An Altar of Remembrance

I wrote this poem to celebrate Becca’s parents’ 50th anniversary, inspired by Joshua 4:1–9, 21–24.

An Altar of Remembrance

By Josh Bishop

for Mike & Kay Barry on January 5, 2024

You placed the first stone when you pledged “I do”
and together ran headlong across the threshold
that makes one life, one flesh, from what was two —
not knowing what the long years since that day would hold.
Not knowing then the countless homes you’d build
on countless, unguessed avenues around the nation,
where in every place you served the church, the ill,
each other through your ministering vocations.
Not knowing then the laughter, tears you’d share,
the daily pains and joys you’d give and bear for each,
shared moments when you’d breathe enchanted air,
those lone and lonely times the dream seemed out of reach.
Not knowing then your daughters’ lovely faces
or, later, how they’d settle husbands, children, homes
to plant and grow your line in far-off places.
And still you laid through all the changing years your stones.
Not knowing then you’d bend to nearly breaking
but choose instead the harder, narrow path of staying,
reknit together stronger through remaking —
and hand-in-hand you’d gather still more stones for laying.
Not knowing that your road would lead you home,
back across the Jordan to the Texas promised land,
where your marriage built of living stones 
as an altar of remembering now stands.

Full fifty stones, now, gathered through the years,
and when your children’s children’s children ask in wonder,
“What do these stones mean?” we’ll say with grateful tears:
These stones before you are a memory forever;
these fifty tell the tale of two made one —
a sermon made of lives God’s mighty hand has blessed.
Look! See here before you what the Lord has done.
Look, and nevermore forget Christ’s faithfulness.