44 years ago...the final of three! And the beginning...

A gift from my husband's heart:

"Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, loving wife of 44 years.  It's been a great journey of ups and downs, in which God has blessed us and always been faithful, and filled our lives with a beautiful family."
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This photo captures the stirring moments when Germán's niece Alma (one of my bridesmaids) recited a compilation of Bible verses about love (put together by my mom). Alma's delivery of the poetical words was inspiring and arresting, to such a point that my grandparents Moore, who had flown down for the wedding, had tears in their eyes...and they didn't understand Spanish!
                                         Thank you once more, Almita!

In the photo above you can see my parents(just barely) to the left; Rosita, the young lady in red, was my "maid of love"  (equivalent to maid of honor); my brother Steve is to the far right; Germán's best man beside him...and the cute little three-year-old was our ring-bearer Leslie, one of Germán's nephews.  (My sister Carol was my other attendant.)

And in this other photo, you can just barely see the head of little seven-year-old Yuri, another of Germán's nieces.  (He has a LOT of them!), who carried my train. (My dress was made by my mom for HER wedding, 23 years earlier.)
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Now I'm going to switch to Spanish:

Mi esposo me regaló estas palabras, salidas de su corazón:

--Feliz Aniversario a mi admirable, amorosa esposa por 44 años.  Ha sido un viaje extraordinario de subidas y bajadas, en la que Dios nos ha bendecido siempre, y ha llenado nuestras vidas con una hermosa familia. --
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Mi mami hizo una compilación de versículos Bíblicos, en forma de poesía, y la sobrina de Germán, Alma (una de mis damas), nos bendijo recitándola con mucha emotividad.  Fíjense que a mis abuelos paternos, que llegaron de los EE.UU. para la boda, se les llenaron los ojos de lágrimas al escucharla...y ni siquiera entendían el español!  Les tocó la manera en que, con tanta inspiración, realizó la recitación.
                                   Nuevamente te agradecemos, Almita!

En la primera foto se puede ver a mis padres, mi hermano Steve, mi dama de amor (Rosita Burbano) y el pequeño adorable (de tres años) fue Leslie - otro sobrino de Germán, que portó los aros.  (Mi otra dama fue mi hermana Carola.)

En la segunda foto, también se puede divisar - apenas! - la carita de Yuri (otra sobrina!), que llevó la cola de mi vestido.  (Que fue hecho por mi madre para SU boda 23 años antes!)
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                               And so we arrived at the end of the ceremonies...
                                           and the beginning of our journey!

                                               Happy Anniversary, my love!
                                             *****************************************

                                                Thank You, Father, for these 44 years.

44 years ago...the second of three!

You can have the most beautiful "church" wedding, with all the emotional and religious solemnity...but if you haven't gone to the Civil Registry first for the civil ceremony, you won't be legally married!

  Here in Ecuador, only the civil (secular, no-frills) ceremony confers legality to the marriage.  For this reason, couples must plan for this...hopefully in advance!  Many plan their church wedding for Saturday afternoon, and then hop down to the Civil Registry that morning...and if there are problems with paperwork or anything else, they lag way behind, and the guests in the church may end up waiting...and waiting...and waiting!

We went three days before the religious ceremony...just in case! There was a slight problem with some document I should have had but didn't, but it was worked out, and we proceeded to what you see in the photo above, in front of the officiator, with our witnesses at either side. This ceremony also has the basic vows and "do you take this man/woman", etc.  With  the filling out of all the forms, the requisite stamps and seals, etc., our names were inscribed in the official archives...and we walked out completely married!

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In a way, it's sort of like becoming a believer in Christ.  You can go to church and go through all the beautiful rites and participate in the worship and fellowship...but if you haven't  personally decided to give your heart and life to God and accept the grace of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross for your salvation, you can't call yourself a true Christian.  It is the legal transaction between you and God - not the "ceremonialness" of "religion" - that guarantees that your name will be inscribed in the official archives of the Book of Life!

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"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."  (Ephesians 1:13)  

In case you missed my poem on "Septermber 11, 2001" ("WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?)

Wild winds, destructive floods, unrelenting rains...hurricane after hurricane...but the heart and soul of the people living through them, though battered, will not give up.  They will reach out to each other, pull each other up, instill hope, and rebuild.

I have seen this already, watching the news - about the storms, but also about the ways people are holding up, helping, encouraging...pressing on in the determination to not allow this disaster to take heart and soul from them.

In the midst of the attacks of Nature,  the U.S. , along with other countries, remember the greatest man-made attack of its history, when terrorists tried to destroy our hearts and souls...September 11, 2001.  They tried to take heart and soul...but couldn't do it.  I pray to God they never will!

I wrote this poem in the days after the event, and included it in a blog post several years ago.  Since some of you may never have seen it, or read it so long ago that you don't remember it, here's the link to that post.  (Note: when you open it, just scroll down a ways til you come to the poem.)


"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"...MY 9-11 POEM


Whatever calamities threaten, those who have learned to trust in the Almighty God and have given themselves to his keeping, can echo the psalmist's prayer of confidence in his power and kindness.

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."     (Psalm 57:1)