"I Do"

16 years ago to date we said our vows. Earlier that day I was washing the get away car, trying to work off some anxiousness. As I washed the car that day I was reminiscing about the day I proposed 7 months earlier.

(I had made reservations at a nice restaurant. We arrived and were seated at our table. The restaurant was full that evening. The pianist was playing in the background. We had finished our meal and I pushed my chair back to proceed in getting down on one knee and present the petite but elegant 1/4 karat diamond ring that I was so proud of. She said yes.)

Later that evening on August 14th 1993 we would all gather at the church. The people were arriving, I was in a room with my best man (my father) and the pastor and my bride to be would be preparing herself to meet me at the alter. The music began and we walked out to greet a packed house. After the bridal party completed there entrance, it was time for the main event.

The Bridal Chorus began to play and I would see my bride to be for the first time in her gown. She was lovely, as you can see and feelings of fear, confusion and joy overwhelmed me. This was it; this was the day; this was the time. Her father would present her to me and the congregation sat. The pastor began the ceremony and I began to get sick. The pastor got to the vows and I was first. He said "repeat after me" reciting the first line of the vows. There was a LONG PAUSE. I couldn't speak. It was like a nightmare where you are trying to scream but no sound would come out. The pastor gently and slowly repeated the first line again and I was able to swallow my tears and spit it out.

When we got to the kneeling bench I was about to pass out. Everything started to blur and get dark. Luckily after kneeling the pastor prayed and I was able to catch my breath and calm down. The horror of passing out and my love beating me up at the alter. The closing song was next and it was time to present everything I had in me to my bride. She knew that there was one more song at that time in the ceremony, she did not know it was for me to sing. The music started and we held hands as I began to sing "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You". Every fear and sickness melted away when I began to sing. I sang with all my might.

WOW!! How on earth I was able to be so blessed with such a woman. Not only because of her beauty. Not only because no one else would have me. Not even only because we were Best Friends. But because she new it was God's will. You see my bride was special because she was marring me that day even after she knew me. "We love because he first loved us" 1 John 4:19 (NIV). "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8 (NIV). My wife new all about my secret sins and addictions, yet she still loved me and chose to marry me.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 (NIV). My wife would lay down her life for her husband by dedicating her heart and soul to the man God would present to her.

I will never be able to explain to you how a woman of such virtue would come to marry such a man, knowing all my short comings. I can never explain that even years to come when I would disappoint, embarrass and put to shame my wife and family, she would choose not to leave me. I cannot explain, because there are no words. A love like my wife's is love divine. "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV).

Please enjoy the song selections for the day; "More Than Words" and "Have I Told You Lately".

Thank you for sharing in a small account of the first day of our lives together. Please continue to scroll down my blog and enjoy some pictures (thanks to my friend Jona) of that wonderful day.