Paul Harvey, used to have a segment of his radio show called 'The Tournament of Roses', where he read off the names of couples who had been married for X amount of long years. Later, he wrote a book, of the same title. In the course of writing the book, he went back, and interviewed as many as he could, from the names of people of whom he had listed on his show, through the years. He asked the question, of those people, "What do you think was the biggest reason you think keep marriages together so long?"

He took the two answers that came up the most.....you know what they were?

A sense of God, and our relationship to Him....and a sense of humor!

Next: While in a remote area, near a lake in Colorado, I had needs to use a phone, for town was pretty far down the road. I came to a small home, in a little cluster, of them. I walked onto the porch and knocked on the screen door, and while I was waiting, noticed on a board, the name 'McCormicks'. I figured this was going to be tough...a stranger knocking at the door, asking to use the phone. After a brief pause, the inner door opened, and it was a small older woman.
"Can I help you?"

Yes, thank you. My name is______-_____, and I was wondering if it would be possible to use your phone for a moment...its local"

"Oh sure, just a moment"

After a small ordeal to and it through the door, and clearing the phone cord over the door knob, I thanked her, and proceeded to make my call. when I was finished, I tapped on the screen door again, told her I was finished, and thanked her. As we were passing the phone back in to her, I told her that I noticed her name was Scots/Irish, and if she liked Celtic music.

"Oh, yes..I used to sing quite a bit, but that was years ago..i haven't done much in a few years..but Oh, how I loved to sing.."

"Here, do you have a CD player?"

"Why yes, but the one in the car is better"

I figured it was already cool of her to even answer the door to a stranger, let alone invite that same stranger in her house...so she came out and opened her Honda SUV, in the driveway and I gave her the CD, which she put in the player, and after a few songs, began to tear up swells of tears in here eyes.

I looked at her compassionately, and asked, Is everything okay?"

"What are you DOING to me?", she choked back.

Alarmed, that I had offended her, or something, I started to apologize, she waved her hand in front of her face, as if either waving me off, or discouraging a persistent gnat.

"No, no..you just have no idea what this song means to me."

"Why? Have you heard it before?", I offered, figuring she was familiar with it.

"No, but it says so much....exactly how I feel"

"John (not his real name, but for privacy's sake), is inside..we've been married for 64 years now, it doesn't seem all that long..and what would I have done without him!...I love that man!"

At that my eyes were swimming under a pool of water, myself as this was playing in the background:...(Ohh Amos, where's your 'blue clicky' machine?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ym8pZhOPDI

Swear to God, true story. Thought I'd share the sentiment with you.

Warmest Regards,
GfS