My Surprise Wedding

For my 17th wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with a wedding. We had eloped 17 years earlier when I was 17 years old. So I had been married half of my life. I knew nothing about it until 5 PM! We were to leave for a 2nd honeymoon, but I couldn’t understand why we were leaving so late. Usually we’d leave at 5 AM to go on any trip –not 5 PM!

During the months before, if someone slipped up in saying “wedding”, they’d mention Brother & Sister Weaver’s upcoming wedding, a special couple at church who was celebrating their 50th anniversary December 5th.

I had a beautiful wedding dress that fit perfectly. Weeks earlier we girls were all going on a diet. They measured me from my shoulder to wrist & from my waist to the floor (?), but they measured everyone else that way too….

In 1986, after 17 years of marriage, I was just proud that I could still fit into the suit I had gotten married in.

(When my husband went to tell my parents about it, they were relieved to find I wasn’t dying, since he’d come to see them by himself!)

My dad walked me down the aisle, which he didn’t do the first time. Jason, our 15-year old son was best man. I had a beautiful cake & a reception, which I didn’t have the first time. We had bridesmaids, groomsmen, audio & video taping. My husband read a speech which he had written (see below). There were tears in people’s eyes as he read. I just beamed!

Mike's Speech to me for our Surprise Wedding in 1986

If Woman was made for Man as a Helpmate, then I know God had you planned for me. If I had gotten out of God’s will and married someone else, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today.

You’ve never pushed me, only nudged me.

You’ve never criticized, only suggested when I was wrong.

You’ve never kicked me when I was down, only encouraged.

You’ve had confidence in me when no one else did.

You loved me in bitter times, and I hope I can give you a few sweet ones.

You gave me a son that has been the joy of our life, and you’ve taught him the things of God and of life when I didn’t have the time or even know that I should. You let me know when I should spend more time with him, and you’ve always stood behind me when I’ve corrected him.

Our son will be a man soon. In a few years he’ll be off on his own. And our time together will increase. Our focus on life may change somewhat, but your importance to me will increase. My need for you is greater than ever before, and my love for you has grown moment by moment. I can see this in the rest of our lives.

My life would never have been complete without you, and I love you so much. I thank God for letting you put up with me all these years, and I’m looking forward to what God has for us in the future.

I Corinthians 13 & Anthony

Yesterday, after a couple of Anthony’s friends went home, I had a little discussion with him about his attitude.

“Anthony, I didn’t like what happened today.“

“What???? What was I doing???”

“You did not want to share your video game. You didn’t want to change games to what your friend wanted to play. You were talking back to me & not minding me. Shall I go on??”

“Yes, go on.”

So I told him some other things that needed changing.

“But, Mom…….”

Then I sat him beside me & got out the Bible, turning to I Corinthians, 13^th chapter, & read:

⁴ Love is patient and kind. I stopped.

Surprising me, he said, “Go on…”

Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. ⁵ Love is not rude, {pause, with a look toward Anthony, then continued} is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. ⁶ Love is not happy with evil…

“That means you don’t say, “Ha! Ha! Ha! You got hurt.”

“OK, Mom, I get it.”

⁷ Love always trusts, always hopes, and always remains strong.
⁸ Love never ends….. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways.

“You’re becoming a man. And I want you to be the best as you grow up.”

“OK, Mom, I get it.”

¹³ So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.

“I love you, Mom!”

Yes, he did get it.

“I love you, too, Son!”