When my husband, B and I married, we didn't do the traditional marriage vows. However, we sure thought of them and still do to this day. The part "for better and for worse" part, along with the "love keeps no record of wrongs" and "love bears all" parts in 1 Corinthians 13 meant and mean something to us.
Words have meaning. Each word does.
We dissected the traditional wedding vows and the love verses to make sure we would live by them before we ever got married. And, we still reflect on them today. 'Are we living them?' is a question we constantly ask ourselves.
B and I made a vow to one another and to God. We know our marriage is a reflection of our relationship with the Lord.
We take our marriage seriously. It's not something that's flippant.
When we go through the hard times in life, which there are plenty, we cling to one another and to God. We do not allow division between us--B and I and God. We know that it takes all three to make this thing called life work, plus our marriage.
The little stuff in life, we keep little. We do not make a mountain out of a molehill. (Sorry to use a cliche. But, again, words have meaning--and this best illustrates the point I'm trying to make.) We have gone through so much in a few years past a decade--and we've learned to take things in stride. It does not help anything, or make things easier, to throw a fit, fight, and have division in our marriage when life sends us a challenge. (How ridiculous is that?)
Our challenges grow us.
Marriage is meant to help carry one another's burdens and that sure makes things easier and more meaningful.
We have a good marriage because it's something we work on. We make it worth the effort. We refuse to hold the past against one another and to try to make the best of our situation, one another, our faith, and our marriage today.
In our marriage, there is a word we try to never use. "I." Rather, it's "We." Marriage cannot ever be self-serving. It has to be we-centered. and, by golly, God better be the first in the equation on both parts.
Marriage takes on a whole new level when you live in this manner: "Always give thanks--no matter what." Always give thanks, even for the challenges. Always give thanks to one another. Always give thanks how life is a journey meant to be shared together. Always give thanks--for God is the reason for everything. It is, after all, all about Him--and not about us.
God, thank You for helping us center our marriage on You, not on each other, and surely not on circumstances or emotion.
Lord, thank You for all the bends in the road, the life challenges You've sent our way over the last few weeks, never mind the last two years. To YOU be the glory in all of it. It's all about You and Your perfect plan.
(Top image credit: Microsoft images online 2008-2014.)
