Exploring The Vows of Marriage: For Richer, For Poorer

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

FOR RICHER, FOR POORER

Some couples begin marriage extremely poor, and extremely happy. And through the years, some of those same couples gain a great measure of prosperity... but add to their happiness nothing at all.

Cars and homes and furnishings are nice, toys and boats and RVs are fun, stock portfolios and mutual funds give a pleasant illusion of security... but where did the laughter go? Wheres the spontaneity? Where are those times of leaning on each other, covering for each other, crying with each other, and depending on each other as if there were no tomorrow?

Wealthy or poor, a husband and wife must find again those things that made them rich in joy, rich in adventure, rich in the delight of one another.

The Prayer that Never Fails

Lately, I have been thoroughly enjoying the Mitford Series on tape as I am ending my school year, and generally doing everything else required in this hectic season of life.I am loving these books about Father Tim and his little Mitford parish, although, I just started listening to the book where he has retired and has agreed to be the interim pastor in another little town, so I'm not sure what changes are in store.

Father Tim is such a lovable character and such a wonderful example of Micah 6:8 (And what does the Lord require of you, to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.) It was Father Tim who spoke the words that inspired my post and new philosophy, One Step at a Time, and Be Grateful.

Over this weekend, as I listened to the book, he kept saying that he prayed, "the prayer that never fails". He never specified his prayer, but he said it enough times that I was really curious of what Father Tim considered the prayer that never fails. A few possibilities went through my head including The Lord's Prayer, and The Serenity Prayer.

At the end of the book, a character in despair shared that the only words he could say were, "Thy Will be done. Thy Will be done." The only words he could pray were "Thy Will be done." That's when Father Tim responds, "That is the prayer that never fails."

How simple. Four words and yet, I would argue, when put together, one of the most powerful sentences ever uttered. Thy Will be done. What a word in season for me as I am working to wrap up a season of my life in Colorado and open the door to a completely new season and new role for my life. As we remain in prayer about our jobs and location for next year and as two families become united into one, Thy Will Be Done. This prayer should be on my lips with every anxiety in my heart and worry on my mind these days.

The Prayer that NEVER FAILS... Thy Will Be Done.

Thanks be to God.

Source for the picture.

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: For Better, For Worse

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE

Marriage is a long journey through a changing landscape. It isn't always scenic. It isn't always pretty. It isn't always fun. It isn't always exciting. Romance may go into hiding. Feeling may lag so many miles behind determination that you wonder if they will ever catch up. But all the while, the road is leading somewhere. Stay on the road, endure the desolate stretches, climb the long hills together, and you will find the vistas beyond what you had imagined.

The road to "for better" sometimes travels through "for worse."

And it is worth the journey.

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: To Love, Honor, and Cherish

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

TO LOVE, HONOR, AND CHERISH

There are places in the heart where you don't wear muddy shoes. You enter carefully. You walk quietly. You speak softly. These are the treasure rooms...the places where you keep all that you hold valuable and precious.

Only cherished things belong in such places of the heart. And that is where a man ought to keep his wife and life companion. Right there, in that high and holy place just below (but never higher than) the place reserved for God. And that wife must hold her husband dearer than houses or wealth or career or even children.

We honor that which we cherish.

We protect that which we cherish.

We guard and prize and treasure that which we cherish.

Marriage says, "I cherish you, my love, most of all."

Wedding Countdown: ONE Month!!!!

ONE MONTH
until Chris and I get married!

source

Below are our beautiful wedding invitations. If you look closely, you can read the vows of marriage surrounding our invitations.


Our rehearsal dinner invitations are beautiful and the rehearsal dinner will be at my parents' home. We are blessed to have so many people traveling in from out of town for our wedding, so the rehearsal dinner is a little larger than the traditional wedding party.

Chris and I are getting to be SOOOO excited about this life changing step, and the amazing celebration or our lives uniting.

• Lately our "stuff" has begun living together (in a storage unit), which makes us VERY excited about when WE will begin living together.
• Lately, we have about 100 RSVPs still outstanding, so we are hoping that they come in this weekend... otherwise, we will have to start tracking people down. (A few people we KNOW are coming, but we need to know if they want Prime Rib, Salmon or Vegetarian...)
• Lately, I have been overwhelmed by how many friends will be traveling from far and wide to celebrate this event with us in the little town of Muskegon, Michigan. I am completely humbled by how many friends of mine from college and graduate school are traveling hundreds of miles to contribute to the celebration of our wedding!

