This week a good friend of mine is making that big step from single life into marriage. (Hope she knows what she is doing!) These days I wonder if any young person gets the proper counsel needed. Before I performed a marriage ceremony I would always ask the intended if they understood that it was a serious matter. I wanted them to be certain that they knew it was a life long commitment and that it would be like a "bed of roses". Even a bed of sweet smelling roses has hidden thorns! If you lie down in a "bed of roses" you will eventually get hurt; and so is marriage. But unlike lying on the roses; when you get hurt in marriage or go through hard times, you can't just jump up and run away! These days we see that lack of commitment "For better or for worse" doesn't stand the test of time. So now, more than ever, the person contemplating marriage should make sure of both party's commitment to a life long partnership. The alternative lie spread these days is that you can just live together and not get married. That's even easier to break than any marriage vow; and where does that leave you?
Marriage was ordained by God; and it is a covenant relationship between the man and the woman along with God. You may have a divorce betwen people but you can't divorce God! So it is best to stay single if you can't commit all the way.
I wish my friend and her new husband a very happy and life-long marriage - but hope that they will make that commitment even when times aren't happy.
You may ask, "What does this have to do with Laura's 'Sweet Memories'?" Just this -
I've made a commitment to have a candy and souvenir shop and I'll do my best to make it a place where folks can go home with something special. My commitment is based on my beliefs; and this shop is just some of the fruit grown from my beliefs. Integrity is a virtue that shows up in every area of our life - either you have it or you don't! If you'll read any of Laura's writings you'll find out about integrity and hard times in marriage. She wrote knowing that she was teaching lessons to people young and old. We can use her life's experiences to build upon. Thanks, Laura! The lessons are better learned while young; than a life wasted without learning them at all. But, better late than never!
"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."
"Let us make memories carefully of all good things, rejoicing in the wonderful truth that while we are laying up for ourselves the very sweetest and best of happy memories we are at the same time giving them to others." Laura Ingalls Wilder
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