Heavenly 13th Birthday. I think it’s important to have faith. Our soul goes to be with the Lord.

 Thank you for catching that! Sixteen years is a massive milestone—that’s a lot of "blending" and a lot of grace under your belt since you got married in 2009. That longevity actually gives your blog post even more weight because you’ve lived through the "for better or worse" part of the message.

Here is a revised version of that post, tailored to your 16-year journey:

The "Sinner" in the Christmas Card: A 16-Year Perspective on Grace

I recently opened a Christmas card from my mother-in-law that gave me a bit of a "wait, what?" moment. Inside, she had written about how my husband and I are two "sinners" blending our lives together.

In a season usually filled with "peace on earth" and "joy to the world," seeing the word sinner in a card feels a bit heavy. But after sixteen years of marriage, I’ve realized she was actually touching on a profound truth that we often hear in church or from the pulpit.

A Union of Two Fallible People

Theology teaches us that marriage is a "union of two sinners" in a covenant before God. It isn't a story of two perfect people finding each other; it’s the reality of two people who "fall short" and bring their imperfections into one home.

Why This Perspective Actually Helps

Looking back over the last 16 years—from the early days when I first went to college in 2006 to now raising three kids—I can see why acknowledging our "fallibility" is so important:

 * It Removes the Pressure of Perfection: Every marriage is comprised of two people who are "in progress". When we stop expecting our spouse to be perfect, we stop being shocked by their mistakes.

 * It Creates Space for Sacrifice: A "sinner-to-sinner" relationship is where we learn how much sacrifice is truly involved in loving someone through every season of life.

 * It Highlights a Greater Story: Marriage is the stage where the story of redemption plays out. By extending grace to each other, we reflect how God extends grace to us.

 * One Great Savior: While we are two sinners, we aren't doing it alone. We have "one great Savior" who gives us the strength to transform and forgive.

Making it Work

My mother-in-law ended the card by saying she was "so proud" of us for making it work. And honestly? Making it work for 16 years isn't about being sinless—it's about being "grace-filled." It’s about the daily decision to look at the person next to you, acknowledge that you’re both works in progress, and choose to keep blending your lives together anyway.

Would you like me to suggest some "Featured Images" or photo ideas you could use for this post? (Maybe a photo of that card or a nice picture of you and Nathan from your early years?)