It was 3 o'clock when a knock on the bridal door brought in a dozen roses and a satin bridal robe. The note said it was from my Love, but I already knew that. :) Sweet words full of promise, passion, and future washed over me with a tenderness I had never known.
We hurried to take pictures, do hair, and drink Starbucks as 4 o'clock came and went. Peacock colored dresses were zipped and tied, and a peek out the window told of all the tiny white lights being hung in perfect harmony. I slipped my lace dress on, the one I had searched for and found within an hour. It was perfect. My sister laced me up and practiced laying out the train. Then came the jewelry. Pearl earrings from my dad, necklace from mom and grandma, bracelet from my mother-in-law.
5 o'clock I was ready and waiting with my dad as my bridal party slowly rounded the corner to the song, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Then it was my turn. Pachelbels Canon in D began and I walked down the grassy aisle to my hero, my best friend.
Nothing could have prepared me for the excitement of marrying my Jon! I admit I was one of those girls that dreamed of her wedding til the day it actually came about. I was the one that fancied over all the satin and lace gowns, the one that had her bridesmaid dresses picked out four years ago, the one that dreamed about a green garden with tiny white lights lit up against a perfect evening sky. That was me...and I got everything I always hoped for! (It was definitely kinda weirdly-awesome to see it all come about in real life though.) :)
5 o'clock I was ready and waiting with my dad as my bridal party slowly rounded the corner to the song, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Then it was my turn. Pachelbels Canon in D began and I walked down the grassy aisle to my hero, my best friend.
Nothing could have prepared me for the excitement of marrying my Jon! I admit I was one of those girls that dreamed of her wedding til the day it actually came about. I was the one that fancied over all the satin and lace gowns, the one that had her bridesmaid dresses picked out four years ago, the one that dreamed about a green garden with tiny white lights lit up against a perfect evening sky. That was me...and I got everything I always hoped for! (It was definitely kinda weirdly-awesome to see it all come about in real life though.) :)
But what I wasn't expecting was the perfect man. Oh, don't get me wrong I knew he'd be great, admirable, even desirable, but a fairytale? For me? I was always so tempted to settle, you know what I mean? I would meet a guy and evaluate him: good with kids, nice hair, same favorite ice cream flavor, wears matching socks, loves Jesus...that type of thing. I remember always thinking, "I could probably make it work with this one, I mean how hard can it be." But wow things do change when you are married. Not necessarily in a bad way, but both of you just become real people and its a little shocking to find out that indeed your perfect boyfriend does not always think about how many coffee cups he's leaving around the house or that sarcastic jokes aren't always the best idea when you're on your cycle.
There were times in my life when I thought I would never be good enough to marry or nobody would want me. I wanted to give up on the whole "spend-my-life-with-someone-forever" train and either become a nun or marry the next guy that said "Hey". But I didn't. I stuck with it. I kept to my standards and my requirements list and kept preparing to be a great wife. I had to learn to trust that God would one day bring me someone if I was supposed to marry and until then I was going to live my life to the fullest and keep preparing to be a helpmeet.
If you're single I want to encourage you to do the same. Stick to your guns and don't let any dirtbag come and kiss away your precautions. Don't let them steal your heart. You are worth far more than rubies and I need you to live like it! I promise, there is someone out there for you. Just be patient and he will come. Make it worth a man's while to pursue you and, if he thinks you're worth it, he will scale mountains.
If you're married, ladies, I suggest we remember that we are now taken. We are not a free show and we love our husbands by honoring and respecting them. I know my husband really appreciates it when I give him a listening ear and we have deep, meaningful conversations together and when his clothes are clean. He loves when I make him dinner and let him play a quick round of video games to get out of the work zone in his head. He loves it when I appreciate something he does or buys for me and when I sit next to him in the truck. It's my goal to be encouraging and to gush over him (and his bright blue eyes) just like when we were dating. We each have a great gift in our husbands and they need cherishing.
My life is not perfect, but I did choose to wait for God's perfect timing and I want the same for each of you. Let's go love a little harder today. Make it count. ;)
There were times in my life when I thought I would never be good enough to marry or nobody would want me. I wanted to give up on the whole "spend-my-life-with-someone-forever" train and either become a nun or marry the next guy that said "Hey". But I didn't. I stuck with it. I kept to my standards and my requirements list and kept preparing to be a great wife. I had to learn to trust that God would one day bring me someone if I was supposed to marry and until then I was going to live my life to the fullest and keep preparing to be a helpmeet.
If you're single I want to encourage you to do the same. Stick to your guns and don't let any dirtbag come and kiss away your precautions. Don't let them steal your heart. You are worth far more than rubies and I need you to live like it! I promise, there is someone out there for you. Just be patient and he will come. Make it worth a man's while to pursue you and, if he thinks you're worth it, he will scale mountains.
If you're married, ladies, I suggest we remember that we are now taken. We are not a free show and we love our husbands by honoring and respecting them. I know my husband really appreciates it when I give him a listening ear and we have deep, meaningful conversations together and when his clothes are clean. He loves when I make him dinner and let him play a quick round of video games to get out of the work zone in his head. He loves it when I appreciate something he does or buys for me and when I sit next to him in the truck. It's my goal to be encouraging and to gush over him (and his bright blue eyes) just like when we were dating. We each have a great gift in our husbands and they need cherishing.
My life is not perfect, but I did choose to wait for God's perfect timing and I want the same for each of you. Let's go love a little harder today. Make it count. ;)
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