The Vocation Of Marriage: Joe And Linda’s Story

This is the third part of our series on vocations. Joe and Linda Niehaus are celebrating their 45th anniversary this year.

So, they asked us to write an article on living marriage as a vocation. I guess we are supposed to know something about this subject after 45 years and counting. We realize we are still a work in progress because when we take the time to reflect on the past 45 years, it is very evident we are not the same couple we were back then.

At the beginning, our marriage was made up of the every day stuff of life; getting ahead in our jobs, paying bills, owning a house, children which came too many too fast. So being “called” would elicit the response; “I don’t have time for that”. But as we reflect on our past history, we become aware of several significant events that helped us see our marriage as a special “calling”. Maybe we are not comfortable with the word “vocation” because it took so many years for us to see our life together as Sacred.

The stuff of life was still there and even more was added; like illness, job relocations, bigger financial responsibilities, but now with all the storms of life we felt we now had a special relationship umbrella that allowed us to dance in the rain. Our Sacrament of Matrimony is that umbrella that shield’s us and also holds us close. We have been called to share our special gift through this our relationship. We thank God for those years of marriage, the people we have loved and who love us. By this time in our lives we see living our marriage as a vocation which is sacred and gift. Our marriage is a gift for us to hold with reverence, and to share with all of you.