Wedding Vows

I, (name), take you (name), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour and cherish (and to obey – if wife); from this day forward until death do us part.

My husband and I will celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary in a few weeks; and I have to say that in all these years we have been tested in every one of the vows that we made to each other on our wedding day. Through the many years I have seen (sad to say) many folks that have not weathered the difficulties and parted before death. Now, I am not trying to judge folks that have divorced, and certainly if that is you I am sure that you would not wish that on anyone you know or love.

Today the percentage of marriages that end in divorce is approximately 50% and financial stress is the #1 cause! Proverbs 15:16 teaches us that “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” In other words love makes all the difference – because it is better to be poor and have little to eat with someone you love than to have plenty of food and a home filled hatred.

Ladies, with the economic situation that we face today, it is very possible that you are experiencing financial difficulties. This is the time that you should work together – even if you are the one that is no longer employed, your husband may feel responsible for your financial difficulties. Take this opportunity to show your husband how much you love him and to encourage him. Work through this time together and even if the cause for the difficulties is from poor decisions – pointing fingers and getting angry won’t put money in your pocket; but it will make a difficult situation even harder. I remember when my husband was self-employed and there were times when his clients did not pay him on time, or when the economy was slow and there were no clients, or when we just had no money at all! I remember searching my purses and dresser drawers for pennies and then rolling pennies to buy milk and bread to feed our children. I remember one time having a total of $11.00 to buy groceries for our entire family for a week! Believe it or not though they were not the easiest of times, we have special memories of our early struggles, and the joyful memories of seeing them end.

Money can’t buy love or happiness. Loving your husband and having a good marriage relationship is so much more important than money. The wedding vows include the good times and the bad – better/worse, sickness/health, richer/poorer – all of these are a part of life. “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 So, for today if you are facing the worse side, endure the night together, and when you need to - weep together. Love your husband through it all and together you will have joy.

Listen to the wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Have a wonderful day!

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