Newlyweds

I don't know who all reads this, but I want to go ahead and warn you that this blog is an expression of my feelings about a certain situation. I will be the first to admit that I am bitter about what has happened. I desire to exhibit the love of Christ with a humble heart and a spirit of forgiveness.

As I sit here writing this, my brother-in-law is getting married in Atlanta. Why, you may ask, am I not attending the ceremony? The answer is simple: I don't know. I don't vent very often, but I'm having a very difficult time dealing with this situation.

Jon and Marla got engaged a few weeks after Noah's birth. Jacob and I were ecstatic when they announced their engagement and were excited about participating in the wedding festivities. The wedding date was announced in late June: October 3. The problem? Jacob has Reserve drill the first weekend of every month. Jake has been in the Army for 7 years, and he has had drill the same weekend for each of those 7 years. Scheduling the wedding for the same weekend as Jake's drill hurt deeply, but what made the situation worse for Jacob and myself is that my mother-in-law demanded that we change our wedding date until we found a date to accommodate Jon and Marla. No one ever asked us if we would be able to make it today. We feel like our presence at the wedding wasn't important to Jacob's family. We are hurt and it's going to take time to get over it. I've been physically ill over the entire situation today. Noah and I could have made the trip to Atlanta ourselves, but I knew I couldn't handle Noah on a 3-hour ride alone (especially as sick as he has been). I also had to take Jacob to Tallahassee yesterday and will have to pick him up tomorrow. Two trips to Tallahassee and a trip to Atlanta would have been a lot for my little man (and me!) to handle in three days. I guess I would feel better if someone had offered to help me so that Noah and I could have attended the wedding.

I guess I'm finished venting...and I guess Jon and Marla are almost married.

Newlywed Prayer (for Jon and Marla)

Lord watch over us as we
venture into uncharted seas.

Protect and guide us to live in Your glory
and be an example of Your love.

Watch over our families that have become one through our union.
Give us the patience and understanding to weather the storms that test every alliance.

Be our shelter when we are homeless
and our compass when we have lost our way.

Lord let us always be forever grateful
for the gifts You have bestowed upon us.

So that never a day goes by that we take for granted the love we share now.
And let the everlasting love we will share together always fill our hearts.

by Fred Cuellar