Here we are during a quick break. Sorry about Anne’s blink. Symbolic, perhaps, how fast the years have flown. (Click picture to enlarge.)
I asked a friend, recently married, how it was going. His answer, “So far, so good.” I laughed and said, same with me. Which is a good thing, since as of today we reached our 49th year.
Not bad after starting out on a five-day notice. But that’s another story.
This day we find ourselves in Westlake Village undertaking a very ambitious project for Joni and Friends, a ministry to the disabled. Today begins their first international conference, with about 900 people involved. My part is to paint a massive 17 ft. by 6 ft. mural with 20 people surrounding a banquet table.
Besides being accompanied with the likes of sophisticated wheel chairs and crutches, they’re all in international dress. AND it’s all to be completed in four days! (That’s my idea, anyway.) After that they plan to hang in their headquarters for posterity. (I just hope it turns out.)
Happily, Anne is helping me. Yesterday we put up a background color (time consuming itself, with so much square footage) and the charcoal sketch. That’s what we started with today. Though Anne is a fine artist, she’s not a painter. This is the test to whether our marriage will make it to 50 years. (I’M JOKING!)
So this is a quick greeting to you, with thanks for yours back, even if you don’t utter it. We’re grateful for our friends . . . also part of the strength of our marriage, which is, of course so far, so good.
6:36 pm
This is nothing to what you two have gone through in the past 49 years. God will give you strength, insight, wisdom and the love from Him for each other even when you become hard to love. I know, Josephine and I have gone through some rough patches to prove the truth of this. I am soooooo glad that I had a little tiny bit to do with getting you started in painting! I count it as one of the high points of my life! Thank you, both of you, for living up to, and well beyond, my expectations!
6:45 pm
Happy Anniversary 49ers!
6:50 pm
Congratulations, Hyatt and Anne–a real achievement in so many ways; emotionally, psychologically spiritually, and Joy-fully! Bless you both, for many more years to come!
R
7:15 pm
It’s already fantastic! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY YOU TWO!
7:26 pm
Aww, so cute and soon sweet!! Bless you two!!!
7:27 pm
Congratulations on 49 years together! Cliff and I celebrated our 50th last summer. The painting looks fabulous. I am amazed that you could do such a large and wonderful piece of art in such a short time!
Best wishes,
Susan Morrison
7:28 pm
Congratulations dear friends……what better way to show your blended connections in marriage than taking on a huge project!
I have been down that road and it’s fun!
Blessings as you go towards 50 years and then……
Cindy
7:33 pm
I really do not see how you do such a project. I know you have done something big before, but still!
And Happy Anniversary too!
Alex
7:40 pm
Wow! Happy Anniversary Anne and Hyatt!!!
I was very happy to see your post. I have been thinking and praying for you two a lot today knowing it was your first day of painting. It already looks amazing. I will continue to pray and look for updates. Love to you both!
Trisha
8:00 pm
Happy anniversary and may God bless you with many more.
And I think the painting will be a wonderful piece of life from a different angle. The best and God bless.
8:36 pm
Happy Anniversary, Hyatt and Anne! You two are forever young in my book, as you are in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What an honor to paint such a mural. It’s representative of a work on Joni and Ken Tada’s part that has reached untold numbers of the disabled, marginalized and neglected in this world. Please know we’re all praying for you as you complete this project. May the Lord bless you and keep you in the days and years to come!
8:41 pm
What a blessing to be helping others together….to be helping each other accomplish it…even if it’s out of your comfort zone. Awe it’s a huge blessing…. And to think you could paint something that big in such a few days…WHAT? Takes me that many days just to draw out an 8X10…. Show us when you are finished…. Congratulations! And many blessings…..
Ginney Herbert
8:59 pm
Congrats to you both!
9:00 pm
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad -> I’m just surprised your marriage made it through all of our teenage years!!! :)
Love and appreciate you both.
10:09 pm
Congratulations Anne & Hyatt. What a wonderful work of art in the making.
10:19 pm
Beautiful marriage, beautiful painting. A marriage is like a painting…a work of art. God Bless you both!
10:40 pm
Happy and Blessed 49th! Wishing you many more years of wedded bliss!
We celebrated our 50th last Sept! I believe it is only God that can keep us
all these many Years, to Him be all the glory! Love and Hugs to you both!
Judi. Xoxoxox
10:51 pm
You are fine pair. Love to you both.
