Posted on 07/15/2008 10:06:47 AM PDT by DukeBillie
Don't try convincing Ed Jansen, 74, of Cutlerville, that the institution of marriage needs propping up.
Or his wife Arlyn, 72.
Or Ed's brother Charlie, 83. Or Charlie's wife, Cornelia, 78.
Or Cornelia's sister-in-law Wilma VanKooten, 71. Or Wilma's husband Delmer, 75. Nor Guy and Janet Jansen.
Berdena and Junior Vos?
Nope.
Same goes for Melvin Jansen and wife, Marilyn. And the Geelses — Doris and Nelson.
You'll lose the argument. Because every living son and daughter born in the past century to the late Evert and Gertie Jansen — seven kids in all — has celebrated or is about to celebrate 50 years of marriage.
Collectively, they stand for 383 years of commitment.
. . .
"I attribute it all to faith," said Wilma VanKooten, who tied the knot with Delmer nearly 60 years ago. The VanKootens also agree with their siblings and in-laws that pacts had more meaning then than now.
"When you got married, it was forever — now, 10 or 15 or 25 years," Arlyn said. "You stayed forever."
Their advice for couples?
"Pray together," Arlyn said. "Read your Bible. Go to church."
Cornelia added, "Eat together."
"A lot of give and take," Ed offered.
"And family time is important," Wilma said.
"We tried to have breakfast together before the kids went to school," Arlyn said. "That's how the kids started off the day."
. . .
Charlie collects tractors, and to celebrate his upcoming 60th with Cornelia, he's looking for another 1946 Model 70 Oliver to go with the one he restored, so he and his bride can ride into the sunset on their anniversary.
"I'm thinking I'll have a sign on the back that reads: 'Pulling together for 60 years.' "
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Romance like that just brings a tear to my eye...
Kidding...just kidding.
On both sides of my family, through to the 13th century, there have been no divorces.
I wasn't so sure I wanted to be the one to break that kind of record; now one of my kids is there, and I ask her -- you wanna be the one to break it? lol.
Picture a ghostly scene from the flick "Airplane!", and every ancestral spectre lining up to shut the hysterical woman woman up.... it's what went through my mind...
Wow!! Just absolutely WOW!!!!
A very pleasant article.
I would love to make it to our 50th, but I doubt that my health will allow it.
I met her when she was 20. She was a musician, while I was just a wondering nothing. I was wild and a little bit bad.
She wasn’t the least bit interested in me, but somehow, we became best of friends. We just hung out and did fun things for about a year, then by some miracle, we fell in love and began a life of fun and growth together.
We have now enjoyed 38 wonderful years together. She is no less today my beautiful Bride, than she was so many years ago.
She is my everything. She is my only fantasy and the reason I bother to take my next breath. She did tame me (LOL), and she helped me become focused in life and in love.
To this day, I still see her youth when I look into her eyes. When I kiss her rosebud lips, I feel as though she is giving me more life. I feel her wisdom and peace when she walks into a room. She feels my strenth and protection.
I call her at work, almost daily, just to hear her beautiful voice. I am convinced that she is my guardian angel, made flesh. She gave birth to my two babies and mothered them well. SHE is the one that made us a family.
I admit this is selfish, but I pray to die before she does, as any time without her..... would be an eternity in hell.
Yes, I am a spoiled brat that has been blessed by God with this beautiful woman.
Congratulations! that is an amazing record. I certainly wouldn’t want to be the one to break it.
Susan
Some ancestors lived long; and some didn't. And the worst of it was none were grim-faced. lol. Great senses of humor. And every generation was entrepreneurial and creative, working the land, inventing stuff, running trading posts, fighting wars, escaping tyranny , etc. Maybe... all that working hard kept them from being obsessed with "purity happiness in marriage". Well, that's what I think.
Now that brings a tear! Congratulations to both of you. She is a lucky woman and you are a blessed man.
Susan
How beautiful!! Your joy is contageous, Gator113 - thank you for sharing your love.
Well God bless ya brother - my prayers that your health continues to hold till 50 years or the Lord comes back whichever comes first!
Mel
I'd like also to add an additional perspective: The Long View.
There's so much twaddle concerning "feelings" and "how do I feel today". I rank that sort of system right up there with not saving for tomorrow.
"I feel unhappy today, therefore I am justifying blowing the family budget by impulse spending and/or behaviors so that I can feel "good" or "better"."
I'd like to read what you've linked to, but "document not found" is what it leads to. Could you revise the link, pls?
LOL! And you’ve said a truth there, AreaMan. In marriage, some days do/can feel like 40 miles of bad road.
Your thoughts about your wife mirror my own. After 28 years I am still unwrapping the gift God gave me. The only difference is that I pray she goes before me because I cannot stand the thought of her being alone and suffering - I would rather go through it myself. I may be deluding myself but I feel I am emotionally stronger than her and so therefore able to handle it better.
Blessings
Mel
that is what I get for thinking I know HTML code lol
go to www.ancestorsremembered.com You will have to cut and paste.
I agree with your analysis. The whole “feelings” thing is way over valued. Feels are so easily manipulated. I find logic and deep contemplation much more appealing.
I am really touched by the number of men who have posted on this thread about their deep love and commitment for their wives. Thank you all
Susan
I very much like how you've included such notables as culture, diet, trades, markets as to where your ancestors fit within those frames, and why.
Numerous items of data have jumped out at me: According to the 1860 census “Key West . . . was home to 2,241 whites and 435 slaves. The city also included 156 free blacks who owned property worth over $12,000. Key West’s free black population accounted for virtually the entire free black population of South Florida in 1860, and it similarly accounted for almost one-ninth of Florida’s total free black population.”3
I appreciate and respect your honesty in relating the marriage of David and Ellen, and the birth of their first child. Key West. I really had no idea, previous, as to how much a booming place it was then.
The 13 months from November 1867 to December 1868 were certainly life changing for David. He had married, had a child and had become an American citizen. As if that were not enough, he also joined the Lighthouse Service, a career that would last for the next 25 years.
You know, I'd often wondered about the names of Lighthouse boats...
Your epilogue is fitting, and given the material, a true assessment about the character of Captain Dave, and his kin.
thanks Alia I appreciate your kind comments. It was a lot of fun doing all the research. At some point I will put the rest of the family on the site assuming I can ever get off of FreeRepublic. It has become an addiction :)
It has become an addiction :)
It certainly can be that. ;>
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