"I do!"

30 years ago today Greg and I said, "I do!" 

Have you ever thought what those two words really mean?

Love is an action and in our marriage vows it is spoken as, "I do!" 

"I do" means that I am your yes and amen (so be it). Consider just some of the ways we "I do" through the years...

"I do" to you! 

"I do" time with you!

"I do" lots of talking with self-disclosure exposing my highs and lows with you!

"I do" laughter and tears with you!

"I do" celebrations and devastations! 

"I do" births and deaths with you!

"I do" the best of my physical being and the worst of me with you!

"I do" disappointments and surprises with you!

"I do" natural phenomenon and disasters with you!

"I do" family both the good and the bad with you!

"I do" life knowing and serving with you! 

"I do" gathering of friends, coworkers, and neighbors with you! 

"I do" struggle and worship with you.

"I do" dinners, meals, feasts and fasts with you.

"I do" seasons, years, months, weeks, hours and minutes with you.

"I do" means I die to me and say yes to you.

Every day and every moment is  offered as an "I do" to you.

We have had 30 years of "I do" Greg Rye both the good and the bad and here we are stilling saying "I do". 

I am a better human because I said, "I do" to you! 

Thanks babe for being you!

Synergy

When Greg asked me to marry him he said, "We have synergy. We will be better together than we would apart." I confess that I did not get it fully then. Synergy did not sound like a romantic word to me! Lol! However. I have mulled on that word for over 29 years now. And wow! As I reflect on Deborah, a prophet, judge, and military leader in the Bible, synergy is the word that came to mind. I noticed that Deborah had a relationship with God that enjoyed a mutual give and take. What causes this to happen? A few words came to mind: agreement, concession, collaboration, reciprocity, and exchange. Then it hit me. She lived out a synergistic relationship with God that then allowed her to live out a synergistic relationship with others. See synergy creates unique outcomes. Together is better than apart. Without the other, you cannot accomplish what could be done. Synergy releases power and strengthens unity. This is how a community is built and as the communal relationship grows the load is lightened which gives more room to welcome others in to grow generationally. Without mutual concession and collaboration, the exchange will die. There are so many levels to this thought, What does synergy look like in my walk with God? Am I partnering with Him so He can create something unique in and through me? What about in my marriage, friendships, work, or ministry? If so, I will see a release of power, unity, community, and generational growth. Praying I live in synergistic partnership with God and others. You willing to pray that, too?