Wedding vs. Marriage!

"Wedding takes an hour or two, but Marriage takes a lifetime!". This is one liner from our Pastor Sam that really penetrated in my heart and in my mind. I've been here in Penang, Malaysia for almost 3 years and was blessed enough to be invited in a lot of wedding ceremonies already. I noticed that the same ol' me feelin' excited but a bit fearful deep inside. Well, on top of that... here you go Mr. Teardrop on the way to my chubby cheeks :P. Yeah, I believe that for majority.. to be in a teary-eyed feeling during weddings are but normal and natural. I'd say those people who are really numb are realistically admirable but normally abnormal!

One way or another, most of us will or has come to a point of thinking how is it like if "I'm the one in the altar getting married?" Blah blah blah, blah blah blah! Heheheh... Some may be very bold and courageous enough to say that he/she wants to get married while some may say "I don't want to get married else I won't be free anymore." Well... i think everything should have at least a balance and both parties must strive to strike that balance.

I have a lot of friends who are already married and who were married before. Personally, I feel in my heart that I do want to get married but then thoughts of fears and scary things are haunting me - that's natural to a human being right? :P And I'm sure for all of you out there, at certain point you are having the same dilemma. That even my dad is scared for me, can you imagine? I remember one very early morning while he walked me through the streets on the way to work, I asked him..."Papa, question! If you are to decide for me.. would you rather want me not to marry or to marry?". At first, my papa was like errr.. "ofcourse dear it's up to you.. whatever you want...i'll be there to support you." But then I said, what if I want you to decide for me? Then somewhat not really a suprising answer of... "Well, if I am to decide for you I would prefer that you'd rather not get married". Then I bursted into laughter and exclaimed "I knew it, Papa!".

Well... talk about marriage... I'm exposed to friends having issues and challenges with either hubbies or the other way around - the wiffy! The empire of the dark-side is just always there but.. there is the BUT! The bright-side will definitely NOT stop in counter attacking the dark-side :) Now, being exposed to a lot of these... I began to think and reflect... can I cope up with the ups and downs of my own marriage? I believe so :) hahaha! God is there with me and God will also be with my future hubby! I strongly believe that if God is REALLY the center of one's marriage - it won't be an assured perfect one but it will be everlasting! "It is such a wonderful relationship when a perfect God is in the middle of 2 imperfect people." - I heard this statement from one of the hosts in 700 Club Asia. The sence of assurance in the said statement for marriage is basically God! Yeah, we can only find assurance in Him alone! :)

To end, let me leave you with a very sensible and encouraging statement from: "Forces of Nature" movie starring Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck.

"Marriage has less beauty but more safety than the single life. It's full of sorrows and full of joy. It lies under more burdens but it is supported by all the strengths of love and those burdens are delightful."

Whew! What a statement yeah?! Now here comes the dessert for the above:

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13; NIV Bible

:)