One month... ONE MONTH. I have SOOO MUCH PRAYING TO DO IN ONE MONTH!!!!

How does one learn to be a wife to the most wonderful man on earth with only one month left to pray over it?

I have so much to learn... one step at a time and be grateful. Or, lately, one prayer at a time and be grateful!

One month from today, I will become Mrs. Miller!

Exploring the Vows of Marriage: From This Day Forward

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

"From this day forward." There is motion here. There is a leaving behind of things past, a severing of old ties, old habits, old loyalties, old haunts. On this day, say bride and groom, we step onto a road neither of us have walked before. There will now be two sets of footprints, side by side. Out in the sunlight, two shadows will be cast, blending into one as day follows day.

From this day forward, life begins anew.

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: To Have and to Hold

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

A husband and wife must have each other... and not in a physical sense alone.

When the rest of the world is against him, when his friends turn away, when his bold enterprises and dreams fall into the dust, a man must know that he has his wife. She is there. She is with him. She is for him. She is his.

When a woman's heart is heavy with sorry, when her confidence ebbs, when doubts and fears fill her thoughts, robbing sleep from her eyes, she must know that she has her husband. Her man. Her protector. Her champion. Her lover and friend.

It can be a lonely world, an indifferent, uncaring world, a world with a hard edge. Yet when a man holds a woman, and a woman holds a man, there is warmth, great comfort, and a deep sense of rightness.

As of Late: May

Where do these months go?

May has been wonderful, and SPEEDY!

• As of late, I am preoccupied by wedding details most every waking hour -- and I'm LOVING every minute of it!
  
• As of late, I tear up over the smallest, silliest things!
  
• As of late, I look forward to my daily email from my mom reporting which RSVPs have arrived for the wedding. I remind myself of a child excited over Christmas presents.
  
• As of late, my routine is as follows: Exercise, Work, Pack, Pray, Sleep, Repeat.
• As of late, I was praying with my roommates, and I literally fell asleep during the prayer -- my turn to pray came, and there was an awkward and LONG silence
• As of late, God has provided a sufficient portion of motivation and energy for me to keep working, keep packing, keep exercising, keep planning the wedding and keep rejoicing in the whole experience
• As of late, I am more in love with Chris every single day and my anticipation and joy for becoming his wife increases daily!
• As of late, I am in prayer more and more about becoming Chris' wife and what that means and petitioning for help with ALL I HAVE TO LEARN -- because I have so much yet to learn
• As of late, I'm getting a little apprehensive about living with a man... I am incredibly excited, but realistically nervous. How does a couple go from two separate kitchens to one combined kitchen? Or two separate bedrooms to one combined bedroom? I'm in prayer over this as well
  
• As of late, I made my first ever blog button and began my first Blog World exploration called: Examining the Vows of Marriage based on the book, "A Match Made In Heaven"
  

For more As of Late updates, visit here.

Exploring the Vows of Marriage: I Thee Wed

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

I THEE WED

It begins with a square on a calendar. A line in a date book.

A point in time. A month. A week. A day. An hour. A moment.

At an appointed time, in an appointed place, before chosen witnesses, a ceremony begins. It may be in a church, with spectrum light streaming through stained-glass windows. It might be in a sterile office, devoid of trappings, before a sleepy-eyed justice of the peace. It might be in a green field under a wide blue sky, with banners flying in the wind.

From this day, this wedding day, life changes. From this day, something new begins. From this day, two paths merge into one. From this day, the status of a man and woman transforms, until the end of their days.

Exploring the Vows of Marriage: With This Ring

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

WITH THIS RING

It is the most subtle of weights on the third left finger, barely even felt until consciously remembered. And then... there it is, the slightest touch of smooth metal on skin. The soft, yet persistent reminder that life is forever different. A decision has been made. A corner has been turned. Vows have been uttered before the listening ears of heaven. Two lives have been irrevocably linked, flesh to flesh, heart to heart, soul to soul. With simple eloquence, the ring says, "I am wed. I have a life companion. I belong to someone else. My heart, my passion, the deepest reservoirs of my affection are the property of a dear person who means more to me than life itself."

