Are they not absolutely precious!?!
The Cochran family (my maiden name) goes way back with the Graham family, so it was super special to see Grant get married. We probably don't go back as far as some of the Graham's other friends, like the Terrals, but they were some of our first friends we really bonded with when we moved to College Station in 1991. We became friends with them through our church - Central Baptist Church in Bryan, Texas.
We spent several weekends in the summers with the Grahams and other families from Central Baptist at Lake Belton. We would bring our pop-up camper and boat and it was never ending fun! We also went on a couple of ski trips with them. And two years ago, we went on a cruise to Cozumel.
I cannot even begin to describe my heart's desire in wanting to find that type of relationship with several families at this point in my life. To do life with them and choose to walk with them because of our partnership in the Gospel. What a bond that type of partnership creates! Michael and I are learning how incredibly important it is to be surrounded by a community of believers to walk with for the support and sharpening of our marriage and family and salvation. It's amazing to see some of the incredible relationships that the Graham family has formed over the years. It was so obvious by seeing the faces I saw at their wedding. I hope to do the exact same thing.
Also, the weddings Michael and I have attended recently have been such incredible reminders of where we were almost 2 years ago...on our wedding day - June 9, 2007.
Not only did we enter into a covenant with each other, but with our God and Savior Jesus Christ. What we are commanded to do in marriage in Ephesians 5:22-32 is much easier said than done.
Wives and Husbands
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church — for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
And our vows:
I take you, Michael, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death parts us. This is my solemn vow.
We went with traditional vows because I am a very very traditional woman who loves traditions and formalities. I am an etiquette freak and love formal, traditional ways of doing things. I loved our vows. So solemn and all-encompassing. But the last two weddings had incredible, personal vows. At Chris' wedding, what stood out the most was the part when they vowed:
"To walk through the refining fire of marriage" with their spouse.
Wow! Refining fire it is! You cannot hide in marriage. Getting married is the best way to become sanctified and its T-O-U-G-H!!
When I get weary in my marriage and the sanctification process, this "refining fire" is something I am going to remember. As Michael consistently reminds me - what a glorious day it's going to be when we sit at the banquet table with Christ and He tells us that His work in us is complete and we are at home in heaven. And as my great grandmother used to say (sing with me!) "When we allllll get to heav-en, What a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory! (men in their deep voices: shout the victoryyyyyy!)".
Looking back, I'm sure I was so naive and optimistic and "in love" on my wedding day and now having "lived" marriage for almost 2 years, so much has changed...for the GOOD! I'm probably more of a realist now and have learned a lot (though still not nearly enough) about how to make marriage work and what the vows REALLY mean. Because of this, the vows means SO much more to me now. Also, I've learned so much about what love means. I have really started to grasp what it means that Michael and I are a team. We are in this for life. Why spend one moment not living together as one. I'm learning how to seek peace, fight fair and how to submit. To say Michael and I have grown in love is an understatement. To think of the profound meaningful love we have for each other now amazes me, and I just have to think I'm going to be so much more amazed after 10 and then 20 and then 30 years! I cannot wait!!
My wedding day was definitely one of the best days of my life but even better are the days when Michael and I overcome something in our marriage that makes our marriage better and us both all the better for it. That is what keeps me going and that is what strengthens our love and our vows.
What a beautiful, Christ honoring wedding it was for Grant and Britany. Thanks for reminding me of the incredible seriousness of the covenant made when you say those vows. Here are a few pictures of my family enjoying their wedding celebration.
My youngest brother Carter and his sweet girlfriend Elyse
My middle brother Kent and his wife Nicki (home safely from Israel!!)
My Mom (Kathryn), Nicki, and Me
Michael was there too!!
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