Vowed Valentine

I'm married now and I still forgot about Valentine's Day until I was attacked by blinding pink and red in the grocery store. I've always been told that pink and red clash--never wear pink and red, never advertise with pink and red...

Yet we call it the love colors (or at least commercialism does).

Last year I gave into a rant about remembering love. I still stand by my words --I wish I knew the stories of the three Valentine men. 

I have no increased expectations for my husband today. He shows me love every day in amazing ways that surpass my own overactive imagination. He doesn't need a day to "step up" and show me some extra love because he already gives me his best, daily...hourly...

With my husband by my side today, I can't help but think about our wedding vows. We proclaimed them before family and friends so that all who celebrated our union were also witnesses to keep us accountable to our promises. I realized that it's difficult for someone to keep us accountable if they can't remember what we vowed. So, as a reminder to all who know us, Daylen and I promised the following to each other, and we plan to hold to these words until God takes us from this earth:

Photo by Drew Woolery

Daylen's Vows

Nadine, I love you
God has entrusted you to me
To unify us through the companionship of marriage.
By the strength of His Spirit within me,
I vow to God and to you, to love you as Christ loves the Church
For better or for worse
For richer or for poorer
In sickness and in health
To be our spiritual leader in action and truth;
Seeking faithfulness and righteousness
With God's guidance and instruction.
To grow together in our relationship with Christ
To believe you, trust you, and endure with you
To be your constant pursuer and best friend
To see you as the precious treasure you are
I vow to give you the best of me every day
For the glory and honor of God
Until He takes us from this earth.

My Vows

Daylen, I love you.
God has entrusted you to me,
To unify us through the companionship of marriage.
By the strength of His Spirit within me,
I vow to God and to you, to submit to you as to Christ,
For better or for worse,
For richer or for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love you in action and in truth,
Seeking faithfulness and righteousness
To respect and support you as you lead us along God's path
To exhort you in your relationship with Christ
To surrender my independence for your love, protection, and provision
To believe you, trust you, and endure with you,
To pursue you second only to God,
To be your helper and your best friend.
I vow to give you the best of me every day for the glory and honor of God
Until He takes us from this earth.

If I could fit these words into a syringe and liquefy them, I'd insert them into my blood and heart every morning in the hopes that I could hold to the power of each word through every moment. Thankfully, God's already doing that...at His own pace. Daylen's and my best will only grow with each sunrise. We couldn't ask for more.