Facebook Twitter Youtube Pintrest Google+ Linkedin Good Reads RSS
Romans 12:2
Encouragement to fulfill God's purpose through Practical Life Application and Navigation

You Say ‘I Do’ and Then ‘You Are’

It’s the strangest thing….one minute you’re single, and the next, after speaking two simple words, you are bound to another individual for the rest of your life.

Am I the only one who finds this just a bit bizarre?

You say, ‘I Do’ and then ‘You Are’.  Kind of crazy… Peculiar in fact. Surreal that it happens just ‘that fast’!

Obviously, though, there’s more to it than just these two simple words.

This past Friday, our youngest son, Devin, married his sweetheart, Shelby. Dev & Shelby with flowersWe’ve been along with them for their 16 month ride. They started out a little backwards. We found out last March that Shelby was pregnant. What followed was quite the rollercoaster ride… After a brief ‘high’, the kids endured a very difficult period of turmoil and stress. They caught their breath, made solid and thoughtful decisions and committed to focusing on what was most important – their relationship and the baby they had on the way. The birth of our precious grandson, Kaiten, brought new challenges. Devin and Shelby attacked and handled each one as they arose. They settled into a groove and began truly enjoying parenthood. Last month came the announcement that they wanted to be married on May 3rd. They’ve worked really hard, have come such a long way and we are very proud of them.

Dev & Shelby vows - croppedThey said “I Do” and now “They Are”. When you think about all these two have gone through…and everything which culminated into that brief moment when two short words were spoken, it doesn’t seem quite so quick and simple after all, does it?

Couples all have different journeys. Some date for years, spend time going through premarital counseling and plan elaborate weddings. Others meet, fall in love, have relatively short courtships and off to Vegas they go.

While the approach may vary, there is often much time, thought, emotion and energy spent long before those two important words are uttered.

Since so much work is done on the front side of the ‘I Do’, does that mean the ‘Happy Ever After’ is the easy part? Hardly.

How do you personally shift from ‘I Do’ to ‘You Are’? How do you make the transition from singleness to a lifelong partnership in one incredibly exciting split second? Legally, the change is instant, but the real progress takes an abundance of time, energy, love, emotion and work. Achieving oneness is no small task. Being a wife or husband is much more than a title. It’s a lifetime of and commitment before God, an unending responsibility and probably some of the hardest work you’ll ever do in your life. It’s also the greatest blessing imaginable and the most important relationship, outside of the one you have with God, you’ll ever experience.

Saying ‘I Do’ seems so very simple…but the effort made both before and after, is what actually makes your marriage something worth being proud of.

For Devin and Shelby, guard your marriage with all you have. Invest the time and energy it requires at all costs. Devote yourselves fully to each other and place the utmost importance on your family priorities. Compromise when needed, say I’m sorry when you should and value the other person greater than yourself. No shortcuts, no selfishness, no slacking, no condemnation.        

‘You Did’ and now ‘You Are’. The moment  in which you uttered ‘I Do’ passed withDev, Shelby & Kai in court room lightening speed; it was literally over just as quickly as the words come out of your mouths. But as fleeting as your declarations were, your vows will last a lifetime. May God bless you both and bless your beautiful son. We love you guys so much and pray for a lifetime full of joy, contentment, good health and love.

So….back to the whole ‘I Do’ and then ‘You Are’Am I the ONLY ONE who finds this a bit bizarre? Do tell!

This entry was posted in Inspirational, Personal, Self-help, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to You Say ‘I Do’ and Then ‘You Are’

  1. Carrie Daws says:

    Yes! LIke so many of life’s most important moments, they come with great planning and are over within minutes. But the reflections and results can take over the rest of our days.

    Congratulations Devin and Shelby! Offer each other lots of grace!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *