Prom For The Young 'Uns

Day 309 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

We went to the park this evening to snap a few pictures of Matt and Emily before prom. They were all having a good time, joking around, striking poses, just enjoying the time. Then they were off for dinner, then to dance the night away at prom 2011.

I do not remember much about my senior prom, after all that was 25 years ago. Then Chandra's prom 4 years later all I remember is taking pictures and eating at The Pines. I only remember where we ate because I got lobster, the first time ever for me and the last time ever. Just give me a $1 McDouble any day over a stinkin' lobster. It is like another lifetime when I look back at pictures from that long ago. So many things have changed, but also so many have stayed the same.

Over the years I have gained a lot of weight, I have lost a lot of weight. I have actually lost a couple hundred pounds in my life, but I have also gained more than a couple hundred too. Chandra is still just as beautiful and I love her more now than I ever have. God has grown us together, only after he took us a part for several years. To trace God's hand in our lives is really something to think about. What is really awesome is that our marriage is actually somewhat biblical now. I really never knew God's design for marraige, even after being converted. I only learned of my role as a husband after our marriage nearly ended. I was (and still am a lot of the times) only concerned about me. What she needed to do to make me happy, what would make me feel better, feel happy. Me, me, me was my focus, even if I tried to make her happy it was self centered so that I would feel good about me even more.

Only through the trial of possible divorce did God show us what He commanded of each of us. Do we have a perfect marriage? No, but we do seek Him and we do honor Him in our marraige. We still have a long way to go to be "perfect" in our vows, but as long as our relationship with God is moving forward, then our marraige can't help but follow. Ephesians 5:25 is my goal, even though I know I can never attain that kind of love, I still look at that as where I need to be. I fail miserably, but then again I fail miserably in many other ways too and God keeps picking me up, dusting me off and encouraging me to follow Him even closer.

What an awesome God we have that He would create marraige to show us His love for us. To model our marriages after His love for the church and the church's dedication to Him is overwhelming. Through it all I must continue to move closer to Him, so that He can help me be the husband I need to be. He would not command me to love my wife in such a way, then leave me alone to figure it out. He shows me daily how He loves me, now if I could only figure that out for me and my bride.