Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Wedding

"Love is the oxygen of the soul. We can't live without it" - Tony Robbins

I went to a wedding yesterday. It was beautiful.
The bride looked like a true princess in her white dress.
The groom, in his Black suit, beamed with happiness as she walked down the aisle.

The day was a long time coming. The couple had dated four years and had even taken a 12-week course called "So You Think You Want To Get Married."  

There was a scripture reading after the prayer, Ephesians 5:19-33. Verse 22 says, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." And Verse 25 says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." The other verses talk about how a man should leave his parents to unite with his wife and the two shall become one. I encourage you to read the King James Version of all 15 verses when you get a chance. (As a side note, I want 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 read at my wedding)

I listened to the preacher as he stood before the couple. "Marriage is a challenge," he said. He then referenced the scripture reading and noted that people often focus on how wives should submit and overlook the requirements of husbands.

He charged the groom: to give his wife unconditional love, love without end.
"Lay it all down for this woman," the preacher said. "She should know her heart will be safe with you. I charge you with providing her with safety and security."

Then he turned to the bride and said, "A man's greatest need is for respect."
His charge for her was to respect, love and help her husband.
"He is the head and you are the neck," the preacher said. "A head can't move without a neck."

Before the couple exchanged vows, the preacher noted that marriage was not 50-50, it was 100-100. "You have to give 100% all of the time or it's not going to work," he said.

The bride and groom exchanged vows. They exchanged rings. They lit the unity candle and we danced until our feet hurt at the reception.

It was indeed a joyous occasion. But I've seen this scene too many times and sometimes it ends even before it begins. I wish them well.

holla at me...

3 comments:

kendra said...

awww... sweet. i agree with your ending, though. just found out a couple i thought would make it is getting a divorce. sigh...

Unknown said...

100% all the time...Impossible...unrealisitc expectation! Married couples should understand that their partners are not capable of such a task and commit to being the balance of the 100. When your husband/wife is only able to muster 25-30% commit to supplying that 70-75% they are lacking. This realistic balance/counter-balance makes sustainable marriages.

TNDRHRT said...

You can't give 100% each day. Who gives 100% of themselves to anything every day?? Every other day...maybe? We don't even do 100% at our job each day. Admit it...we slack at times, but we are COMMITTED long term to something even if that commitment is not displayed on a daily basis. I think marriages (said from the single, never married person) should follow this. We should strive for a long term commitment even when there are days that our marriages may look bleak. We don't quit our jobs when we have a bad day. Do you?