So, today my friend and brother Joey is getting married. It's such a weird thought. The guys and I have been anticipating this for about a year now. It's like the hit event of 2009 or something. Thankfully though, I've recently begun to learn what exactly the real meaning is when they're on the altar saying, "I do." I'm not going to go on about the same old picture of Christ and the church, although I agree with that fully and think it's awesome. Rather, I have a different yet related part of the picture to show you.
Summer is typically wedding season. Makes sense, doesn't it? Nice weather, blue skies, warmth, and all that whatnot abound at this time of year. Yes, even in Washington, who just likes to throw random curveballs at us. But as a result of wedding season, one can't help but hear people talking about weddings. Sarrah keeps getting surrounded by women talking about how guys proposed to them (which is one of the most frightening conversations for a man to be around during) or what happens to their bodies when they're pregnant (which is just a scary thought for BOTH genders).
But at the same time, one learns about marriage through his own relationship, with people and with his significant other.
A married couple, one who is dedicated to God, should know one another deeply and intimately. Sarrah and I talk about stuff, confide in one another. It's just made us closer. When I see a married couple, particularly an older one, I like to imagine they have that kind of knowledge of each other. And it's a beautiful thing.
Along with that comes a love that is willing to forgive. Some people want a fairy tale relationship. Simply put, it doesn't exist. No relationship worth its salt is perfect. We are fallible human beings. How can we possibly expect one another to be perfect in every way? We know we are not perfect; don't expect perfection from someone else. One should love his spouse enough to forget the wrongs. And vice versa, ladies. At least if one wants a relationship to work.
Then comes life. When two people go to the altar to give their vows, they are basically forgetting their old, individual lives for this new, joint one. The man's life has been thrown away. The woman's life has been thrown away. This new life includes both of them and belongs neither to one or the other, but to both of them as if they are a single person. They work as a unit to live the life God has planned for them together. Sarrah put this really well in a line of a poem:
I'm sure there's a lot more to it. I'm absolutely certain I don't know everything there is to know about marriage. I wonder if anyone really does? I think I had something else I wanted to write, too, but I forgot what it was. So anyways, this is what I've learned thus far from observation as well as from my own relationship. That sounded like a scientific kind of sentence.
Now, I have a wedding to attend. Have a good one!
Summer is typically wedding season. Makes sense, doesn't it? Nice weather, blue skies, warmth, and all that whatnot abound at this time of year. Yes, even in Washington, who just likes to throw random curveballs at us. But as a result of wedding season, one can't help but hear people talking about weddings. Sarrah keeps getting surrounded by women talking about how guys proposed to them (which is one of the most frightening conversations for a man to be around during) or what happens to their bodies when they're pregnant (which is just a scary thought for BOTH genders).
But at the same time, one learns about marriage through his own relationship, with people and with his significant other.
A married couple, one who is dedicated to God, should know one another deeply and intimately. Sarrah and I talk about stuff, confide in one another. It's just made us closer. When I see a married couple, particularly an older one, I like to imagine they have that kind of knowledge of each other. And it's a beautiful thing.
Along with that comes a love that is willing to forgive. Some people want a fairy tale relationship. Simply put, it doesn't exist. No relationship worth its salt is perfect. We are fallible human beings. How can we possibly expect one another to be perfect in every way? We know we are not perfect; don't expect perfection from someone else. One should love his spouse enough to forget the wrongs. And vice versa, ladies. At least if one wants a relationship to work.
Then comes life. When two people go to the altar to give their vows, they are basically forgetting their old, individual lives for this new, joint one. The man's life has been thrown away. The woman's life has been thrown away. This new life includes both of them and belongs neither to one or the other, but to both of them as if they are a single person. They work as a unit to live the life God has planned for them together. Sarrah put this really well in a line of a poem:
Separate in body but united in Christ.Isn't that beautiful? Now that I'm back to the normal picture, here goes. Christ died for the church. We (the church) must die for Christ. Likewise, a man and a woman lay down their lives for one another. And this happens every day. A man named Cairo was telling Hanna yesterday at the wedding rehearsal/setup that if she's not willing to die for just one month, or if Joey's not willing to die for just a month, there's going to be catastrophe. But if they are, it's awesome.
I'm sure there's a lot more to it. I'm absolutely certain I don't know everything there is to know about marriage. I wonder if anyone really does? I think I had something else I wanted to write, too, but I forgot what it was. So anyways, this is what I've learned thus far from observation as well as from my own relationship. That sounded like a scientific kind of sentence.
Now, I have a wedding to attend. Have a good one!
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