This past fall, my wife and I drove to Nashville, TN, just two hours away through the beautiful rolling Appalachians of southern Tennessee.

The occasion — a wedding reception for a former high school student.

My wife built one of the most prestigious high school chorus programs in Georgia and labored at that night and day for 13 years.

After teaching thousands of students, several stand out. But Chance holds a special place in her heart. For years, she's repeated stories about Chance and his in-class pranks and off-the-cuff quips that kept her in stitches, and the underlying gentleness of his soul.

She wouldn't have missed this celebration if it were in Montana — on the other side of the world from us.

When we received a Christmas greeting from Chance and Jennifer, his wife, my wife smiled from ear-to-ear. When I read their lovely letter, I smiled too.

Chance and Jennifer shared — with their typical sense of humor — what they have learned about each other in the short 3 months of marriage. And it's so appropriate for building a loving peaceful marriage, I asked Chance if I could share it with you. Here it is.

Things I learned in 2005 (by Chance):

• Sometimes there is no reason why a woman cries, but you quickly become the reason if you try to tell her that.
• They've created a crazy, new invention since I was single called a clothes hamper and apparently they're all the rage! At least they are at our house.
• Food tastes much better when your wife makes it for you.
• A) Lid up B) Lid down C) Separate bathrooms. . .Say it with me now — C!
• Communication is all about trying to understand your partner's needs and point of view. It's very important that you HEAR your wife. . .Then do whatever she says.

Things I learned in 2005 (by Jennifer):

• Coming home to someone is amazing.
• Chance really, really, really likes TV — no, more than you thought he did.
• Men can somehow walk by an overflowing trashcan, a sink full of dishes, socks lying on the floor. . .and genuinely not see it. It's like a magic trick — how do they do that?
• When guys have lived on their own for a while, they really appreciate a home-cooked meal. . .and it feels great to be appreciated.
• Communication is all about trying to understand your partner's needs and point of view. It's very important that you HEAR your husband. . .Then, explain to him how he's wrong.

"Above all, we're continuing to learn that we're all here to love one another, beyond words and with our actions. . .and to better understand the boundless depths of God's love for us."

Congratulations to Chance and Jennifer and peace to all.