golden
Golden—a word that evokes thoughts of brilliance, warmth, longevity, and treasure. No wonder that the celebration of fifty years of marriage is affectionately coined the Golden Anniversary.
No one can deny that earthly marriages are loaded with imperfections, but God’s design for them is one of unbreakable commitment, unwavering loyalty and the richest of love. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who were trying to back him into a corner when he said, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mt. 19:4-6).
Marriage, in its best form, gives us stability, security and purpose. It provides structure for society as well as a safe landing pad for a family. Like a brick wall standing firm against the fickle winds of emotion, the commitment of marriage sustains couples through life’s greatest storms. The Lord intended marriage, in its purest state, to be a picture of Christ and his Bride, the church.
Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:25-32).
Marriage is a high calling—it is meant to reflect the magnificence of the bond between Jesus and his followers! Love, passion, contentment, faithfulness, steadfastness, assurance, joy and intimacy are all intended hallmarks of God’s exquisite covenant of marriage.
Last year we celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of my in-laws, and last month we celebrated that of my own parents, to whom I am endlessly grateful for the model they have provided. I do not take it for granted that I have a legacy of such long-lasting marriages in my family, as I know it is an increasing rarity in our culture. Both sets of my grandparents also enjoyed decades’ long marriages, parted only by the passing of one partner. None of these marriages, however, has been perfect (not even close!)—a feat that is simply not possible on this side of heaven. However, each marriage was or has been marked by its own imperfect commitment of one husband and one wife celebrating life’s joys together and persevering through circumstances that could have torn them apart.
Their examples of fidelity have encouraged me to stay true to my own marriage vows to Brian, to relish the good times and keep moving forward together in the bad. I tearfully pledged these words to my husband twenty-three years ago, “I, Lisa, take you, Brian, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live. I promise my faithfulness both to you and to God.” My prayer today is that the Lord would indeed help me to fulfill these words until death do us part. If He hasn’t taken one of us to home before then, I’ll enjoy that day when Brian and I get the chance to marvel at what the Lord has done in us during fifty years together. It has been a joy to celebrate our own parents, and in doing so, be reminded of the imperfect beauty found in life together as husband and wife.
My gift to Mom and Dad for their milestone anniversary was a written piece titled Fifty Golden Fun Facts About You. They have given me permission to share it with you.
Fifty Golden Fun Facts About You
Celebrating 50 years of marriage! May 12, 2025
1. High school sweethearts
2. Young love
3. Holding your parents’ marriages in high esteem
4. Devotion to one another
5. Hard work
6. Self-sacrifice
7. Helpers to each other
8. Enamored with your children
9. Deep love for family
10. Unwavering commitment to provide materially and emotionally for your children
11. Encouraging and devoted mother
12. Loving and patient father
13. Parenting well despite limited help and plentiful fatigue!
14. Giving hearts
16. Generous with your time
17. Generous with your resources
18. Regular family dinners
19. Stocking the kitchen with Einstein bagels and Homemade ice cream
20. Being lovers of dogs
22. Being lovers of cats, even the Kiki variety
23. Field trip chaperone
24. Pinewood derby engineer
25. Unpaid Uber drivers for your children before the age of Uber
26. Technology proponents (and donors of gently used gadgets!)
27. Caretakers of wonderful houses and yards
28. Partners in the kitchen—prepping, cooking, grilling, clean-up
29. Beach bums
30. Sports fans
31. Opening your home to an extraordinarily loud band
32. Being loving to all our friends
33. Buying a bigger home for the social lives of your teenage children
34. Providing us with cars
35. Championing our academic and artistic pursuits
36. Supporting our family endeavors
37. Throwing three unique weddings
38. Doting on all five grandchildren
39. Doting on all your granddogs
40. Spoiling said grandchildren (and granddogs)
41. Babysitting said grandchildren
42. Treating us to date nights
43. Planning amazing vacations
44. Taking us out for delicious meals
45. Loving us through difficult times
46. Being great listeners
47. Using your gifts to serve us and many others
48. Caring for your own parents so well in their later years
49. Showing generosity to your neighbors, especially when they are going through hard times
50. Deep and abiding commitment to your marriage—thank you for this model!
Two sets of grandparents celebrating a different milestone of their oldest grandchild! Mom and Dad, on the left, had their 50th anniversary just days before Scarlett’s graduation, and Luke and Terri, on the right, reached the same feat last year.