The BIG Day!

And still continuing the story….Our BIG day!

The countdown was on to the wedding! There were bridal showers and bridesmaids luncheons and all manner of bridal activity in high gear. Three weeks before our wedding, Matt moved into our new home. What?!?? Our home! It has such a nice ring to it! I also gave up my title as WCA’s Homecoming Queen but was more than excited to replace it with a new title on February 8, 1992….Mrs. Matt Jordan! 

Our BIG day arrived and I was getting married to my Prince Charming! All those childhood memories of playing “wedding” on the playground were about come to life. This time it was with my real groom and not some elementary boy I suckered into giving up his recess to play pretend groom. Ha! Oh bless them! 

We enjoyed a wonderful rehearsal and dinner! The same teacher that made such an impact on my life through my senior year was our wedding coordinator and she did a beautiful job of corralling our very large wedding party into a organized rehearsal. Then we joined our party for dinner by the water and were sung to by Matt's Uncle Ray. We are so blessed with an amazing family! After our dinner, Matt had me at home by 11:00 (my curfew was still in effect right up until I moved out. 😉) We talked about our excitement and couldn't believe we had made it to THE day. I remember as we stood in my driveway, hand in hand, reaffirming to each other that divorce was not an option once we were married. We both reiterated that we were in it for the long haul. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Matt gripped my hands that night before we said our vows and said to me, 

"Right now we decide. It's either going to be forever or forget it."

Forever it is!

We prayed together and as we hugged our "goodbye" that night, it was surreal knowing that would be the last time he would walk me to my door and then turn to go to his own home. The next night he would carry me over the threshold to "from this day forward...."

Waking up the morning of my wedding day I  was “cool as a cucumber”. I lounged around in my cozies because it was going to be a long wait to see my groom. Our wedding wasn’t until 6:00 so I took my time getting ready. We headed to the church that afternoon and the excitement was building. My “cool as a cucumber” attitude was quickly replaced by the butterflies in my stomach eating away at those cucumbers. 😜 There were pictures being taken, and details getting finished, and I was just ready to get this show on the road. My groom was waiting! 

Finally...the moment arrived! The chimes began signaling it was 6:00! I could not believe I was getting ready to become Mrs. Matt Jordan!

Our wedding was beautiful! It was exactly as I had dreamed! The wedding party was huge and full of those most precious to us! My bridesmaids dressed in stunning purple dresses and the men so dasher in their tuxes. But nothing compared to standing in the back of the church as I heard the bridal march begin, the doors opened, and there he was! My groom was standing at the altar, so handsome in his tux, smiling in anticipation with tears of joy in his eyes, and at that moment nothing else mattered. My dad escorted me down the aisle but I don't remember much of anything because my focus was on getting to Matt, saying, "I do", and beginning our lives together as one in Christ! Our family and friends surrounded us in love and it was an honor to have both of our childhood pastors unite us in marriage that day. Rev. Wall and Pastor Herchenhahn orchestrated a beautiful ceremony. We had my brother and sister-in-law and some dear friends sing during our ceremony and then as Pastor Herchenhahn announced us as husband and wife, my heart was full.  We sealed our vows with a kiss! The first kiss as husband and wife! In the presence of God, we turned to face our family and friends as we were officially announced, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Matthew Jordan. To God be the glory!

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

Genesis 2:18 (KJV)

We made a covenant together before God that day and, still today, take that covenant very seriously. We've seen marriages crumble all around us. It is a stark reminder of the fallen world we live in and that none of us are immune to sinful and selfish desires. None of us! 

We know that our individual focus and attention has to be on Almighty God! It is only then that two people, who have their own selfish ways, can be totally committed to the covenant of marriage. Do we argue and fall short at times? Absolutely! Do we get on each other’s nerves and act selfishly? You bet! But you see, when we focus our attention on God, we are both looking in the same direction and God can unite our hearts in a way that only HE can. He can take these two selfish people and make something incredible out of them. God's design for marriage is beautiful and holy! Through the good times and the bad times it is a blessing to behold.  

I am truly honored to be united in holy matrimony with my best friend and love of my life. Many days I feel so unworthy of this incredible blessing. I am blessed that Matt chose me! I am blessed that God crossed our paths that hot summer day in Chick-fil-A! I am continually blessed that God allows us to live this gift of marriage everyday! Our vows were precious then and are still today.

What we vowed on February 8, 1992, we will continue as we honor each other and our God....to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part!

"So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

Matthew 19:6 (NASB)

Join me tomorrow as we go from the wedding to "happily ever after"...