Thankful for XIX

 

I was thinking this morning.... about nineteen (19) not just because of its significance of being the first two numbers of the year in which my young wife and I were born but also because this day 19 years ago, we had our traditional marriage. There are many reasons for me to be thankful everyday, but on this day I am thankful for nineteen (19) which is XIX in roman numeral.

Many will not want to think of 19 because it reminds them of Covid-19. Understandably so. To me I am thinking that just like the moon appears in the same exact position in the sky every 19th year and eclipses of the Sun tend to recur in periods of 19 years, we should be that predictable in giving thanks. Therefore, on this day, like in other years, I am thankful for 19 years (228 months) of marital bliss. Thankful for XIX.

For many, when they think 19, they are appreciative of the technological breakthroughs of the 1900’s which started with aeroplanes in 1903, bras in 1913, televisions in 1925, canned beer in 1935, microwave ovens in 1946, CDs in 1965 and finally Viagra in 1998. I'm not sure which is most important to you, to me it is 19 years (991 weeks) of countless memories of joy. Thankful for XIX.

Someone might be saying that I am talking '19 to the dozen' meaning I am talking very quickly, without stopping. Please don't blame me, afterall I did not receive '19 Propositions' like Charles I received from Parliament in 1642 to limit the power of the Crown. Rather, God has enlarged our coast in 19 years (6,935 days). Thankful for XIX.

Where do we go for the 19th anniversary? Thanks to Covid restrictions, we won't be able to take the longest non-stop flight in the world, scheduled by Singapore Airlines, that takes 19 hours from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey nor be like Internet personalities Gunnar Garfors and Pak Tay-yong that visited 19 countries in 24 hours, setting a new world record for the most countries visited in one day. However, we sure know that God is taking us somewhere better than 19 countries. Thankful for XIX.

Nineteen! A standard golf course has 18 holes, but golfers will often talk about going to the '19th hole', meaning the club house, where they can celebrate how they played. Unlike golfers, our 19th hole will not be the club house but the house of God to give God thanks for 19 years (166,550 hours and counting) of endless love. Why? Genesis 19:19 says 'Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to us.' Thankful for XIX.

Happy bronze anniversary to us.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey