An Anniversary Blessing

AN ANNIVERSARY BLESSING

by HELEN STEINER RICE



YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY,
OVER SMOOTH ROADS AND ROUGH,
BUT YOU'VE HAD EACH OTHER
AND THAT WAS ENOUGH,
FOR EVEN THE DARKEST
AND STORMIEST WEATHER
BRINGS A "RAINBOW OF LOVE"
WHEN YOU SHARE IT TOGETHER
AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE SHARED
YOUR SMILES AND YOUR TEARS,
YOU'VE BUILT UP "RICH TREASURES"
IN THESE MANY YEARS
FOR THE MEMORIES OF THINGS
YOU'VE BOTH SHARED AND FACED
ARE ENGRAVED IN YOUR HEARTS
AND THEY CAN'T BE ERASED,
AND LIFE WITH ITS PROBLEMS
HAS BEEN BUT THE BLENDING
OF A LOVE THAT'S DIVINE
AND THEREFORE UNENDING
FOR LOVE THAT ENDURES
THROUGH A LONG, EARTHLY LIFE
AND KEEPS FOLKS TOGETHER
AS HUSBAND AND WIFE
IS FASHIONED BY GOD
AND YOU BOTH HAVE BEEN TRUE
TO THE MARRIAGE VOWS
THAT WERE TAKEN BY YOU...
AND ALL OF YOUR CHILDREN
AND THEIR CHILDREN, TOO,
AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN
ARE SO PROUD OF YOU,
FOR YOU ARE A COUPLE
WHO WALKED WITH THE LORD
AND A LONG, FRUITFUL LIFE
IS THE GOOD LORD'S REWARD...
SO HERE'S TO THE GROOM
AND HERE'S TO THE BRIDE
WHO FOR MANY LONG YEARS
HAVE STOOD SIDE BY SIDE!





[THE LORD OF LORD'S] BROUGHT ISRAEL OUT FROM
AMONG THEM,
FOR HIS STEADFST LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.



PSALM 136:11
NRSV



FOR HE LOVES US WITH UNFAILING LOVE;
THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE LORD
ENDURES FOREVER.
PRAISE THE LORD!



PSALM 117:2
NLT



THY KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM,
AND THY DOMINION ENDURES
THROUGHOUT ALL GENERATIONS.



PSALM 145:13
NAS



RESPECT FOR THE LORD IS GOOD;
IT WILL LAST FOREVER.
THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD ARE TRUE;
THEY ARE COMPETELY RIGHT.



PSALM 19:9
NCV



LORD, YOU DO EVERYTHING FOR ME.
LORD, YOUR LOVE CONTINUES FOREVER.
DO NOT LEAVE US, WHOM YOU MADE.



PSALM 138:8
NCV



HE WHO FORMS THE HEARTS OF ALL,
WHO CONSIDERS EVERYTHING THEY DO.



PSALM 33:15
NIV



SURELY GOODNESS AND LOVINGKINDNESS WILL
FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE,
AND I WILL DWELL IN THE
HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.



PSALM 23:6
NAS