I vow to keep my vows...
Tomorrow marks two years of wedded bliss for Aaron and me. It has flown. Truthfully, it felt like today should have been our one year anniversary. They say time flies when you're having fun, and clearly we've had a lot of fun!
Aaron took the reigns and planned out our celebration today. We woke up early, had some breakfast pizza, and went to get massages. We stopped at the convenient store on the way home, and he picked up a bottle of grape juice. I wasn't quite sure what he was going to use it for. I'm usually pretty good at picking up on things, but I had no idea what was next. We got home, he pulled some crackers out of the pantry, grabbed our vows from our wedding day, and we went out to the back porch. He said, "I thought we could read over our vows again and take communion together." And so we read over the words, the promises, we had written to one another two years ago, and we agreed that we still meant them. We bowed our heads, and Aaron began to give thanks. I held back tears as I listened to my sweet husband praise the Lord for our lives together, for the blessings He has poured out on us, and for me. Then, it was my turn.
Praise flowed from my lips, and I thought I was going to make it. I thought I would be able to hold it together. After all, I had made it through our whole wedding ceremony without shedding a tear. But as I set there in the warm sunlight, my dear husband humbling himself before the Lord with me, I couldn't do it. I paused, and I wasn't sure if the words would still come out. My heart was so overwhelmed, over joyed, and tears started to roll down my cheeks. And as I thanked the Lord for helping us through these first 2 years of marriage, for pouring out his grace and patience on us, for teaching us and using us, for giving us more than we deserve, and for binding us together, I couldn't help but say, "Thank you, Lord, for redeeming me. Thank you for answering all of my prayers, all of my heart's desires, through Aaron. Thank you for giving me the privilege of being his wife."
This is the beauty of marriage, my friends. The privilege. We don't "deserve" to be married. I don't deserve any of the good things Aaron does for me. I don't deserve his love, his patience, his forgiveness, or his grace. I don't deserve a man like him, but God never gives us what we deserve. God gives us more than we deserve. He gives us abundance. He gives us the fullest measure. Not for anything we have done, simply because He is good.
Thank you, Lord, for being so good to me. For choosing me to be Aaron's wife. It's a privilege to live out my days with him, but more than that, it's a privilege to serve you with him. Thank you for having so much more in store for me than I could have ever expected or imagined. For overwhelming me with your redemptive grace. Thank you for always going above and beyond, and thank you for giving me the best. Your best. For reminding me that nothing is impossible with you, and for daily showing me that your love for me is greater, deeper, and wider than I'll ever be able to grasp. Thank you for 2 years of growth, of learning, and of loving. Thank you for letting me be a part of a Christ-centered marriage, and for giving me a husband who truly loves me as you love the church. Thank you, Lord, for making me a bride. Aaron's bride. Your bride. What a privilege it is to be yours.
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12
Aaron took the reigns and planned out our celebration today. We woke up early, had some breakfast pizza, and went to get massages. We stopped at the convenient store on the way home, and he picked up a bottle of grape juice. I wasn't quite sure what he was going to use it for. I'm usually pretty good at picking up on things, but I had no idea what was next. We got home, he pulled some crackers out of the pantry, grabbed our vows from our wedding day, and we went out to the back porch. He said, "I thought we could read over our vows again and take communion together." And so we read over the words, the promises, we had written to one another two years ago, and we agreed that we still meant them. We bowed our heads, and Aaron began to give thanks. I held back tears as I listened to my sweet husband praise the Lord for our lives together, for the blessings He has poured out on us, and for me. Then, it was my turn.
Praise flowed from my lips, and I thought I was going to make it. I thought I would be able to hold it together. After all, I had made it through our whole wedding ceremony without shedding a tear. But as I set there in the warm sunlight, my dear husband humbling himself before the Lord with me, I couldn't do it. I paused, and I wasn't sure if the words would still come out. My heart was so overwhelmed, over joyed, and tears started to roll down my cheeks. And as I thanked the Lord for helping us through these first 2 years of marriage, for pouring out his grace and patience on us, for teaching us and using us, for giving us more than we deserve, and for binding us together, I couldn't help but say, "Thank you, Lord, for redeeming me. Thank you for answering all of my prayers, all of my heart's desires, through Aaron. Thank you for giving me the privilege of being his wife."
This is the beauty of marriage, my friends. The privilege. We don't "deserve" to be married. I don't deserve any of the good things Aaron does for me. I don't deserve his love, his patience, his forgiveness, or his grace. I don't deserve a man like him, but God never gives us what we deserve. God gives us more than we deserve. He gives us abundance. He gives us the fullest measure. Not for anything we have done, simply because He is good.
Thank you, Lord, for being so good to me. For choosing me to be Aaron's wife. It's a privilege to live out my days with him, but more than that, it's a privilege to serve you with him. Thank you for having so much more in store for me than I could have ever expected or imagined. For overwhelming me with your redemptive grace. Thank you for always going above and beyond, and thank you for giving me the best. Your best. For reminding me that nothing is impossible with you, and for daily showing me that your love for me is greater, deeper, and wider than I'll ever be able to grasp. Thank you for 2 years of growth, of learning, and of loving. Thank you for letting me be a part of a Christ-centered marriage, and for giving me a husband who truly loves me as you love the church. Thank you, Lord, for making me a bride. Aaron's bride. Your bride. What a privilege it is to be yours.
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12
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