Reason #715
Today was one of those really sweet days with a bunch of little joys. We had our monthly employee meeting, which are my favorite. I always treat myself to chai lattes on those days, as the coffee shop inside the bank makes the best ones in town. I used to drink those suckers every morning. Routines change, and so those have become little treats for me. After the meeting, I visited with a few of my co-workers. I work with some really great people, and work is always more enjoyable when you personally know the people you spend 8 hours a day with rather than just knowing who they are. One of my co-workers made mention of a man she has recently started dating and I could not have been more excited for her. She is so adorable, and she deserves a really great guy to share her life with. So far, it sounds like she’s found herself a good match. I could just see the joy radiating from her face as her smile stretched from ear to ear. She glowed as she talk about him and about their common interests, and I thought about how sweet it is to find love.
I went to a dinner last night for a work committee I was on during the year, and we started to discuss marriage. Some people at the table have been married forever, some for a short while, some never, and some more than once. It was an interesting mix, and a comment was made the singleness is the best way to go. And while there are some incredible benefits to being single, there are also some incredible benefits to being married. Truthfully, I think it’s just best to enjoy the season you’re in, with all of it’s benefits, because who knows when that will change. But I thought about my own life, as we ate dinner at the same restaurant my wedding rehearsal was at. I thought about how much I enjoyed single life. I thought about how much I enjoyed getting to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it, determining how, when, and where my money was spent, how my house looked, who I hung out with, what my social calendar looked like, what I kept the thermostat at, and my alone time in general. But mostly, what I thought about, was how thankful I am that my single season is over. That God not only healed my heart but gave me the courage and capacity to open myself up to being loved. That He gave me the incredible blessing of becoming one and sharing my whole entire life with another. There is a season for everything.
Eight months ago, tonight, we were rehearsing for our wedding. There has yet to be a time as sweet in my life as that weekend. I mean really, it was pure joy. Everything I dreamed a wedding weekend would and should be. In fact, if I could go back and live through those days again, I surely would. Because it was those days that it was clear to me the beauty of unity. I mean who else is going to hug you in the mornings when you wake up with ratted hair and retainer breath? Who is going to stop by the pharmacy when you feel bad and bring you home a few remedies with hopes that you feel better soon? Who is going to hold your hand through the tough stuff so that you don’t have to go through it alone? Who will lay next to you at night and talk about your future and how to make those things a possibility? Who will warm you up when you’re freezing cold and bring you hot chocolate just because you’ve been craving it? Who is going to be your constant friend when most other relationships change? Who will authentically celebrate with you when good things come your way? Who will support you and believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself? Who will laugh with you or help take your mind off the worries of the day by sharing in them? And who will rub the stress out of your shoulders when you don’t think you can handle much more?
Paul said it truthfully when he said “those who marry face many troubles.” (1 Corinthians 7) It’s true. Marriage isn’t easy, especially since we’re all selfish and sinful at our core. It’s not a simple process, and any married person knows this. But marriage is beautiful. Marriage is full of benefits, and if anything, being married gives you an even deeper understanding of God’s love for us. It’s a blessing to get to live out the example of Christ and the church. Of course, we don’t always get it right, but I think I’d have a hard time appreciating and understanding that aspect of the Lord if I never got to experience it. And, like I’ve said before, I’m even more grateful for the second covenant God made. That one is quite precious to me.
Some people never get married, some of us get to stay married forever to the same person we started off with, and some of us don’t. But God is a God of promises and second chances, and I praise Him for that. I praise Him for the fact that regardless of how our lives have gone in the past, He can and will bless us with beautiful marriages in many different ways if that is what our hearts desire. And so when it comes to love, even if you find it late or the second time around, it’s better late than never, right? That’s how it works with God, too, I suppose. Not always easy, and we all have our own timelines, but it’s so sweet and so worth it once you’ve found Him!
#715 – Because His love is so sweet and so worth it!
"O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion." - 2 Chronicles 6:14