One Year ago...yesterday

Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated our one year anniversary. And by celebrate, I mean, I played nine holes of golf and watched Euro 2008 futbol while my wife worked all day. (Our vacation Bible School was aptly scheduled to be on our anniversary-thus the working all day). Our last day in Bourbonnais is on Sunday. We decided that we would take some time next week to appropriately celebrate. We will be spending three days on the sand dunes in Michigan. I can't wait to spend time with my wife.

I also can't believe that I have been married for a full year. We were always told that the first year is the hardest. I hope everyone is right. It certainly has been an adjustment, and if someone tells me that easing into marriage was easy, I don't really believe them. Responsibilities change virtually over night. Except, it takes the husband a really long time to realize it. I have moments in which I don't even think about my wife. The other day I was making coffee. I drink coffee almost every morning. Joy occasionally drinks coffee but has recently been enjoying a good glass of sweet tea instead. At any rate, I'm making coffee and am about two scoops short of enough for both Joy and I. I made the executive decision to make coffee just for myself. Well, that little mistake apparently gave my wife the idea that she could give herself another nickname: AT (After-thought). That was a fun day.

I say this because I'm still learning what it is to fully devote myself to someone else. And it's hard. Joy and I have a lot of fun and we love our time together and each other. But we are both still learning what it is like to truly love the way that Christ loves his church. (I see this learning continuing through the next 75 years of marriage). I am so thankful for my wife. She truly is teaching me how to live within the Kingdom of God. Below are the vows that we said to one another one year ago. I thought it appropriate to remind myself and others about the importance of our commitments to one another.

I, Eric, take you, Joy, to be my wife. With the deepest joy and a humbled spirit, today we embark on a new life as one. As Christ is to His Church, so shall I be to you a loving and faithful husband. Together we will hope and dream. When we stumble, we will restore each other, offering grace as Christ has done on our behalf. We shall serve one another as we strive to serve others. I promise to cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you whatever the circumstance. I will be yours in the good and the bad, whether well fed or hungry, living in plenty or in want, freed and yet still bound by the love of Christ so that we may grow into Him who is our Hope. This I commit to you until death separates us.