Today is Maundy Thursday, and it also happens to be our ten year wedding anniversary. The reality of these falling on the same day is not lost on me.

Nate and I got married on the most perfect, April Charleston day. I wore the white dress with full glam makeup, walked down an aisle on my dad’s arm, and vowed to love Nate as Christ loves us. (“How hard could it be?!” said two naive 24-year-olds)

Maundy Thursday comes from the latin word for “command.” On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washes his disciples dirty feet, dines with them for the last time, and gives a new commandment: love one another as He has loved them. (He knew how hard it would be.)

While we have been married a short time in the grand scheme of life, here’s what astounds me the most: that commandment became a glue bonding us together. The secret sauce.

We both have seasons where we fail at this, but by and large Nate is much better at it than I am. I love to keep score. But for ten years now, in seasons of high demands and little sleep, he hasn’t. And it’s in those daily deaths to his own desires that I am softened to do the same. And don’t even get me started on the romance this brings! The perfect positive feedback loop.

His starting the laundry load makes me want to fold it.
My cooking our meals makes him want to take the trash out after dinner.
His getting up in the night with Alberta makes me want to wake early and allow him a bit more sleep.

Jesus knew this command was costly in the moment but bore fruit over time. That in going lower, we would lift each other higher.

Happy ten years, Nate. Thanks for starting each day bended low, unloading the dishwasher.