Dancing in the Minefields

Dancing in the Minefields
Song by Andrew Peterson

I was nineteen, you were twenty-one
The year we got engaged
Everyone said we were much too young
But we did it anyway

We bought our rings for forty each
From a pawn shop down the road
We made our vows and took the leap
Now fifteen years ago

We went dancing in the minefields
We went sailing in the storm
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for

"I do" are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I've heard
Is a good place to begin

'Cause the only way to find your life
Is to lay your own life down
And I believe it's an easy price
For the life that we have found

And we're dancing in the minefields
We're sailing in the storm
This is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that's what the promise is for

So when I lose my way, find me
When I loose love's chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith, till the end of all my days
When I forget my name, remind me

'Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man
So there's nothing left to fear
So I'll walk with you in the shadowlands
Till the shadows disappear

'Cause he promised not to leave us
And his promises are true
So in the face of all this chaos, baby,
I can dance with you

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/a/andrew_peterson/dancing_in_the_minefields.html ]

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary. I really love this song by Andrew Peterson because I think it captures the struggles and joys of young married life (or just married life) so well. Tommy actually proposed on my 20th birthday and he was 21. We did spend a little more on our rings. :-) My favorite line in the song is in the bridge... "When I forget my name, remind me."
We have known others that got married young and then later, if things fell apart, they would say things like, "we were too young" and "we grew up in different directions, we are not the same people we were when we got married." I think that is kind of the point. You are never going to be exactly the same people you were when you got married, no matter how old you were, because we are all constantly growing and changing. The challenge of marriage is to keep your connection to each other and, I think, remind each other who you are and who you can be. I feel like Tommy and I are better people than we were 7 years ago. Every day has its' challenges, but, like the song says, "That's what the promise is for."

Tommy is still my best friend and my partner in life. I am so grateful to have a wonderful man to share my life with and raise a child with. God has blessed us tremendously! I can't wait to see what the next 7 years and beyond hold for us!

With Love,

Crystal