And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

—1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

Last week, something special happened in the life of my family. My parents celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary, the diamond jubilee for them. They spent the actual day together. Then, last night, my brother, sister-in-love, husband, and I went out and had a nice supper with them. Afterward, we looked through their wedding album and album from their dating years. A sweet time, one I think we’ll all remember.

Over supper, I asked my parents what were three things they’ve learned from being married for 60 years. Their answers gave me much to consider, and I want to share those in this post.

Trust. This is such a big one. Trust is vital in a marriage because in a marriage, we share our most vulnerable parts with our spouse. If we’re not careful, trust is easy to break, harder still to rebuild. My parents have kept that trust intact during their 60 years together.

Faith in God. Ever since they were children, my parents’ faith in God ran deep. It sustained them through six years of long-distance dating, through Daddy’s medical training, then through many moves in a short amount of time as he finished his schooling, did his two in the Army during the Vietnam era, and completed his pediatric training. Also, He sustained them when they started a family after many years of waiting. Through all of those changes and more, Christ has been the one constant in their lives.

Love. Many in our society mistake love for a feeling, an emotion that changes as rapidly as North Carolina summer weather. Love is action, and my parents have demonstrated this over the years. They loved my brother and me well. They’ve loved their friends well. They’ve loved each other well, and I see that in Daddy’s tender care of Mother nowadays.

What does this love look like?

I think the “Prayer of Saint Francis” sums it up nicely. This is what they had sung at their wedding so many years ago.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred…let me sow love.

Where there is injury…pardon

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light, sadness, joy

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled…as to console

To be loved…as to love for

It is in giving…that we received.

It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.

It is in dying…that we are born into eternal life.

Love as a verb is difficult. It takes dying to self and much sacrifice. I encourage you to take a moment and read 1 Corinthians 13, not with love as an adjective (feeling) but love as a verb. And remember the words of 1 Corinthians 13:13.

Question: For those of you celebrating milestones this year, what has helped you reach that milestone?