Image courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons User: Vicky Hugheston

The bride was ivory loveliness as she walked down the aisle between her parents. She cried with joy.

As they stood side-by-side, her best friend pulled kleenex from his pocket, and gently dabbed away her tears.

Their love had ripened into a sacred and joyful promise of lifelong fidelity and love to each other.

Isn't that love's way, it never stays stagnant, but moves and grows.

When it became apparent, their love was deepening, they engaged in premarital counseling and related homework with their pastor, Mr. Hasan.

Pastor Hasan exhorted them: marriage was designed by God for their holiness, and not only their happiness. He also encouraged them to keep playfulness part of their relationship.

After Pastor pronounced them husband and wife, they did a dance-jig down the aisle to the song, "Bare Necessities."

My husband and I held hands as we watched his niece and her beloved enter into the gift of marriage. My eyes teared up.

I thought about our wedding more than 20 years ago. Our heads understood more about the basics of marriage as God designed it, than our hearts had yet experienced.

Over the years, our love has been ripened by disappointment, and hardship.

Difficult times deepened our love and respect for each other in a way easy times never do. It is a mystery. I am grateful for both: the sunshine and the rain.

I think of M. caring for her beloved husband of more than 50 years after his stroke. Their love has ripened into a commitment that doesn't abandon one's spouse because of disability.

And there is Christ's love fully ripened as He died on a cross for undeserving people like me.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.- Romans 5:8

The bride and groom had seen each other's best on their way to the altar. In contrast, Christ saw the worst in us, and still He chose to love us.

Christ's love ripened under the ugliest/most unloving circumstances. Amazing grace!

How has Christ's love ripened in your life? How has your love ripened for another?

Thanks for letting your soul stop a moment here with me.  I appreciate you!

P.S. I'm not sure how much blogging, or visiting I will be doing for the next several weeks as I work on a project - way out of my comfort zone. But God has been graciously holding my hand every step of the way. Feel free to contact me if you have any news, or a prayer request. Thank you for your friendship.

Linking with sweet, and gifted friend Laura for a play date

and talented L.L. Barkat

and the amazing Jen 

© Soul Stops/Dolly Lee 2012.   Creative Commons License: okay to use if you attribute the work to me, and include the permalink for this post to link back to my blog.