Our 3rd Year.

Today is my 3 year wedding anniversary.  


Like myself, I bet most people think back to that special day when they became man and wife with great memories of the celebration with family and friends.  The amazing honeymoon.  The happy times there after.  Today I did that, and then my train of thought came to a 
screeching halt... 


.... Wait a minute, what about this part!  The ceremony.  We had a pretty extensive one.  45 minutes of rituals and readings, and no (ZERO) vows spoken by us to each other.  This is something I am so blessed to have experienced.   Yes it is important to promise your spouse to love them through thick and thin, joy and sorrow, sickness and health.  However, our covenant with God as a couple holds stronger and truer than any poetic words we could have spoken.  


As I looked back to our wedding video, amongst the overwhelming Greek traditions, I discovered things of our ceremony that have never stood out until now.  Probably because I was too busy thinking about my dress, or the reception, or how many outfits to pack for our honeymoon in Greece... 

Our 3rd year of marriage was spent learning these things first hand, without realizing we had already been told.


{The servant of God Haralambos (Rob's Greek name) is betrothed to the hand maiden of God Keren}


betrothed: promised, pledged.


{Yolk them into oneness of mind, crown them into oneness of flesh, grant them the fruit of the womb; the joy of bearing children}


That part is where Bayla comes in :)


{This marriage has come together not just as a partnership, but bringing God into your lives}


I never imagined growing so much in my own personal relationship with Christ through our marriage!


Though we never spoke any vows to each other, we took our first steps as a married couple in the presence of God.  We were prayed for and blessed by the Orthodox Priest.  Many people at my wedding were probably completely lost during the ceremony, but I bet it was pretty clear that we were being wed before God. 





To be honest, each year of marriage has become more and more challenging, but as we overcome those challenges, it becomes sweeter and sweeter! 


I think we have learned a lot about the roles of husband and wife- praying with and for each other, serving and respecting, encouraging and loving.  All things that God is.