Forty Years and Counting

• Forty years, toiling as a shepherd, taught Moses what he needed to know about God and made him fit to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. (Acts 7:29-30)

• Due to their lack of faith, those same Hebrews spent forty years in the wilderness, learning of God, before they were allowed to enter the Promised Land. (Exodus 16:35)

• Jesus fasted forty days in a wilderness region after His baptism, as He fortified Himself for His public ministry. (Matthew 4:1, 2)

• God's followers were given forty days with Jesus, following His resurrection, learning of His Kingdom. (Acts 1:3)

The number "forty" is found repeatedly in Scripture, often pertaining to training periods. And thus I look at the first forty years of our marriage. Surely a lot has been learned and hopefully applied during our extended time of testing these last forty years.

It hasn't always been a smooth ride, but then whose is? Although we haven't ordinarily celebrated too heavily our wedding anniversary, this year seemed like a particularly important one to recognize.

Our church family and friends helped us with this for a change, and we really felt loved by their kind reception and dinner.

Caregiving has become a way of life, but it will always be a way of learning...for both of us.