wedding season

I watched two of my lovely friends get married this past weekend.

It's crazy though. First of all, how am I old enough that I know so many people getting married? I can't imagine this changing at all in the next couple of years...wedding season every season? (Oh dear.) Second of all, they met in October of 2014, and married in July of 2016. Less than 2 years. Can you imagine what can happen in two years?

Can you imagine meeting and getting to know someone, and then deciding that this is the person you want to live with for the rest of your life?
Beyond your first job, beyond your first house. Beyond retirement and children growing up and moving out.
You'd be with them till death did you part.
At least, theoretically.

Though the "50% of marriages end in divorce" statistic is largely untrue (and the actual statistic is difficult to accurately calculate), it's not hard to see how divorce happens.
Relationships are hard.
And forever my friends, is much longer than you think.

So what then? What's the key to a forever-lasting relationship?

I obviously can't answer this question. Can anyone?

How do you love someone that well, that truly?

I was once told, marry someone who loves you more than you love them. And I found this quite puzzling; should both not love each other equally and unconditionally? How do you gauge the level of love?
I've resolved however, that I hope to marry someone who loves Christ more than me. What better love to imitate than the one that gave it all and persisted despite our perpetual idolatry, disobedience, and distrust of God? Frame of reference. Christ is my benchmark.

I could write more but I honestly can't complete thoughts these days so we'll leave it at this till I get the chance to come back and finish.

07.19.16