10@10

Once upon a time, in a place called Lexington, Virginia, at a school called Washington and Lee University, a student named Kierstin posed a new idea to the student Christian organization:

What if we had a place where students met for prayer Monday-Thursday, for 10 minutes at 10:00pm?

Most students were still on campus studying at that time, or about ready to wrap up studying and head home... or ready for a break from what might be an all-night of studying. How could the Lord work on our campus if students came together for 10 minutes of prayer four nights a week?

10@10 was created and continued on campus at least for the next three years that I'm aware...

How many times does God use a person to plant a seed... and that person has no idea what happens to that plant in the aftermath of planting? What Kierstin doesn't know is that 10@10 lives on still... in at least one household...

Last summer, I attended a service and the minister asked the congregation to think about a time in their life they felt close to the heart of God, and more in tune with His purpose in our life. Then ask yourself what things were happening then that are not happening now, and maybe pray about implementing those old habits as a way to come back to a place of closer fellowship.

When I pondered this question, I thought of my years at W&L and how different my Christian fellowship was as a student than it is now. Then I approached my roommates about how they would feel about beginning a household 10@10. We were all Christian women and had prayed together when one of us had a particularly stressful and emotional or joyful situation, but we were not carrying each others burdens daily by any means. Now 10@10 is a regular part of our week night routine.

Some nights we meet later, and some nights we can barely keep our eyes open at 9, and so we move prayer to be earlier... and is a RARELY only 10 minutes (more like 20@10) but it has created such a beautiful fellowship between the roommates and it has been such a joy to watch God move in each others lives throughout these months.

I often thank God that Kierstin answered His call 6.5 years ago and initiated 10@10.

My Week In Review May 15

This week has certainly had its highs and lows for me... in fact, just the weekend itself have had highs and lows for me.

LOW

Last weekend, I did not get to see Chris at all. Its official, if I don't get to see Chris on the weekends, for me, it might as well be another work day.

My roommates and I had some pretty serious prayer requests this week (we pray together every night) and this week was just such a reminds of the EVIL that we fight and how helpless humans are without the Lord.

Lastly, my wedding dress was a low of this week. My mom brought it out to Colorado for what we thought was going to be the FINAL try-on... and found... the dress still needs work. MAJOR WORK. The trouble has been the seamstress is in Michigan and I live in Colorado so fittings have been limited. Mom and I realized in no uncertain terms that we needed to find a different seamstress in Denver to help us with the dress IMMEDIATELY.

The whole thing was incredibly stressful and we won't be able to meet with her until today. As of late, I am exhausted and emotional and easily overwhelmed and so the situation has been a big low of the week.

HIGHS

My highs this week have been numerous as well (Praise God!). It has been wonderful to pray with my roommates every night about these HUGE and life threatening situations and trust that these requests are best kept in our Father's hands.

Friday evening, my roommates and I were blessed to host a Mary Kay pampering party that I won at a bridal show. We had friends over and sampled products and had a lot of fun!

All our beautiful faces after the pampering

Not only did I get to see Chris this weekend, but I got to see my mom this weekend too!

There was a bridal shower for me in Eagle on Saturday and it was a BLAST. It was so much fun, but I think it was made even MORE fun given that Mom and I spent Saturday morning rushing too and from Denver (4 hours round trip) to deal with dress drama... by 2:00, a relaxing, fun celebration with friends and family was EXACTLY what I needed. A huge thank you to Chelsea from Adventures In Colorado for hosting this beautiful and enjoyable event.

Here is the beautiful Chelsea and me
She went on to facebook and printed all sorts of pictures of Chris and me and created this beautiful bouquet of "Chris and Brooke"

We are now the proud owners of an Iron Skillet!

Jon and Chris drove around in the mountains during the shower and Chelsea specifically had a gift for Chris -- a baseball serving tray!
This was the gift bow from my colleague in the vision department -- a bow made of protective safety glasses!
My roommate, Maggie, even found this awesome University of Michigan tumbler glasses for us (in Colorado, no less). Chris and I were REALLY excited to get these! Thanks, Maggie!

