Wedding Anniversary

Michael and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a renewal of our vows in our beloved Stella Maris. I cried again saying those vows. I believe the next 30 years will be even better with Christ at the center of our marriage. Our pastor bestowed many blessings upon us. So much grace! God poured it out on us even while we didn't acknowledge Him, believe in Him, or give Him thanks. I am filled with awe at His generosity at what He's accomplishing in our lives. Ah, He will bring to perfection what He has started! Deo gratias!!!

We celebrated at Dunleavy's pub afterwards with our witnesses. 

Yesterday, we went out to celebrate at Lost Isle on John's Island. Lovely ambience and wonderful food! We take most of our meals on the porch so it was great to be seated outdoors in the shade, smelling the wood smoked meat as it was being prepared, and enjoying a cooling spray from the fan. Much like home, without dishes to wash :)  

I love that our anniversary falls on the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe and the Vigil of Assumption of Mary. Both speak powerfully to the married life and its sanctification. Michael and I are reading Preparation for Death: Consideration of Eternal Truths by St. Alphonsus Ligouri and such rich meditations on leading a good Christian life so that we may be assured of a happy death. Our Lord, by his horrible death, has opened the doors of heaven for those who love Him. I will forever be grateful that our Lord never stopped chasing us and brought us to Himself.  Now we pray for the final perseverance so that we're never ever separated from Him. On this Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, we can never assume that we'll go to heaven but pray for the grace.