Wedding and remembrances...

This weekend I was able to go home to Pa/NJ for my cousin Jennie's wedding. It was such a blessing to be able to witness her and Michael commit their lives to each other in marriage. As I sat through their ceremony I was reminded how important our relationship with our spouse is. The Bible makes it very clear that a man and wife become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). There are no longer 2 but 1! It really is something quite unique how God's math works out in that 1+1=1 (a quote taken from my wedding and my amazing grandfather Rev.William M. Kolb). Marriage is not always easy - in fact a lot of times it is hard. You have to work at it, you have to fight off the selfishness that infuses our sinful nature, you have to deny yourself and give all for your partner. Hmmm, makes me understand why Jesus Christ himself has called those that are His followers "the bride" and He is the bridegroom. Is it not the perfect picture of marriage?...
A groom that has given his entire life, literally, for His bride. As I thought about my own marriage and the man God has so graciously given me, I thought about how my sin and selfishness have crept in at times and caused dissension and difficulties in our marriage. In Genesis it speaks about how the woman's desire will be for her husband (Genesis 3:16 -- To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”)
This desire is not a sexual desire but one where the woman will want to be the leader, the head of the home and yet the man as God has designed should be the head of the house. This is a direct result of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden. Many times I have wanted to control my husband because I have a better way or I see things a different way, but this is wrong, and it is sin (Hmm, I want, I'd like, I desire him to be... sounds a lot like selfishness to me)! I need to give up myself to allow Dave to lead our home and our family. You know what's crazy? When I do, our family is so much more peaceful and in line with what God wants. I don't have to be the one to fix my husband, make him see things my way because I have faith in the one that has created my husband and He will lead him and guide him and our family way better than I could ever do. Ahh, there truly is peace and comfort in that. Here's to marriage designed God's way and to my dear sweet cousin and her new groom!!
Enjoy some photos of the beautiful bride, Jennie Saul and the handsome groom, Michael Bury.