Twenty–six years ago today, I was anticipating the moment when I would stand beside my groom and we would vow to love each other forever. My bridesmaids, mother, aunt, and friends were helping me get ready for that moment. We were a busy group trying to curl hair, spray it in place, apply makeup, get dressed and keep calm!
Finally, the moment had come to make my way to the back of the church. Then she said it. As I’m standing there in my dress ready to go – she said it!
“You can’t get married with nails looking like THAT! Wait, I brought emergency nails!” And off she went to get her Lee Press On Nails and nail polish that was in my wedding color palette.
First of all, my nails were normally long and strong on their own so I had never had to worry about “getting my nails done” – but I hadn’t anticipated that wedding stress would cause every nail to break the week of my wedding! Secondly, this was the 80’s and it wasn’t common for people to get their nails done on a regular basis. Lastly, if someone says they have emergency fingernails with them, RUN!
Before I knew it, I had nails taped to the ends of my fingers and wet paint on them. And I had to walk to the back of the church “NOW!”
I made it down the aisle. Then there were the steps. Lots of steps. And my nails were wet. And I didn’t want to ruin my dress.
But there stood the Love of My Life waiting at the top of the steps. Smiling. Waiting. So up the steps I went.
Uh, why hadn’t we practiced going up the steps with a long dress on and with hands full of flowers – and wet nails?
First step – not that bad. Second step – stepped on my dress a bit. Third step – tried to raise my leg a little higher and kick my dress out of the way but still stepped on my dress. Fourth step – I am now crouching down in my dress as I have successfully walked up the inside of my dress! I smile bravely as I look up at My Man. He smiles but is clearly worried that I am not making much progress. He is thinking that I will never make it up all the steps! I was about to take my fifth step and at this point even the preacher looked worried and the musicians were contemplating repeating the chorus.
I’m not sure how I got up those steps but I think my sister reached down and grabbed my flowers and I decided to risk ruining the dress with nail polish and gathered up the dress and took the final few steps.
Finally, I had made it! It was a struggle, but I had made it! And the wedding ceremony went on without a hitch.
I fought my way to the alter so that I could stand beside My Man and take my vows. (Last year on my anniversary, I blogged about how I failed my wedding vows. If you didn’t read it then, you can find it here.)
Just like I had to fight to get married, sometimes we have to fight to stay married.
Do you fight for your marriage? Are you willing to mess some things up to stand with your man emotionally, physically and spiritually? Are you willing to gather up the obstacles to unity in your marriage and pull them out of the way? Do you make time for your man? Do you listen to him? Do you let him know you want to be with him?
Last week, my daughter got engaged. There was a sweet moment when her fiancé got down on one knee and spoke to her. It struck me as to how incredibly humbling it is for a man to drop to his knee for his woman. Incredibly humbling.
Men (and I know you read my blogs), do you look longingly at your bride and let her know you want her next to you? Do you humble yourself and, figuratively speaking, get down on that knee? Do you let her know you love her as much, if not more, today then you did when you asked her to share your life?
Getting married is the easy part. Staying married is hard ~ but worth it!
I’m going to keep kicking the obstacles out of my way and climb those stairs so that I can continue to stand next to the Love of My Life!
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Mark 10:9
P.S. If you are the Lee Press On Nail lady and you are reading this, let me say that my nails did look great for the wedding! Thank you! 🙂
Okay, I'm dying to know if any of the nail polish came off on your dress, Shelly! You left us hanging! I was imagining your dilemma and feelings all throughout. I'm sure I would've been just as awkward in how I dealt with the situation. I'm just glad you didn't fall backwards with all of that dress underfoot! Now that would have been the real show! ha! But this is a perfect metaphor for how we need to fight for our marriages every step of the way. I'm in that 26 year club, my friend, and it's often been "fight for" my marriage because of all the fighting we were doing "in" the marriage. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this challenge to all of us! And thanks for persevering on the link up too! Nice to have you at Wedded Wed!