One of my most embarrassing experiences was the time I forgot the groomıs name in the ceremony. I was not in favor of this particular wedding. The young woman was one of my favorites in the church and she had only known the ³flower child² of the 70s² with the long ponytail and peace signs on his shirt for a short time. I did the vows without a problem but then realized I had no idea what the boyıs name was. The Chaplain of Bourbon Street had said it well. He said that in such situations he simply said, ³Do you whatever you are promise to be whatever it is youıre gonna be?² He then pronounced them ³Whatever they were.²

That was how I felt but, you know, that marriage turned out to be one of the best of my marriages. The hippy joined the Army and served honorably.

One of our children had a very young boy as his ring bearer at the wedding. When the time came he pranced gleefully down he aisle, swinging the pillow with the ring attached, upside down. When he reached the front there was no ring. We proceeded through the ceremony and faked the ring. The recessional was a rapid trip down the aisle looking for the missing ring.

Another story is told about the little boy who came down the aisle in a remarkable fashion. He would take two solemn steps and turn to the congregation with a loud ³ROAR² another two steps and turn to the other side with a ³ROAR.² Why did you do that, he was asked. ³Well,² he said, ³did I do it wrong?² ³I donıt know,² his mother said. ³What were you doing?²

³Well,² he said, ³I was supposed to be the ring bear.²

Weddings can be funny but they embody the most serious commitment that a man and woman can make to each other. They are starting out on a road that neither knows the destination. Because they love Jesus their path will be blessed. At the same time we know the path will not always be smooth. Our lives are like a house we build, and as husband and wife get to know each other they will be admitted to different rooms. Some will contain surprises and some terrors but all will be meant to strengthen the relationship.

The operative word is commitment. The Bible uses the word submission. Moderns have refused to accept the dictum of wives being submissive to husbands and husbands loving wives. We reject Godıs plan at our peril. Marriages succeed on the foundation of committed love. Without that commitment they will almost certainly fail. Had I not seen that commitment in their eyes, the wedding of two beautiful people would have been a sad occasion. Diana and Bruce, it was there. We love you and know that your years together will be blessed.