Love story- part 9

I was in church today and the most common passage was discussed today. It was the old Corinthians verses used in weddings. It is this:

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.

I am not sure how a lot of you feel about the Bible but I bet you can agree on one thing - whether you believe in God and Jesus or not - it has it right when it comes to this. 

I was listening to the words and mulling them over and rolling them in my mind. I have been married now for almost 20 years and hearing this verses today struck a much different chord than they did when I was newly married. As I look back at my relationship with my wife, I can honestly say that I have held as true to these words as any. I know people envy or long to have a marriage like mine and they may think that it is all because of me. I have been told that I need to give lessons to other men on what a husband should be like. I have been told that they wish their husband was like me. You know, stuff like that. 

I have said, "Naw, that would not be good, I only know how to be a good husband to my Beautiful."

I don't think I am going to say that anymore. I am going to say that if someone wants to be a good husband or wife, the Bible has it right. You just have to make sure you read it in context. That is very important. I have discussed this in another post about having an unpopular view of marriage. This passage above struck me profoundly today as I thought of how my wife and I live out these actions and beliefs. 

-Love is patient - it takes time to let the other be who they are. 
-Love is kind - You would never be mean or hurtful to one you love.
-Love does not envy - It is not love if it envies an other's love
-It does not boast - Boasting is for those who are unsure of themselves. Let your love and actions speak for themselves.  
- It is not proud - Pride is one of those things that can be toxic. Pride is thinking you have something others do not. Love is something that everyone should want for every one. 
- Dishonoring others - we do not take away from others or belittle what they have. 
- Not self seeking - Don't be in it just for you. That is being selfish and will suck a relationship dry.
- Not easily angered - Anger only destroys. 
-Keeps no record - If you have dealt with it, then leave it in the past.
- Rejoices in the truth - Honesty is shown and demonstrated.
- Always protects, hope, perseveres - This means so much more to me now. My wife has protected me when I was down and attacked emotionally, she gave me hope that we will make it every day just because we were together and that was enough, and we have persevered - together. 
- Love never fails - Love never fails - Love never fails.  

You want to know my "secret.?" Well, I guess I don't have one. When I read the passages on love and marriage throughout the whole book of the bible, it is all there. You have to soul search and really deconstruct and do some heavy understanding. But, it is all in there. That is how I do it.

My love story - Renew vows?

     I was at a friend's house playing a game. His wife came in and sat for awhile asking us questions about how to play this game. Well of course the subject of marriage came up. His wife asked me if I would ever think about renewing my vows.
     I responded, "No" with such finality that they were stunned silent. I could see in their eyes and offended expressions of surprise that they were thinking, "Well, okay then!"
     I knew that I had to do some explaining. For all I knew, they probably thought I didn't think my marriage was good enough to renew my vows. That is untrue. I am sure they see my marriage like a lot of others with a lot of fondness. They sure did have looks of surprise and dumbfoundedness at how final my tone was though. I bet they be thought this was very unromantic for such a romantic guy.
   I wonder what the purpose is to renew vows. To me, it it seems like renewing vows are for people who forget why they got married or if they are in a rough patch this is how to patch it up. That's kind of like them saying "Hey we need to renew our vows so that we can prove to ourselves and to other people that we still love each other." Could it be just showing off? I bet some people do that.
    That is just not for me. I know why I got married. I don't need to renew my vows when I'm reminded everyday that I look at her why I bent a knee and asked for her hand. I don't need to renew my vows because I show and prove to her everyday that I meant every word of the vows I gave her on our wedding day. Twenty years later and I am still proving to her everyday that I meant every word.
     To me, renewing vows is kind of a gimick or a way to fix something that should not be broken.