To Celebrate

Yesterday, Josh posted an article on Facebook titled, "Let's Ban Weddings, and While We're at It, Baby Showers Too". In the article, The author talks about how the fact that some people are more excited about their actual wedding day and the "childhood fantasy of princess for a day" vs. their marriage and the respective rest of their lives frankly, disgusts her. She also goes on to express her distaste in opulent baby showers rather than opulent graduation parties and her general disappointment in how different life events are cerebrated as compared to others.

Here are my two cents:

In 10 days (yep, I am doing a NASA style countdown), Josh and I will make a commitment to each other for as long as we both shall live before God, our family, and friends. After the ceremony, we will throw a shindig for 165 with dinner, dancing, and drinks to celebrate. Yes, I will be wearing a great dress(naturally), and yes, I will be carrying flowers (obviously). However, recognizing the gravity of the situation and recognizing, as Christians, that our goal for this marriage is to glorify God, Josh and I have chosen as our first act as husband and wife to serve communion.

We chose to do this for two reasons: first, the actual act of serving. By serving our guests, we are making a statement that we intend to serve others in our relationship and we will work to be selfless servants to each other and those around us, following the example of Christ. Secondly, we wanted to take this opportunity, when we have a captive audience of 165, to be certain that the gospel was shared. Not all our friends and family know Jesus (surprise!) and since we believe that only in Him can the people we care about find salvation, we were keen on having the Lord be a focal point.

So yes, we are going to have a fabulous party to celebrate our marriage, but it will be set as the background to the ceremony itself, the promises we make, the start of our lives, and the provision of our God. Because when the food is gone, the decorations are removed, the flowers have found a new home, and I'm wearing cutoffs in Jamaica, Josh and I will still be married and we will be held accountable to the words we have said.

I tend to agree that the way events are celebrated is skewed, but, as believers and followers of Christ, we have assurance of His provision in the hard things and can therefore appreciate celebrations as what they are: simply celebrations of REALLY IMPORTANT MILESTONES which were ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST. (note the emphasis) Celebrations become skewed when we begin to celebrate simply for the entertainment value, however, if we remind ourselves of what exactly it is that we are celebrating, and who we have to thank for our success, celebrations, become more joyful, more meaningful, and more realistic.

Therefor, I plan to "party like its your birthday" at our wedding. I plan to dance until the sun comes up when I get my acceptance letter into my next set of schooling. I plan to toast success when my future classmates and I (finally) graduate. I plan to cry big ugly tears of joy at a baby shower when a few years down the line Josh and I start a family. I plan to do all of these things with the knowledge that I have not accomplished them alone, but with family, friends, and the eternal and necessary help of my savior. That it what makes a celebration a PARTY.