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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: PROMISE (09/02/21)
I tripped on the uneven cobblestone and regretted donning my two-inch heels that morning. A wide moat stretched to my left and right before disappearing around the back of the building. Just beyond the wrought iron gate that now stood where the original perimeter wall had crumbled, a castle loomed invitingly. I wondered if this horseshoe-shaped building, which now looked more like an old university, had kept the same footprint as the original structure when they’d rebuilt it in the late 1600’s. The sweet fragrance of beautiful purple, white and yellow spring flowers wafted over the slight breeze. Plump white swans nestled in tall grasses on the edge of the moat. A girl couldn’t ask for a more picturesque place to get married. I floated forward and up the red carpet into the foyer where my future husband and a few dozen friends awaited.

Once inside, a justice of the peace staff member (our only legal alternative for getting married in Holland) explained the process. Yet, whether due to the language barrier, or our own perceptions, we didn’t quite get it right.

“Do you want this woman for your wife?” the man asked, glancing toward Chad.

“I do,” Chad said.

“No, it must be a simple yes or no,” the advocate explained.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to marry this man?”

“I do,” I said, caught up in the moment and forgetting his words from just moments earlier. Several friends giggled.

“Yes or no,” the man said impatiently.

“Yes.”

The man immediately began laying documents on the table. Chad and I looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Is this when I’m supposed to kiss the bride?” he asked hesitantly.

The advocate looked up confused, “Oh sure, you may kiss now.”

Our friends cheered and congratulated us. We signed the paperwork and were practically shoved out of the room. What had happened to the fairytale? The traditional vows? Despite the awkward ceremony, that day, I promised in my heart to love Chad through better or for worse. I just didn’t expect it to be so difficult.

“Why oh why, can’t he just put the toilet paper the right way?” I grumbled to myself as I turned the roll around for the thousandth time.

Or

“That’s disgusting!” I practically shouted when finding out that he had accidentally used my toothbrush.

“What’s gross about it?” Chad asked. “You kiss me, what’s the big deal?”

Or

Potatoes—should they be washed before or after peeling? Apparently, it mattered. Remote Controls—why can’t I seem to operate one correctly? Laundry—how could I dry (shrink) that special T-shirt? Kitchen Island—is NOT a repository for, well, everything. Frying pork chops—not if I expect him to eat. Him watching TV in bed … me talking too much … my character flaws … our control issues … his anger …

After the wedding we’d walked along the scenic gardens taking pictures and revelling in our newly married status. I was full of the idealistic (irrational) dreams of a young girl who believed her husband would love and cherish her in all circumstances. I’m sure he had expectations of his own. Neither of us kept those silent promises.

When things were at their worst, I sought solace at a nearby park. I walked trails surrounded by wild ferns and mature evergreens, feeling worlds away from civilization. This oasis was like my own personal Garden of Eden. I should have felt peace, but I was lonely. I’d been alone for a long time. I think I'd felt that way ever since I’d walked away from God years before my marriage.

Now, I cried out to Him in my pain and frustration. I was crushed, disappointed and disillusioned. Though I knew I was at fault too. As I trudged through the forest, I prayed for forgiveness for all my bad choices and selfishness. I begged for God’s intervention.

I continued praying off and on, straining to hear God’s still, small voice. Gradually, I no longer felt alone. I thought of the old garden hymn with its lyrical promises, “He walks with me and He talks with me...” I felt the truth of those words. I started recalling scriptures I’d learned as a teenager and, while He didn’t audibly speak, God seemed to say, “Welcome back daughter. I’ve been waiting for you. Just as I promised, I never left nor did I forsake you. I vowed to sustain you in times of trouble. I’ll handle things from here.”

And He has.
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This article has been read 341 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Robert Rutaagi 
09/10/21

Well done! I hear you - quite clearly. Many marrieds have experienced the same way.

How painful, yet you have shared it quite hilariously - courtesy of God's intervention.
Philippa Geaney
09/11/21
Very enjoyable piece-very much our sometime frail human experience.
So good to have a Father to run to for comfort and help.
Loved it.
Bea Edwards 
09/12/21
From your title all the way through your believable entry, I was pleasantly entertained, yet convicted by my own selfish heart.

Well done.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
09/17/21
I really enjoyed this. I often say if people put as much effort into the marriage as the wedding, there'd be less divorce. I so enjoyed your sense of humor and found myself smiling throughout. Congratulations on ranking 4th in your level and 14 overall. The highest rankings can be found on the message boards.