Weddings, rings and relationships

"We both work here, we met here, it all started here, why not?”

These simple words were the reasoning behind a recent wedding of a couple at Walmart. After hearing these words, my heart sank a little. The world has not been as bright as it was before. The green on the leaves of the trees is just not as green. I mean, I just got married, and it was wonderful and great wedding, but we totally could have gotten married at Walmart too.

Shucks.

I really missed the boat on this one!

The sarcasm in this post is a little too explicit, but I want to clarify that this is sarcasm, because I am newly married, and I don't want my spouse directed into thinking that I might want to reaffirm our vows at Walmart or anything. Though, there is a nice grocery store...

Being newly married, I have gotten a lot of advice and fun tidbits of information from a lot of different people. It has been amazing to me all of the expectations, beliefs and hopes for those who are newly married. Most of what I have heard has been very nice, affirming and wise.

Upon hearing all of this information, I have learned to really listen, because marriage, or any relationship, is no easy journey. We are imperfect people. All of us. That is just who we are.

Every relationship takes work and in my community right now, we are journeying through a season where we are looking at relationships. We are spending like 7 weeks on the different relationships in our lives because out of all of the things that cause stress in our lives, relationships are one the highest.

In the beginning, God made us for relationship. Right from the beginning, we were created to be with one another. It is part of the story of humanity, to be connected, but often we ask, why is it so hard? Is the joy worth the effort? Does it get easier?

Questions like these are good to ask.

From work, home, church, to almost anything we do in our life, it is good and right that we are in relationship with each other. Sometimes, relationships are unhealthy too and we need to get out. Overall, though, it is highly important for us to be together in community with one another because we need to do this life together. We need to follow those simple words from Genesis, declaring that we are made for each other. Not only in marriage, but in all that we do.

Community brings depth and wholeness.

So, whether you are getting married at Walmart sometime soon, or if you are headed out to a small group of people who you just love spending time with, let us be a people who are growing together in real, and authentic relationships.

Grace and Peace!
Micah