May Blog - Women's Ministry

As a small child, you don’t really think about your mom and dad being married, or not. Having a single parent household or anything else. What you have is what you know to be true. I was born in Colorado Springs, raised, and still live here. There are times that I wonder what it would have been like to move like most other people. At one point my parents discussed moving to Iowa, buying a farm and live that life. My dad had grown up farming, so he knew what that required. I loved the idea and begged to go, my sister had great friends at school and begged not to go.

While as kids we think we help make the decision, the bottom line is, we are probably considered to some extent, but may not be the only reason something happens or not. I believe God’s truth helps us make decisions … when we pray.

Recently, I was in a conversation and reeling back in time to decisions that my parents made that set a path for me, a path for my marriage, a path for our daughter, a path for our grandkids, and the future children to come. I come for a legacy of strong marriages, not perfect marriages, but enduring, love seeking down in the weeds and up in the celebration marriages. On Saturday, May 20, my parents celebrated 70 years of marriage … Wow … that’s a tribute to their standing strong, willingness to work through hard times (I can only assume) and celebrate the beauty God provided through the years.

One month ago, as a family, we watched my nephew marry is bride in a beautiful exchange of vows, not to mention the venue and its stunning beauty. When I walk into a space, whether physical or in my mind, I see the stability of a God who loves us and wants the best for us. As children, we don’t always see these details, His love and care for us, no matter the situation, or the attributes of the situation; we just live in the moment. When we are on the other end of life, when we can look back over what we’ve been called or lead to be a part of, when we have clarity about the impact God has had, an applause of gratitude goes forward.

Watching my parent celebrate 70 years together and my mom’s 89th birthday … the room was set for our arrival at their retirement center, flowers of celebration adorned the room. Their aroma was sweet like the love they share. There was chatter between family members, pictures taken and a lovely banner with their wedding picture and words that celebrated the event proclaiming 70 years accomplished in marriage. The room was bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows on the north which looked out over the city and framed the front range. There were warm and loving hugs being passed around.

As grown children, my sister, brother and I knew what Saturday meant. We understand the witness of standing firm, for the gift of grace, the understanding hand of love, the days of compromise, meeting in the middle of hard topics, as well as celebration deserved. In a moment of time when everything was sweet and as my parents celebrated, the birthday candles were lit and their heads came together in a warm embracing tilt, touching forehead to forehead, white hair shining like a light spotlight of accomplishment and life together well lived.

We are called, if we have children, or we are around other’s children, to witness, to give grace, to love well, to shine God’s love forward toward them so that they too can grow up, make a stand, be a witness and live a life well. God is our guide in this, discernment come through the Holy Spirit, and our grace is through Christ.

I am blessed ladies, and I am thankful. I pray and hope you are too, or you can reflect, turning back pages in your life where someone somewhere was that sweetness of Christ when you were a child, you can feel it warms, tilt your head and press against the memory in love and thankfulness.

- Traci Hollingsworth