10:51 pm
[…] I know, no links. But I can’t resist sending you to Hyatt’s latest project: painting live – a 17 ft. mural for Joni and Friends first International Conference. Pray for […]
11:17 pm
Congratulations!! For these days that is an accomplishment. My husband and I reached 69 years, but he passed away in 20011 and I’m still here!
Your mural looks fantastic. I don’t know how you do it.
Keep up the good work and good marriage.
Sincerely, Susie Cartt
11:31 pm
Congratulations, Hyatt and Anne!!!!
Love from us,
Sara and Frank
12:08 am
Dear Anne and Hyatt,
A very happy 49th anniversary! Thank you, Lord!
In this race called “Life”, we are so privileged to have family and friends in the grandstands cheering us on. I’m sure you join us in thanksgiving for them, who encourage us so by their loving deeds, words and prayers. Without them that race would be nigh to impossible. The first verse of Hebrews 12 shows how to run that race.
Hyatt and Anne, thank you for encouraging Joni and her friends through your artful work of love. By your painting you help us see how very difficult their race is, but also that they are so appreciated.
Two of your cheering fans,
Luis & Lisa, Spain
12:30 am
Congratulations Hyatt and Anne!! WOW! 49 years!! We are getting to our 40th this year and love this, :”so far, so good!” Great one! AND LOVE THE PAINTING! WOW WOW WOW! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! Using all your wonderful talents painting in the areas you love to paint in—-all in international dress, people which you are soo good at, and lovely colors!! Great job! AND doing this with ANNE by your side and working together on it! WONDERFUL! YOU ARE TRULY BLESSED!! BOTH OF YOU! love to you both! Lisa
3:54 am
Hi
I was going to DITTO the illustrious JACK POPJES. Nice to see his name appear & the transparency of his comment on marriage.
Like the cricketer who hopes to bat his Century (100 runs) in his turn at bat, but gets bowled OUT @ 99. ( your allusion to 50yrs) may you go way past that!! You’ve beaten all those who started well yet for many reasons are no longer running or counting.
Every master needs to have an apprentice & what a fine one you have in Anne.
May this be your finest work yet..indeed your best year together!!
With deep affection,
John Nowlan
7:21 am
Incredible Hyatt and Anne! Many blessings and prayers for you both! Love the painting
7:56 am
Congrats Hyatt and Anne! May God richly bless you with many more years.
8:01 am
You are both phenomenal in talent and devotion. Congratulations! As always, Hyatt, you wow us!
8:33 am
Congrats to both of you for embracing the wild, wonderful, challenging and immensely fulfilling journey called marriage! Can’t wait to see the finished canvas and hear about the process of painting it together. Love you guys!
10:11 am
Congratulations to you both Hyatt and Anne. Can’t wait to see number 49 completed…..happy painting!
10:41 am
Sort of takes my breath away…
2:10 pm
Happy Anniversary! What better way to show how a strong marriage is created- one brush stroke at a time creating a beautiful mural. Many blessings and prayers on both your marriage and mural you are creating for Joni
4:16 pm
Happy Anniversary to both of you!!! I think about CA and our trip often! Although many years have past and things have changed I hope to come back to your area someday soon! Love to you both! Wishing you many many more anniversaries together!
4:51 pm
Congratulations to you both. That is a long time to be married. But we weren’t taught about divorce so you love your spouse and get along for God’s sake.
1 more year and your will be to the 50 mark.
Becky and Bill Jones
6:46 pm
absolutely beautiful in every way Hyatt! I love it!
Susan P
7:37 pm
Wow! What an inspiration (marriage and painting!). Looking forward to seeing the completed project. Happy Anniversary you two!
9:05 pm
Congratulations to you two and for the many more coming up.
You are great together. Jane
8:30 am
Happy 49th. Your union and love have made a difference in the lives of many.
12:53 pm
Way to go, you two! You are models for us all.
5:20 pm
Thank you so much for spending your anniversary with the Global Access Conference. It was so inspirational to watch you work on that beautiful mural. The Luke 14 Banquet is such a gorgeous representation of God’s love. And to know that each person is someone who is real is mind blowing! Thank you so much!
8:10 am
Hyatt that is love. Congrats! You and Anne truly love, understand, respect, and have each other’s back for one year shy of 50! Wow, and both of you have stayed young looking. You never cease to amaze me with you enormous paintings.