I freely admit I come from a time when girls gave considerable thought to their weddings, starting at about the age of three.
Boys? Not so much.
While I had thought (and prayed)ti a great deal about the woman I would marry, I had thought very little about what came next. Oh, I had worked out some employment so we would be able to eat and have a place to live. But I had not given even one thought to our wedding.
And suddenly, I found my bride-to-be wanted us to write our own wedding vows. A lot must be said in praise of her patience with me during those sessions. For me, it was a strange time. I was dumbstruck; and immediately developed writer's block. Each time we finalized something, she introduced something else for us to decide upon. It was very difficult for me, but I think doubly so for her.
Our struggle was partly due to the fact that she understood just how important that day was to be; while I was much more focused on the days, weeks, months, and (hopefully) years to follow. Still, she kept us moving forward in an effort to jointly craft one of the most important days in our lives.
Then, as we neared the end of our planning, she asked a question I COULD answer on the first try: "Have you given any thought to the scripture you want to have inscribed in my ring?" Now, I admit I had given no forethought to this; I hadn't known that was something people did. But as soon as she voiced the question, I knew the scripture. And you do, too (and why), if you've been reading these reflections for a while.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NKJV)
I could not think of better words I would want her to reflect on when thinking of me. She knew how important those words were to me, and agreed they were perfect. When I asked which she wanted to inscribe on the inside of my ring, she quoted from Philippians, chapter 1. In that moment, I got it. I finally understood why she had been working so hard to include me in all of the plans for our wedding day. This was how she saw US.
"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."(Philippians 1:3-6 ESV)
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READINGS FOR THIS WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu
Second Sunday of Advent (December 9, 2012)
Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
We're extending our tryout of "THE EGG AND I" for Lectionary Breakfast. Join us at 8:00 Friday morning if you're in Waco. The food is excellent(!), and we have a separate room in which to meet. [The restaurant is located in a shopping center at the corner of New Road and Franklin, just behind Outback.]
Got an idea for a Lex Break meeting place? Suggestions welcome! Either write me or just bring it up at Lectionary Breakfast. Requirements: good food, table configurations that allow us to be together, and the ability to hear each other :-)
Enjoy the week!
Steve
P.S. If you want to know more about why Proverbs 3:5-6 was the perfect choice for my Bride's ring inscription, read "A Two-Edged Sword" elsewhere on this blog.
