Love

First of all I want to thank God for giving me you as the gift of my life. His love for us has grown slowly throughout these fifty years together and in return for His love for us we have grown in love with each other to this golden day of celebration… Babe, I love you very much.

We have come a long way since the little rented house in Littlefield, Texas where we started our lives together. We didn’t have a car, found a job two weeks before our wedding, didn’t have any money, we walked to the grocery store to get groceries, but we had each other. Madly in love and ready to make a life together. Ever since then you have walked with me. Always believing in me and prayerfully leading me closer to God and for this I will always treasure in my heart. I know that I have been blessed more than I deserve. Thank you for never giving up on me. I pray that I have done my part in making your life as happy and special as you have made mine.

God blessed us with four wonderful boys that you and I had the joy of raising into men that love God and love their families. Now we enjoy them even more for choosing magnificent wives that love them and are also committed in serving God and loving each other.

Many years ago we started serving marriages and doing retreats. We named the retreats “Two in One Flesh”. This is what we have become. Two people that love each other and in return we have loved others through God’s grace. Throughout the years of doing this many people have commented to us that when they see one of us they see both of us. We are always together, if not physically, they see us together in spirit. I know that when I minister to others I always take you with me in my heart.

My beloved Lipa, thank you for walking with me throughout these wonderful fifty years. I can really see that what we promised to God He has brought to completion. I hope that I have given you the love and honor that you rightfully deserve and with all my heart I will gladly say “I Do” again.

Almost fifty years ago I said that I would love you and honor you all the days of my life. We walked out of the church as husband and wife to start our life together. I was young, in love, and eager to begin a life with you. I felt excited and full of hope that all my dreams would come true. You are as loving and caring now as you were then. Our love for each other was all that mattered!

From the first time that you kissed me, I knew that my life would never be the same. You treated me with so much respect and you listened as though I was the only person in the world. I felt important and admired (like a princess). I dreamed about you and prayed that we would be married one day if it was the will of God.

I remember when you proposed while my younger brothers and sisters watched and giggled as you held my hand to place the ring on my finger. You were not only kind, but also strong and courageous, and of course very handsome. You were never afraid to express your affection to me and always with a smile. A smile that still reaches deep into my heart and says I’m yours and you are mine.

You continued to give me strength during our married life in times of trials. When we had our sons, you were eager to be a father and I could depend on you and I felt secure because no matter what we had to go through we would handle it together. It was because of your patience and understanding that I was able to grow and become the person that I am today. You affirm me and help me see the good qualities in myself. Bobby Vinton sang a beautiful love song entitled, “I love how you love me” that helped me be loving to you too.

I love how your eyes close whenever you kiss me
And when I’m away from you I love how you miss me
I love the way you always treat me tenderly
But, darling, most of all I love how you love me

I thank God for you and I thank Him for the graces to become parents that completed our family and which allowed us to extend that love we have for each other to our four wonderful sons, our beautiful daughters-in-law, our grandchildren, and very soon to our great grand baby. I feel overjoyed and blessed… like watching and listening when the family is all together and we hear their laughter as they reminisce about memories they treasure. Our eyes meet and we smile, and I usually wipe away a tear of joy, and we hold on to the moment. A picture of love and happiness is being created!

I am grateful for the many ways that you express your love for me. I admire the way you serve God by helping others, but you give priority to our relationship and to the family. You always, always gave me all the affection that I needed or desired. You lead me to love God more.

One last thing that I want to say is that I feel special and happy when you call me Babe! The way you say it makes me smile and I even get fluttering in my stomach with giddy excitement…just like the first time we kissed which seems like it was only yesterday. I am happy to be growing old with you and I am proud to be your wife and I repeat with great devotion, “I will love you and honor you all the days of my life”.