This week I began my very first Institute classes at Utah State University. While I'm not attending the school itself yet, I love being on campus and can't wait to start next year! One of the two Institute classes I'm enrolled in is called Preparing for a Celestial Marriage. I know, I know. It seems like I'm going overboard with the whole thing. But this class is mainly focused on self-improvement, becoming the right person for the right person, and maintaining healthy relationships, which I believe are important skills for anyone and everyone. So, in honor of the 15-week learning process that I'm so looking forward to, I must make it clear that marriage is a whole lot more important than the wedding itself.
As an observant child watching my parents take care of our family, fight, separate, divorce, date other people, and then both get remarried, my view of marriage was sufficiently whipsawed by several different forces. Over the past few years I have found within myself the deep desire to sort through my positive and negative experiences and figure out how to properly acquire and maintain healthy relationships of the romantic and non-romantic type. At this point I would not imagine professing to have even an adequate knowledge of the necessary tactics for stabilizing a marriage, but I know I'm on my way to it.
I have expressed concern for the general lack of years' experience currently requisite to obtain a marriage license. I have also made it known that this concern is due largely to my own unpreparedness, rather than a reflection of those already making such decisions. I have also tried to get the point across that I am very happy with myself and where I'm at in my life. Today I learned that I do not have to plan out the next ten years of my life, because there is hardly any chance of every single one of my plans turning out the way I expect it to. Heavenly Father just doesn't work that way.
However, goals are vital and excellent. So, right now, I'm setting the goal to learn all I can and improve myself to the point where I will be worthy of an eternal marriage. Not everything will be perfect, and it may be that my course of life will go in an entirely different direction than I am working toward right now, but I am satisfied in the knowledge that I am moving forward. With every little decision I make, I can choose to do the right thing and consequently be happy. This is what pushes us along, dear friends. Make the small choices with an eternal perspective in mind.
What a tangent. Here's the wedding.
The flowers: Cream carnations and lavender. Carnations are sweet, pretty, and cheerful, while the lavender bud is unexpected and quiet. The perfect bouquet for a pleasantly shy pair of lovebirds.
As an observant child watching my parents take care of our family, fight, separate, divorce, date other people, and then both get remarried, my view of marriage was sufficiently whipsawed by several different forces. Over the past few years I have found within myself the deep desire to sort through my positive and negative experiences and figure out how to properly acquire and maintain healthy relationships of the romantic and non-romantic type. At this point I would not imagine professing to have even an adequate knowledge of the necessary tactics for stabilizing a marriage, but I know I'm on my way to it.
I have expressed concern for the general lack of years' experience currently requisite to obtain a marriage license. I have also made it known that this concern is due largely to my own unpreparedness, rather than a reflection of those already making such decisions. I have also tried to get the point across that I am very happy with myself and where I'm at in my life. Today I learned that I do not have to plan out the next ten years of my life, because there is hardly any chance of every single one of my plans turning out the way I expect it to. Heavenly Father just doesn't work that way.
However, goals are vital and excellent. So, right now, I'm setting the goal to learn all I can and improve myself to the point where I will be worthy of an eternal marriage. Not everything will be perfect, and it may be that my course of life will go in an entirely different direction than I am working toward right now, but I am satisfied in the knowledge that I am moving forward. With every little decision I make, I can choose to do the right thing and consequently be happy. This is what pushes us along, dear friends. Make the small choices with an eternal perspective in mind.
What a tangent. Here's the wedding.
The dress: Marchesa. One of my very most beloved designers, any of their magnificent gowns would have been suitable. The crocheted panel adds visual interest to an otherwise clean Grecian silhouette.
The flowers: Cream carnations and lavender. Carnations are sweet, pretty, and cheerful, while the lavender bud is unexpected and quiet. The perfect bouquet for a pleasantly shy pair of lovebirds.
The cake: Inventive and modern, this confection's ruffles certainly cater to the bride. I love the creative fading and actually appreciate the small size of the cake. Of course, the lavender sprig ties everything together.
The playlist: Triumphant and mellow all in the same pretty package. The seventh song is in YouTube video form. It was just too beautiful to pass up.
Happy drooling...
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