope someday my girls grow up to marry such a man. I fell in love with him because he was different than any of the other guys I had dated in the past. He did not care about labels, status symbols, or proving how tough a man he was...and this was unbelievably refreshing. I was so impressed with his genuine strength, the kind of strength that does not have to puff itself up, or try and put others down, to become something but instead remains steady and solid in who he already is. As I got to know him better his kindness, selflessness, and love for God and people made it clear that this was the man for me...and his goofiness is just a bonus that makes life fun!

Eight years later I look back at our life together and know that it is only by the grace of God that we have enjoyed such a magical marriage. God's love and grace have been vital to the heart beat of our lives, He is the 3rd person in our marriage. Without Jesus I would be a very angry, depressed, selfish person...and no amount of 'cuteness' would get me out of that mess! I do not know or understand how God does it. How He could transform my heart in such a way that my greatest efforts and most glorious intentions never could. His love and grace, the power of the cross, Jesus alive in me, the hope of glory....all this has quietly and beautifully lead me to where I am today in a way that only God could. I was, most of the time, blissfully unaware of what a mess I was. Sure, I knew I could be a "stinker" sometimes, but I'm entitled, right? No biggie, right? Well I come to find out now it was a biggie, and even so, Avery and I have enjoyed every year that we have shared together. Yet God has been making us better and better along the way...how do you explain that? How do you grasp that you could never live without all that you now have...even though you never knew you missed it when you didn't have it? CONFUSING BUT TRUE!...don't ask me to explain because I can't!

I do not know how life can get any better than it is but I know my God well enough to know that He has more in store. I cannot wait to see what is around the corner as we daily walk in the excitement of knowing Him and standing back and watching Him move...Jesus is beyond cool!

And so we celebrated our 8th anniversary in Sedona, surrounded by beauty and knowing that the God who created it all was also creating a beautiful masterpiece out of our lives...as only He can.

While in Sedona, we snuck in lost of kisses, cuddled by the creek, laugh and cried (I was the one doing all the crying), we reminised, and talked about all that God has done in our lives over the past 8 years, His goodness, His faithfulness, His grace, His love, we shared about what we're looking forward to, and we took LOTS of pictures!

We dropped the kids off at Grandma's and enjoyed a peaceful 1 1/2 hour drive up to Sedona, the scenery was great and we enjoyed listening to some amazing Bible teaching and then actually discussing our thoughts and excitement without being interrupted by the kids, it was grand, who knew we had so many thoughts?!

Since all we had for breakfast was coffee we couldn't resist grabbing an early lunch once we got there, we wanted to eat at a fun little mom and pop restaurant...but somehow we ended up at the Wildflower Bread Company...not very quaint, but still delicious! The balcony had great views and the weather was perfect. I love this picture because you can see Avery in my sunglasses smiling at me as he was taking it, I am blessed!

After checking out some of the shops we drove to Oak Creek for a little relaxation. It was breathtaking. We found a nice spot to throw down the picnic blanket, cuddle-up, & take it all in.The time flew by way too fast!

This man is quite the Leader!

So after resting by the creek, listening to the water flow and the wind gently rustling the trees as they would drop leaves to the ground, it was time to switch gears and head for a fun and exciting Pink Jeep tour!

Happy to make it back alive we decided to grab dinner at a tiny little place called Simon's where, according to TripAdvisor, you can get the best hotdogs on the planet. We searched high and low to find this place and are glad we put forth the effort. Our hotdogs were made by Simon himself, a sweet man from Columbia, and we ate out on the patio under strung lights, a sky full of stars, and sitting next to a cozy firepit, a perfect ending to our day...HOTDOG!

Lord, how can I ever thank you enough for all that you have done in our lives over the past 8 years, and how can I begin to comprehend all that you are yet to do and in the process of doing?! I cannot, and so I rest. I rest in Your hands, knowing that you never let me go, You never leave me, You are never unaware or unconcerned. I cast my cares on You because You care for me...YOU, the creator of the universe, care for ME...wow. I take great comfort and joy in knowing that I am not ruining Your plans with my shortcomings and mess-ups, even when I am being a 'stinker' because You are so much bigger than that. I love living this life with You, the excitement of knowing You everyday and the peace of putting my confidence in You...we both know that I am not worthy of it. Lord thank You for filling our home with joy and laughter and love, thank you for teaching me how to love Avery best and for giving Avery such a love for me! Thank you that we get to love eachother and not worry about changing eachother or trying to improve eachother...thats Your job and you are amazing at it. And so as we continue to walk this life together I pray that we would keep our eyes on You, the unfailing One, and may we come to know you more and more, You are everything to us as we live in your constant grace...I LOOOOOOOVE YOU!

Your little princess,

Lucy

Oh, and we kept mentioning how much the kids would enjoy seeing the Fall colors and exploring the creek so the following Sunday we made a surprise trip back up!