5:20 p.m. Today's project was to collect addresses for the guests invited to Heidi's wedding. I started last night going through my address book for family members' addresses, and then texting the ones I couldn't find. Heidi then suggested messaging her and my Facebook friends, so I typed up messages for hours, long after Steve, and then she went to bed. I was kept entertained by listening and occasionally glimpsing at the TLC show "Four Weddings," where brides compete for a spectacular honeymoon. It was gratifying to see that the one spent the most, thought she was so superior with her exorbitant Egyptian-themed wedding, and continually made snide remarks about the other girls' efforts, came out last! Opulence doesn't necessarily equal excellence. As Jesus put it, "The first shall be last and the last shall be first." (Matthew 19:30)
As I sent messages, it was fun to get answers back right away from several people who were also up late posting on Facebook. Some replied with just addresses, but several others last night and today took the time to thank us for inviting them and chatted with me a bit. After viewing poor manners and generally lax behavior from young adults on television (and in public) these days, I find Heidi and Pavel's friends from our church to be a breath of fresh air. You can sense the difference their relationship with Christ makes in even small matters. They exude the "sweet savor of Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:15). I also received encouragement from another MOB (Mother of the Bride) whose daughter got married last fall. "A word spoken in due season, how good is it!" Proverbs 15:23 KJV says, and the NLT puts it, "Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!"
More messaging and jotting down addresses in Heidi's Bride's Book, with breaks to clean and polish everything downstairs. Friends Ron and Gretchen are coming by Sunday afternoon to take us to the Married Couples' Valentine's dinner our church is hosting at Calvary Chapel's Conference Center in Murrieta. Our living room is spruced up considerably by the gorgeous Valentine's bouquet Pavel brought over this morning. The Lord is so good! Even if my husband can no longer drive or shop for me, my home looks festive anyway. Later after dinner we'll go to the nearby grocery store so Steve can select a card. Mine just needs to be signed.
The enemy tries to taunt me with "Next year, you won't have any flowers, because it will just be the two of you! And you won't be able to take Steve to the dinner, either!" So what? I can buy flowers myself for both of us to enjoy, and there's no telling how Steve will be by Valentine's Day 2012. SO GET BEHIND ME SATAN, IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
The important thing about a marriage centered in Christ is that Jesus is not hindered by Steve's Alzheimer's from causing love to continually flow between us, and granting miracles every day. Many aspects of our marriage are stronger than ever, and the time we have together each day is precious.
What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder!
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