Anniversary #7

Seven years. It feels significant. Every year is I suppose, so we do our best to celebrate well.

Andrey returned from Seattle late in the evening on Saturday after being there most of the week for work-related meetings. Sunday morning I made us a pancake breakfast and we enjoyed some delicious Stumptown coffee that Andrey brought back from Seattle. Before breakfast I prayed to bless the meal and began to thank God for giving us each other and the fulfilling relationship we enjoy. I asked for many more years together and for guidance for the future. I got a little emotional as I prayed, thinking about how good God is to have given me Andrey. What a gift! Even better than what I asked for.

God really is the best gift-giver. Since he created us he is the one who really knows us - way better than we know ourselves. Because this is true, it makes sense that the gifts he gives are much more appropriately suited and specially designed for us, who we are - who we truly are. We, not knowing ourselves the way our Creator knows us, many times lack the creativity, wisdom, and understanding to determine what it is that would really fulfill us. For this reason, in my experience, it is a much better deal to trust the Creator for his plans and his gifts, in his timing. This wouldn't work if the Creator wasn't loving and good or lacked power but since the Creator is good and loving and powerful, then it becomes exciting and entirely more fulfilling to let him take care of the details.

I realized this when I wanted so badly to be married years before Andrey and I started dating. I let go of how I wanted it to happen and with whom and waited for my Creator to set me up. I even had a list of what I wanted in a husband. But when God gave Andrey to me and after we got married, I began to realize how wonderfully perfect this guy was for me - in ways I didn't even consider before! God gave me everything on my list (except for the ability to dance well, which I had decided I didn't really care about) and much, much more.

This is what David was singing about when he said, Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! I have tasted and I have seen and I know the Lord is good. With this certainty I can relinquish and trust this good God to bring about our family the way that is best and in the right timing. I can lay down my ideas of where I want to live and what kind of work I want to do.

I am just amazed at God's gifts. It is said that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. Yesterday in church, there was a prophetic word spoken that went something like this: Through my death, you have been set free. Because I have taken care of all of your needs, you are free to receive and enjoy my gifts and free to give generously to others.

So we celebrated yesterday. We enjoyed the gifts we have been given. After church we went out for lunch at a nice Greek restaurant and had a delicious meal. Then we went home and relaxed for a few hours and in the evening I made us a simple dinner. Our appetizer was toasted whole grain bread with Danish cream and gruyere cheeses and ginger lime thyme jam from Nova Scotia. Our dinner was grilled steak and zucchini and red wine. It was great to have a whole day to spend with Andrey, just the two of us. We discussed how more than other years, this anniversary really is the most likely so far to be our last without kids. That perspective helps us enjoy and appreciate our time together even more.

I am so thankful for my husband, my best friend, who continues to make me laugh and love me well. I am excited for what the future holds.

(Thanks to Andrey's Mom for providing the attached photo)