“Hey Pops,” Graham said, sliding into the seat across from his grandfather. He placed the checkerboard on the table. “Ready for a rematch?”

            James’ lips curled upward. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

            “I’m ready if you are,” Graham said. “One of these days I’m going to beat you.”

            James laughed. “I seem to remember a few times over the years where you beat me.”

            “Not very often,” Graham said.

            “Maybe because I’ve been playing checkers since long before you were born.”
            “Did you ever play with Dad?”

            A shadow crossed James’ face. “A little,” he said, “but your father was never one for sitting still.”

            “No, I guess not,” Graham said, laying the checkers out on the board. “I miss him.”

            James lay a wrinkled hand on Graham’s. “Me too. He’d be proud of you. You’ve turned into a fine young man.”

            “Thanks, Pops,” Graham said. “You’ve been both a father and a grandfather to me.”

            James’s eyes grew moist and he waved a hand. “Are we going to play or what?”

            The next several minutes were silent as the two men focused on the game.

            “Pops?”

            James looked up from the board. “What is it, son?”

            “I’m thinking of asking Ashley to marry me.” He picked up a checker and rolled it between his fingers. “I’m worried, though. What’s it like to spend your whole life with the same woman?”

             “I wouldn’t know.”

            “What do you mean? You and Grandma…”

             “You want to know? Listen.” He leaned back in his chair. A slow grin spread across his face. “I remember the first day I saw her. We were in high school. She was smart as a whip. Answered all the teacher’s questions. Gorgeous dark curls, not afraid of anything. It took me two years, but I somehow convinced her to go out with me. We married right after college. She was brave and adventurous. Always curious. Life was exciting with her.” James rubbed his chin.       

             “In my thirties, I met the nurturer. She was amazing with the children. She took care of them all day long. Read to them, taught them, took them on day trips. She made our house the perfect home. The kind of woman every man dreams about coming home to after a long day.”

            Graham opened his mouth, but James placed a hand on his arm. “There’s more, son. Much more. Be patient.” He removed his hand and sank back into his memories. “As the kids grew, I met the ambitious career woman. She was ready to take on the world. I was so proud of her. She went back to school, took classes, and landed a job with one of the most prestigious firms in the city. She reminded me of that spitfire back in high school. She handled negotiations and mergers like a pro.” James ran a hand down his face and his eyes took on a faraway look.

           “Then there was the woman who became my strength. After losing my first-born son, my world turned upside down. She was a rock. She was devastated too, but she clung to God and taught me that even in the most unthinkable tragedies, life can go on. God still cared about us and still loved us.”

           “After that, I met a more relaxed woman. She’s more content to spend time at home, to invest in her grandchildren, and to travel with me. No, I wouldn’t know what it’s like to spend my whole life with the same woman.”

           “But you and Grandma just celebrated your 50th wedding anniversary,” Graham said.

           “And I loved every stage of it,” James said. “Do you think you’ll be the same man in 50 years as you are now? Don’t expect Ashley to be the same, either. It’s not about loving the same woman the rest of your life. It’s committing to loving the one you married, through trials, through struggles, through her changes and yours. Never regretted it a day in my life.”

Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Father God, thank You for the blessing of marriage. Thank You for showing us Your faithfulness as we grow and change in life. You never give up on us, never stop loving us. Help us to show that love to others. For those who are married, Lord, strengthen their marriages and help give them a renewed sense of commitment to one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.