"Til Death Do Us Part

I wear these rings on the ring finger of my left hand. They mean something special to me and signify that I am taken-for life.

I received my diamond on the day that my husband proposed to me marriage-asking me to be his wife. We were on a 3 island day cruise close to our home. When we got to the third island-Kelley's Island we were taking a walk along the beach and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!

Two months later, I added the gold band to my hand when I promised my life to him one day at a time "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do us part."

One year when we celebrated our anniversary he gave me the diamond band and on one Valentine's Day he gave me the heart ring. These rings hold sentimental value to me as well as showing everyone who sees them that I am married. Yesterday, we celebrated 22 years of marriage. In today's society, 22 years is a lifetime and rare to hear that a couple would stay together that long. And yet I am thankful that I can say I am still married. My parents have been married for almost 46 years and my prayer is that Lord willing, one day I will be able to say the same. 

God instituted marriage in the Bible with Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:18, 21-24

"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him'

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Marriage is not easy and you will have your ups and downs, but anything worth something takes work. Because we each have distinct and different personalities we won't always agree but marriage means you must be willing to compromise and learn to put your spouse and their needs above your own-Love.

That is why 1 Corinthians 13, titled the Love chapter, is often read at a wedding ceremony. It is a good passage of scripture to memorize and follow as a guideline in your marriage.

I Corinthians 13:1-13

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;

Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Bears all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."