Back in 1989 when I married my beautiful wife, our minister asked if it would be okay to start the ceremony with a joke. It’s been years since I thought of this, but it was really quite apropos.
A pastor was asked to come and talk with a Sunday School class about marriage. He prepared his lesson carefully, entered the class and began with a question. “Boys and girls, I am here this morning to talk with you about marriage. Before I begin, can any of you tell me what Jesus had to say about marriage?”
After an awkward silence, little Johnny raised his hand eagerly. When the pastor nodded, he proudly gave his answer: “Jesus said, `Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
Isn’t that the truth?! If you are married or if you have been married I know you can identify. I love my wife and I love my family, but on that Saturday in June of 1989, I really did not have a clue what the future would hold. I did not know that we would endure simultaneous stomach viruses thanking God for two bathrooms. I did not know that her grandmother would become part of our immediate family for years before she passed away. I did not know that one day a doctor would hold up her uterus following her first caesarian section and ask me if I wanted to take a peek. I didn’t know any of these things.
Still, it really did not matter. I’m sure that was the point the pastor made on that fantastic summer day back in 1989. It was a commitment we were making, a commitment to always be there for each other no matter what was in our future. I guess that’s what marriage is when you get down to it – a commitment, and an understanding.
Maybe it’s time to pull out the old wedding video again and remind myself of the things I said. But before I do that, let me share one more with you:
A man was speaking to God.
“God, why did you make women so beautiful?” he asked.
God said: “I did that to make you love them”.
Then the man asked: “Well, God; why did you make them such good cooks?”
God said: “I did that to make you love them”.
The man then asked: “But God, why did you make women so stupid?”.
God said: “Oh, I did that to make them love you ! “
From my desktop to yours, it’s another Alabama memory.
