The Paper Posts

A traditional gift celebrating a fiftieth wedding anniversary is gold, which is why a fiftieth is a called a golden year or golden anniversary. Similarly, the first year of marriage's gift is paper, thus "The Paper Posts" will be very marriage (and God) focused over the next year! 

When I'm feeling frustrated with a particular part of my life that I can't control, such as rental-house-hunting, for example, I like to rearrange my furniture. To date, I have rearranged the bedroom six times since moving into the apartment last August. I haven't messed with the living area though, until last night. Heedless of how Josh may feel about it, I practically turned the apartment on its head and then let him just come home to it. He wasn't a fan.

But instead of nay-saying or asking it to be put back, we worked together to come up with a layout we both liked. And I know that Josh would have probably preferred the apartment the way it was, but he understood that I needed this relatively small change in scenery. Throughout all of it, he was actively asking my opinion on the recliner or the desk, making sure that we achieved everything I had set out to do. That was more touching to me than anything else.

He could have been angry with me for rearranging without his permission. I could have taken it personally that he didn't like what I had spent an hour and half arranging carefully. Jesus reminds us in today's Gospel that whoever is angry with his brother will be liable for judgment.(MT 5:20-26). That we have to make the effort to reconcile with those around us before trying to make peace with God. There are times for righteous anger, but furniture is not one of them. It isn't something that belongs between spouses or between children and their God. As a married couple, a literal reflection of God's love, I feel this overwhelming need to make our fights count. To choose them carefully, with intent, so that the disagreement will better us as a couple, rather than cause us to lash out and stay angry, separating both of us from God.

Tota tua.

Post-Wedding Excitement!!

For those who read on Thursday, you know I had a wedding this weekend- if you haven't go read it quickly, this is kind of a chapter two on that post. 

Chelsea and Matt's wedding was beautiful, for those interested, I will post some pictures at the bottom to show off the decor, venue, and stuff. But for those who aren't interested in twinkling lights and wedding dresses, let's talk about marriage. 

The wedding was not Catholic, but that did not obstruct the value in the ceremony. The pastor did a wonderful job "charging" the couple to live a loving, Christian marriage. The couple chose three passages for the ceremony, but one in particular really stuck with me. 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Oftentimes, marriage is portrayed as a love story which concludes with "happily ever after", and I don't think that is what God intended marriage. The quote above seems to really provide a good image of what marriage should be; teamwork. I mentioned it last week, but marriage is not going to be 50/50. During the ceremony, it was pointed that where one is weak, the other would be strong. Couple will find themselves filling in the gaps for one another. 

Josh is a really laid back guy. He's easy-going, quick to forgive and forget, and has a huge heart. I'm a little more tightly wound, it takes me an hour or two to cool off. Between the two of us, he mellows me out and I tighten him up. The two of us together are a well-adjusted, happy medium. Two are better than one. 

The wedding this weekend has just made me even more excited for my own and the rest of the upcoming weddings this year.

Tota tua, 

LeAnn 

The bride and I 

First Dance

Barn loft for the ceremony

Josh and I at the reception