Doubly Blessed Day

June is the most popular month to get married. According to US Census statistics, 10.8 percent of marriages take place in June. Second place goes to August with 10.2 percent. But what day is most popular? Most wedding statistic websites say the most popular day of the week to get married is Saturday. However, we could find zero stats to back that up. But it seems it is the common notion, and we're sure pretty accurate. Lots of folks are off on a Saturday, so it makes it easier for the couple, bridal party and guests to attend. After that, Friday is the most popular day, then Sunday.

So keeping those day and dates in mind, when wedding vendors set their rates, Saturdays in June, you'll find, will be the most expensive time to marry. The rates go down for less popular months and days, thus a Friday wedding or January wedding when only 4.7 percent of weddings take place, will cost less.

But here's a little fact you may not have heard about ... the most popular day for ancient Jewish weddings was Tuesday. This came from a book my husband read by Dr. James W. Fleming, an archaeologist and creator of the Explorations in Antiquities Center in LaGrange, GA (a place everyone should visit to see replicas of places and things you read about in the Bible). According to Fleming, Jews picked Tuesday to marry because it was the only day of the week in the book of Genesis where God "saw that it was good" twice. On that third day, God created the dry land and vegetation ... both good. Every other day, God saw that it was good once. So the Jews believe Tuesday was doubly blessed, therefore the best day to wed. Obviously this day didn't catch on as much in modern times as the day of rest everyone celebrated on the Sabbath or Saturday.

Ayla and Rob are getting married in October (half way down on the list of most popular wedding months) on a Friday (the less expensive option), and by God's grace on our wedding anniversary, the 16th. Only 150 days to go! Anton and Kayla have set their date for Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. Whatever day, month or date that is selected, when the vows are said it becomes a blessed and sacred day, one to be remembered and celebrated for your lifetime on this earth. And, we believe, one that God will doubly bless as "good."

Discussion: What factors most come into play when selecting a day, month or date for you to get married? How much work did it take to select your wedding date?

Prayer: Father, we thank you for pronouncing all your creation "good." We glorify You in it and celebrate You at the center of it as in the center of all marriages. Lord God, please bless the day and date of the weddings for our children. May they be a testament to Your love and their commitment. In Christ Jesus, Amen.

Celebrating Year-After-Year

27th anniversary

This morning your Daddy and I will be returning from our anniversary trip. Yes, our anniversary was last week, but with Daddy's work schedule of late, this was the earliest the two of us could get away for a couple of days. And we needed it.

You know very well that your father and I make sure we disappear for even just a couple of days every year on our anniversary (which is tricky since it falls in the middle of football season each year). But that is how important celebrating our wedding date is to us. We want to be focused on just each other, the same way it was 27 years ago.

1st anniversary

See, we hear about married couples all the time who just acknowledge their wedding anniversary. No celebration. No gift. No meal. No flowers. No card even. Just sad. But your Dad and I wanted to make sure we remembered that it was that wedding date that we solemnly promised our Father we would be together throughout this lifetime. And we wanted to make sure we celebrated it big. Sometimes we would even get each other a special gift, but not always, because our trip away was our gift to each other.

When you kids were little, we might only be able to get out for a fancy meal, show or one night away. But any chance we got, we would get a sitter and disappear to be together. As you got older we tried to get away for a couple of days. And we made memories in Door County, the Smoky Mountains, the Caribbean, state parks, gardens, Mackinac Island and most recently various gulf coast beaches. We wanted you and Anton to know that after God, we came first to each other.

18th anniversary

Something else we have always done when we went on these trips was search for a church. We would renew our wedding vows before God in these hallowed places to reaffirm what we promised that wedding day. And you know we've had vow renewal ceremonies twice at both our 15th and 25th anniversaries.

Next year, your Daddy and I are taking an anniversary trip to Anna Maria Island in Florida where we plan on watching you both exchange vows. We pray this date becomes as special and beautiful for you both as it has been for us and that you will take time, make time, to make it important, holy and honored every single year. That means taking off work, prioritizing and, in the future, leaving the kids at home.

By the way, when you both head off on your honeymoon next year, don't be surprised if we also sneak off afterwards to be alone. It's our anniversary after all.

13th anniversary

Discussion: What are some ways you can keep your wedding date special in future years? How would you like to celebrate?

Prayer: Father, we know that special dates and celebrations are holy to you, as you have set specific feasts and celebrations throughout Scripture (Lev. 23:44). Thank you that we can remember this holy day as well, a time when you joined us as one. We love you so much and thank you for each other. We pray Rob and Ayla will remember to honor their wedding date, vows and each other every single year in some special way. In Jesus' name, Amen.