Stomping in Syrup

We had a piñata at our reception. Bet you've never heard of that at a wedding before. And, no, we're not Mexican. It was a big paper mache white heart with fuchsia trim, a diagonal Cupid's arrow, a large pink bow, the name ZIMANEK near the top on one side and BRAD and JILL on the other. It was filled with Smarties, Tootsie rolls, bubble gum and the like. We did this because we had a lot of kids at the wedding and we wanted them to have something special just for them. Plus we didn't want kids to participate in the throwing of the bouquet and garter (which we felt weren't for little ones anyways), so my Mom came up with the idea of the piñata. The DJ played the Mexican Hat Dance (Jarabe Tapatio - which I think is about stomping in syrup? Go figure.) Your Daddy and I swung each other around, made a tiny tunnel for the kids to walk under and danced until we decided to take a whack at the piñata with a long white pole that had streamers at the top. It was my job to hit the heart. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get that piñata to break open. It would just spin round and round and swing to and fro on the string. So here is where your Daddy stepped up to bat. With one hard whack the heart plummeted to the ground, just a tiny crack near the top. So my Mom, slipped in, picked up the heart and shook candy all over the floor. It was a huge success. The little ones (and your then 17-year-old Uncle Greg) scurried everywhere to pick up pieces of candy. I still giggle at the video when watching Uncle Greg squeeze between children to sneak candy into his pocket.

That is how you make a memory at a wedding reception: you provide something a little different with flair so that it's something folks will look back on with fondness, not just because it was your wedding, but because it was so much fun. We heard for years after people remembering - of all things - the piñata at our reception.

Looking back on it symbolically, it was pretty perfect. Here we were, our newlywed hearts, hanging by a thin thread, each of us taking whacks at them. While I never think it is the intention of the wife or husband to chip away at their beloved's heart, it does happen. Nagging and put downs can slice away at a tender loving heart. You will need to be extra cautious not to do so, especially if you've already gotten in the habit of doing it. It's easy to poke fun or make the snippy comment. It prays upon ignorance and weakness. It truly is like stomping in the syrup. But when is it even slightly loving or edifying? If we are trying to build up our spouse to make them a better person, then the heart whacks have to stop. Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." 1 Cor. 14:26 (while dealing with various aspects of worship) says, "Let all things be done for edification." And 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing." The last thing you want to do is whack at each other's heart so hard it cracks and falls to the ground. While fun as a piñata, a broken heart is not so much.

May your words be as filled with sweetness to one another as that piñata was with candy.

Discussion: What do you think of a piñata at the reception? What is something fun or different you can do at your wedding to make a memory? Do you ever catch yourselves taking a whack at each other's heart verbally? Tell each other something you love about your fiance.

Prayer: Lord, our hearts are tender and in your care. I pray, Lord, we care for our beloved's heart as You do ours. Help us to build one another up and not tear down. In Jesus, Amen.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Edification,-Means-Of#sthash.4RzyI8IK.dpuf

Let all things be done for edification.

Let all things be done for edification.