Sunday, February 9, 2020

The Love Story of Calvin & Michele

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:32
(KJV)

Graphic Design by Zach Smith

"The Love Story of Calvin & Michele"

"About thirty years ago, a handsome young man in a tux stood before me and recited loving words of commitment that began like this:
“Michele, joining my life with yours in the covenant of marriage . . .”


And so our love story began with strong promises about loving and listening, respecting and revering.  By God’s grace the covenant is still in effect, and after all these years, the more I learn about myself and my all-too-obvious weaknesses and failures, the more a love based on strong promises sounds really good to me.

God’s love is like that, too – based on strong promises that have been recorded in His Word.

We had our first fight in the grocery store just a bit over a week after the wedding. I am a list-shopper, and he is a browser. Stopping for nothing, I steer the shopping cart around corners on two wheels, while he lingers over a cheese display, comparing relative merits and flavors at long leisure.

I was raised in a home with a bare refrigerator and minimal resources for kitchen creativity. He came from a fully stocked spice cupboard and a philosophy of abundance and celebration around food.  To him, our shopping cart looked like a barren waste land of deprivation, while I was becoming convinced that from now on we would be spending 75% of our net worth on food.

By some miracle of grace, we weathered that difference and after nearly thirty years of marriage, we just like each other a whole lot.

I smile when I say that my good husband and I are “middle-aged.”  I suppose if we live to be 120, we are middle-aged, but the reality is that we are past the mid-point on many levels, and this is most glaringly obvious in our life together as parents.  Parenting feels different in these days when everyone is taller than I am.  It was so much easier when I could put all the “forbidden things” (cookies, snack food, breakables) on top of the refrigerator.  Now I find myself asking my kids for help with top-shelf-reaches.

Here’s a challenging theory from Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas:  “Behind virtually every case of marital dissatisfaction lies un-repented sin.”  Sit with that one for a while and let it come to mind the next time you mutter a complaint against your spouse.

Thirty years of marriage have flown by.  In many ways, my husband and I are not the same people who walked down the aisle in that big, beautiful church with pipe organ music and the aroma of gardenias in the air.  Everything in our lives has changed — except one thing.
We are still working at our love."


Bio:  Michele Morin is a teacher, reader, writer, and gardener who does life with her family on a country hill in Maine. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for nearly 30 years, and together they have four sons, two daughters-in-love, and three adorable grandchildren. Michele is active in educational ministries with her local church and delights in sitting at a table surrounded by women with open Bibles. Connect by following her blog at Living Our Days, or via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Calvin and Michele, thank you SO much for blessing us with your amazing love story!  It was so wonderful to read of how God has blessed you through the years and to see your smiling faces in the photos!  May the Lord grant you both long lives and abundant health as you continue to do life together!

24 comments:

  1. How I love real life stories. None of us are perfect, but we are blessed to have so much. I need to be more of that "unreasonably patient man"...

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    1. Yes, there's a whole lot of "real life" in our story, and God continues to be faithful to us. Truly we ARE blessed!

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    2. I love the real life stories, too! Such a blessing to read and share them! God bless you!

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  2. I so enjoyed reading Michele’s and Calvin’s love story. I follow Michele’s blog and she is a gifted writer. Thank you dear Cheryl for sharing.

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    1. Cheryl is always so hospitable here in her writing home.
      Thank you, Pam, for reading, and for your kind words. It's a joy to share what God has been up to in our married life. There's so much grace in the story.

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    2. Thank you ever so much, sweet friend!

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  3. I've "seen" Michele leaving comments on other blogs, so now I'll have to check hers out! Wonderful love story!

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    1. Michele is an immensely wise and winsome writer!

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    2. Yes, please do visit her blog! You will be blessed!

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    3. Hi, Martha! I've seen your name in our bloggy world as well! Looking forward to more conversations in the future!

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  4. Thank you Calvin and Michelle. I'll check out Michelle's blog.

    Thank you Cheryl.

    God bless.

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    1. I'm so glad you are going to visit Michele, Victor! Many blessings to you!

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    2. Great to connect with you, Victor! I visited your site this morning. You have a lot going on over there!

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  5. Awww.. that was an awesome love story. I can see you going around the aisles on 2 wheels Michele. What a funny picture with your husband lingering in the cheese section. hahaha.

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    1. Thank you for your visit and kind words!

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    2. Ha! Poor Calvin!
      I will say that the boys are happier when he comes shopping with me because he "finds" all the goodies that I go flying by because they are not on my all-powerful shopping list.

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  6. Cheryl, thank you again for sharing these beautiful stories! And, Michele, thank you for always sharing from your heart with such precious words. This brought tears to my eyes today, as I can say the same thing for my marriage: "Everything in our lives has changed — except one thing.
    We are still working at our love." Blessings, love, and hugs to both of you!

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    1. Thank you so much, dear Bettie, for your kindness and support! You are such a blessing to me and so many others! Sending blessings, love and hugs back to you today, my friend!

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    2. If only every single marriage could be based on the foundation of hard work and self-giving love! Thanks, Bettie, for all the ways you encourage others!

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  7. Michele thank you for sharing your sweet story with us. I will have to read Sacred Marriage. Congratulations on 30 of marriage!

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    1. We'll hit the 30 year mark in May, and I think we'll be celebrating by visiting our new grandson who will be born in Colorado in April.
      You will love Sacred Marriage AND the author. So wise!

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    2. Thanks so much for your visit and support, Regina!

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  8. Such a beautiful story Michele! I have enjoyed your writings for years, and how lovely to hear your love story. Isn't it amazing how the Lord knits our lives together! I had to chuckle about your grocery cart on 2 wheels :) May the Lord continue to bless you and Calvin with many more years of service in His kingdom! Much love to you Cheryl for putting together such a wonderful encouraging series of love stories!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, sweet friend! Sending much love and many blessings back your way!

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