Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday June 12, 2007

Saturday past the youngest child of the Lilly clan at age 34 joined the ranks of the married. 34 is ancient by today's standards, but the exhilaration and the near paralyzing fear were clearly present in the demeanor of the child in the final countdown.

The church was packed with many ladies weeping, I suppose now painfully secure in the knowledge that their daughter, granddaughter or perhaps best young friend was now officially out of the running for the queen’s throne at the church were Jon pastors.

Jon and Stephanie have known each other since mere childhood and well, the rest is history. Everyone is aware that Mrs. Jon Lilly is anything but a shrinking violet and therefore her reign will be undisputed, at least publicly. On Sunday evening I received a call from Jon at the Los Angeles airport and he reported that he was doing fine at which news Mrs. Joyce Lilly,(mother) affectionately nicknamed "Marie" exclaimed, "Oh, praise the Lord my baby made it through the night."

For years Jon has supposed that he is unfit to teach couples on the biblical subject of marriage and now feels that he will have more credibility to teach on the subject. I tried to tell him that now that he is married he will certainly sense a much deeper inadequacy.

Based on the experience of my 43 years of marriage I have tried the best I know how to prepare him for the reality of the myth of wedded bless, and to just let the nature of the relationship run its course. I hope he understands that only foolish, young single men believe in the myth of male dominance in the marital relationship. I assured him that the little stories he formerly laughed heartily at upon hearing would no longer seem so funny.

Such stories as this one which formerly bought a smile will now bring a tear and a sigh, "Oh, if only it weren't true.

" "My boss was complaining in a staff meeting the other day that he wasn't getting any respect. Later that morning he went out and got a small sign that read, "I'm the boss." He then taped it to his office door. Later that day when he returned from lunch, he found that someone had taped a note to the sign that said: "Your wife called. She wants you to bring her sign back."

Many, still clothed in the garment of ignorance think the above is only a funny story. Those who have been properly groomed by reality know the truth of it. And for mature men at least, it is not so funny. After all we grew from a babe in arms to the manhood thinking that real men only kissed their horse. Mother Lilly near passed out at the Nuptial Kiss when Jon, departing from the cowboy kiss for the horse planted a truly "Rhett Butler" smooch on the lovely Stephanie. The deacons took note and I'm sure they wonder where he learned such professionalism. I suppose it can be passed off from watching the torrid love his dad and mom have shared during his progress from tender years to maturity.

While I have tried to make a little lighthearted banter of the marriage of Jon to Stephanie, we all know that marriage is no joke. And that's for sure.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2007 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE