Weddings vs. Marriages

I've been kind of busy this week. Haven't posted for many days. Karl and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. Hard to believe that it has been fifteen years since we took our vows.

Let's see, hmmmmmm. There was mixup at the credit union. I had all these out of state checks that were wedding gifts. We wanted to use them for our honeymoon. Unfortunately, due to a variety of circumstances that forced me into this situation, I ended up at the credit union the day of my wedding. After waiting what seemed like forever only to be told that I was in the wrong line, I nearly burst into tears and said, I'm getting married in three hours, can anyone please help me!!!

Karl had his own woes with a tuxedo situation. One of the groomsmen was unavailable when we called for measurements. His wife took out his suit coat and measured it. She didn't know how to measure it correctly, and he ended up with a tux where the sleeves came just past his elbows! So they spent that day getting remeasured and making sure everyone still matched.

My dad had built the gazebo we were getting married in. There was no roof on it, just streamers in the wedding colors. The wind was crazy that day, but we were grateful that we didn't get rained out. So, the unity candle wouldn't light. We had to "fake it" for the pictures.

One of my uncivilized cousins decided that it would be more fun to throw the entire little ball of birdseed at me instead of opening the pretty little wedding colors package like the civilized people did and tossing the birdseed the traditional way.

Then, on our way to the hotel, Karl told me he had forgotten something at the place where he was staying. It was a 20 minute drive in the opposite direction of our hotel! Yikes. I was beginning to think we would never get there. But Karl was insistent that he had to have it.

He was right. It was vital. It was a cooler that he had prepared. Inside were some tortillas, grape juice and glasses. This is a groom's idea of unleavened bread and juice for communion. Karl wanted us to begin our marriage with a special communion, just the two of us. I have always loved that desire in him to see that our marriage in anchored in God.

There have been times where we've gotten off track, but praise the Lord for the power of the Holy Spirit and the messages of revival that come into our lives, reminding us that God must be a vital partner in our individual lives as well as in our marriage.

Communion has always been special to me, and I think Karl knew that as well, when he worked so hard to put that cooler of stuff together for us. Jesus said He would not drink of the fruit of the vine until He drinks it anew with us in the Kingdom of Heaven. God is waiting for the marriage supper of the Lamb. Waiting in eager anticipation to commune with us.

I think of 15 wonderful years with Karl, and more to come. And I also think of eternity with my Savior. God is good.