LESSON of the Week

I think my lesson of the week was the reminder that God is the keeper of my emotions, keeper of my time, keeper of my sleep... and faithful in all of these things. He is trustworthy in all things large and small and He is keeper of all the tears of an exhausted and emotional bride. There were as many tears of joy as tears of frustration.

For more weeks in review, visit Amy.

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: Will You Marry Me?

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

Marriage is a great door, shutting out and shutting in. The old neighborhoods, the old phone numbers, the old whispered promises, the old dalliances of the mind, are behind the door, outside, and must remain there.

Yet it is simple truth that a door that shuts out one part of the house must also grant access to another. Yes, a part of life ends, but another part begins, and there is much that lies ahead. Forsaking the old means walking clean, unfettered, and lighthearted into the new. It means leaving the weathered baggage at the door and stepping openhanded into an endeavor that will require the best of your strength, the best of your character, the best of your wisdom.

And it will require more than that. More than you have to give. More than your best. More than you can squeeze from your should in your finest moments. It will require, in fact, the very presence of the living God within you.

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: The Moment We Met

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz

THE MOMENT WE MET

Sometimes it is an instant recognition. "I knew the minute I saw her..."

Sometimes it creeps up quietly, like the gentlest whisper. "We'd known each other for years, but suddenly, one day he seemed different..."

Is it the way she talks, or how he smiles, or some particular talent she has? It may be all of those things or none of them, or a combination of a number of qualities mixed with something mysterious and inexplicably wonderful.

And whether or not that first meeting was memorable, whether the circumstances that brought them together seem mundane or divinely engineered, they will look back and know that, from the moment they met, their lives were changed forever.

Wordless Wednesday

source

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: Divine Appointment

Taken from "A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories" By: Susan Wales & Ann Platz



DIVINE APPOINTMENT

"In the beginning, God brought the woman to the man. They were alone in a wide and strange new world. They had the friendship of their Creator, they had an enemy they knew nothing about, and they had each other. God is still in the business of bringing the woman to the man, and the man to the woman. In his great grace and kindness and wisdom, He gives us to one another."

Exploring The Vows of Marriage: A Match Made in Heaven

A few years ago, my mom loaned me a book called A Match Made in Heaven: A Collection of Inspirational Love Stories by Susan Wales & Ann Platz.

This book contains two volumes of romantic stories about men and women God has brought together in marriage. Each volume is broken into the following chapters:

• Divine Appointment
• The Moment We Met
• Will You Marry Me?
• With This Ring
• I Thee Wed
• To Have and to Hold
• From This Day Forward
• To Love, Honor, and Cherish
• For Better, for Worse
• For Richer, for Poorer
• In Sickness and in Health
• As Long As We Both Shall Live

Within each chapter of the above titles are short stories about couples pertaining to that subject. At the beginning of every chapter, the authors have written a brief description of the vow, or a poem pertaining to the vow... it's hard to explain, but every chapter begins with a beautiful description of the vows of marriage broken into those small phrases and examined.

It has been on my heart as I'm preparing to become Chris' wife to re-visit each of these descriptions of the vows, and then share them in the blog world. Not only will it hold me to the accountability of re-reading these beautiful descriptions, but by re-typing them, I will be studying them more, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have and be as inspired as I've been by their content.

I won't be doing these Vows of Marriage posts on a specific day of the week, but as time allows, with the goal of having all of them done as soon as possible or before the wedding, whichever is feasible.

Behold my first attempt at any type of a blog button (thank you sites 1, & 2):

<a border="0" href="http://mtnmillers.blogspot.com/search/label/Vows%20of%20Marriage" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i445/mrsbsmiller/Blog%20Photos/VoMbutton.jpg"/></a><center></center>

Stay tuned for The Vows of Marriage posts.

Happy Mother's Day to the World's Best Mom!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to
The World's Best MOM (she's mine)!

She taught me about God, the Bible, faith and love

She taught me I could be anything, do anything, dream anything...

She is such a peacemaker... she is THE peacemaker in our family

Everyday of my life, she has make it clear how much I am wanted...

how much she wanted a daughter...

how grateful she is to have me...

Momma, I am SO grateful for you.

You are my best friend,

my confidant, my counsel, my support... my friend.

Thank you for loving Dad, loving our family, loving me...

We love you!

Have a wonderful day with Daddy.

I wish I could be there to celebrate with you.

Happy Mother's Day, Momma!