Love and Faithful

Love and Faithful. Maybelle Crabtree here. Tom’s and my wedding anniversary rolled around again a few weeks ago. Without a doubt, it was an emotional day for me. And for some reason, I drove to the beach. Once there, I walked along the shoreline and eventually found some dry sand to sit on.

As usual, I thought about our wedding day. The first thing that always comes to mind is how Tom’s face lit up when he saw me walking down the aisle toward him. That goofy grin of his always told me how much he loved me more than words could ever say.

Then, the pastor commenced the ceremony, “Folks, we are gathered here today…” After that, I don’t remember much. However, I do remember looking at Tom and trying to believe that this was really happening to me. Could someone this caring, this smart, really want to live the rest of his life with me? I was in a trance.

Fumbling Faithful

After handing my bouquet to my Maid of Honor, Tom and I held each other’s hands ready to pledge our love to each other for eternity. Tom was first; reciting the vows the pastor said. And then it happened; Tom fumbled over the word “faithful.”

Suddenly, I bounced back to reality. Did he really say that? I wondered. The snickering coming from some of the guests seated in the pews confirmed it. Yes, he did. “…to be your fai…fai…fai…faithful husband.”

Later on, that little mishap was the joke of the reception. In every toast that anyone gave us, “fai…fai…fai…faithful” was part of the tribute. And Tom, being the good-natured man he was, took it all in jest. He actually relished in it. I think it was his favorite part of the whole day. Sometimes now I wonder if he actually did it on purpose; to break up the seriousness of the day. But I wouldn’t put it past him.

Faithful and Love Through the Years

Now in all our years together I never worried about whether he was faithful or not. I just knew he was because he never lost that goofy grin when he looked at me. And sometimes I swear I saw hearts coming out of his head like you do in cartoons.

Also at our wedding, the pastor quoted Proverbs 3:3 (NIV): Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. The Message Bible makes it a little easier to understand (at least for me): Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.

Two Pillars – Love and Faithful

Clearly, Love and Faithfulness are the two pillars for godly conduct in all situations. First, To have faithfulness is to be dependable, keep promises, and be loyal and trustworthy. And, second, love is kindness, mercy, and shutting out all forms of selfishness and hate in your life.

For this reason, you must beautify your life with love and faithfulness as a necklace beautifies its wearer. For the neck is a metaphor describing the tight attachment of love and faithfulness to your outward life. And the heart is the inner commitment to your affection and memory.

Finally, the sun was setting over the ocean and it was time to go home. And a smile came over my face as I walked back to the car. I know Tom and I didn’t have a perfect marriage. Far from it. We argued and bickered like most married folks do. None the less, with love and faithfulness mixed with a little respect, we both remained true to our marriage vows.

So what about all of you? Do love and faithfulness help you be true to your marriage vows? Leave a comment down below and let’s discuss. Maybelle Crabtree signing off.