Promising Forever

The room is dim and candles cast shadows on the walls. As music starts to play, silence falls across the crowd.  They enter one by one, slowly, stepping in beat with the music.
Finally, the music soars and doors open, revealing the one all has waited to see, though perhaps there is one person in particular who has waited more expectantly than all the rest. My eyes turn to him for  a moment, wanting to catch a glimpse of his face as he watches his bride float up the aisle on her father's arm. He is beaming as tears gather in his deep eyes. I turn to look back to her. Her smile radiates the room and love is in her eyes.  So long have they waited. Suddenly all the struggles fade to nothing as they are finally here--in this moment--together.

The ceremony procedes in usual fashion, and yet there's something abnormal, something deeper than one might have expected. As they face each other, and promise each other forever, there is a certain depth, a maturity about them. God has ordained marriage and family. Both are sacred. And they understand that. Hardships will come. They embrace that.

"God does not call us to be happy. He calls us to be faithful."

The words ring in my ears. Not the words of the minister. But part of the brides' vow, as she gazes into the eyes of her love, she promises her forever. Not just another another meaningless vow, but a sacred promise she intends to keep, because her heart was right.

How I long to say those words in my vow, when I give my heart to my husband someday. Because when I promise forever, I will mean forever. In good times and in bad, because my goal is not to be happy, it is to be faithful. To my man, to my God and to the vow I will someday say, when my heart is right.