Long Line of Love

Last week, my family celebrated the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Uncle Joe and Aunt Anna.  While thinking of the many years of marriage that have been accomplished among her siblings and herself, my Mom recalled a country song by what she thought was the title A Long Line of Lovers.  I think that's probably some other kind of country song, but we finally determined it was Long Line of Love by Michael Martin Murphy.  

Before I share those heartwarming lyrics with you, though, I'd like to introduce you to my Mom, Kathy, and her successful-in-long-marriages siblings.  They aren't in birth order in this photo, and there's a set of identical twins (can you guess who?), but their number of years married follows their name:

Standing - Ruth, 50; Janine, 46; Judy, 41.  Seated - Anna, 50; Victor, 46; Ray, 56; and Kathy, 56.  Now folks, when you add all that up, you'll find 345 combined years of successful marriage.  And if you throw in their parents' marriage of 59 years, it comes to a whopping 404 years of faithfulness.  Now that is a heritage to be thankful for!

God is a faithful God, a covenant-keeping God who extends the blessings of His covenant to a thousand generations, and the marriages of my mother's family is a testimony to the goodness of the Lord to His children.  It is also a testimony to those of us who struggle and grow weary in marriages that have long since left the halcyon honeymoon days.  You stick with it.  You don't give up.  

My generation has not always fared so well in marriage, a testimony to the difficulties in this fallen world.  But, the true standard, a high goal, has been set for us and we have done our best to shoot for it.  And as the scripture tells us, our Father is always faithful, His promises are sure, and in Him is redemption and restoration of all things.  

I bought a beautiful diamond ring.

I offered it to the sweetest thing I knew - she said she would take it.

We started making some wedding plans

She came to me and she took my hand and said

Are you sure we can make it?I said my Grandad's still in love with my Grandma

I said my Dad still thinks my Mom's the sweetest thing he ever saw

I come from a long line of love.

When the times get hard, I don't give up,

Forever is in my heart and in your blood,

You see I come from a long line of love.

Well the years went by and we had a son

Now he thinks he found someone for him.

They're planning a wedding.

He called me up on the phone today 

Just to see what I had to say to him.

Did I think he was ready?

I said what his Grandfather used to say to me.

It's been handed down for ages - it runs in our family.

You come from a long line of love

When the times get hard, you won't give up

Forever is in your heart and in your blood, Son,

You come from a long line of love.

Many thanks and much love to:  Ray and Ginny, Mama and Daddy, Anna and Joe, Ruth and Dick, Vic and Judy, Janine and Joe, Judy and Bob.  By the grace of God, you paved the way for the rest of us.