Wedding Bells

On Sunday, February 14, 2016 Rocky and I will be married at our church following the two usual worship services. It happens to be the monthly church pot luck supper that same day so the church will be filled with people we know who will likely step into the sanctuary to witness our ceremony. What happens happens; we didn’t plan it this way at all.

No, we needed some legal protections and considered both a civil union or marriage. The latter provides much more protection and benefit so we opted for that. Once married we will enact some of those legal protections and benefits but have to wait for the marriage license to be registered once the pastor signs it and mails it in. With a civil union we didn’t need a ceremony so we could enact some of the benefits immediately. What’s in a few days? Not much so we chose marriage for all the better reasons!

Still we wanted a small and private ceremony. My daughter and son will be their with their spouses and children. Rocky’s son will be there with his wife and three sons. A few other family and friends will be present but very few. Church members are a large part of our life and friendships so they will be welcomed however they present themselves!

No cocktails, champagne toasts or bands and dancing. Just family and good friends in a place we have found much happiness and peace. You’d have to know about Trinity Lutheran Church in Warrenville to understand. This is a church universal in which it is the people who are the church and the message and the work and the faith. Just what a church is described to be in the Bible. Love, forgiveness and inclusion are the watchwords. Oh, and service. Let’s not forget that! Service is to one another in mutual aid and support, as well as similar outreach to those in the community in need. Whether we know them personally or not. Mostly not.

We have yet to write our wedding vows or draft inclusions to the ceremony. It will be simple, though. We are in our 70’s and been together for over 16 years. We have little to prove to each other that’s new except to have and to hold, through sickness and health until death do us part. We’ve sort of been doing that all along. We are in good practice. Even the runs to the emergency room! Heck, the health part is easy; it’s the opposite that will prove challenging.

Not much will change after the ceremony. We will continue to do what we have been doing. The really big change will be cheaper health insurance as Rocky will qualify to be included on my insurance plan through my retirement plan. Of course there are many legal benefits including survivor benefits when the death moments arrive. That places both of us at ease in the meantime.

So now you have another reason to think kindly on Valentine’s Day this year. Although we did not select this day as our day, happenstance brought it all together. And that’s a good thing!

Cheers!

February 2, 2016