If you’re looking for a way to surprise your wife on Valentine’s Day, consider what my friend Paul did. Paul has been working through a book called “The Love Dare”. In addition to being a book, the Love Dare is a 40 day process of demonstrating love and commitment to a spouse. It was introduced in the movie, Fireproof,
At the end of the 40 day challenge, one of the final steps involved in The Love Dare is to restate, reaffirm and renew your commitment to your marriage by renewing your marriage vows.
Yesterday, Paul said to me, “Dan, I didn’t actually plan it this way, but I’m finishing up the 40 days of The Love Dare, tomorrow, Valentine’s Day.” Paul continued, “Susan doesn’t know I want to do this, but could we surprise her and have a marriage vow renewal ceremony after church on Sunday?”
I said, “Yes, that would be neat, it sounds like a great idea!”
So, today, after the 11 o’clock service was over, a bunch of folks were standing around in the lobby at church talking and having coffee and waking up after my sermon. (I don’t mind the sleeping, but is it really necessary for people to bring pillows to the service? That just seems rude.) And, as Paul and I had arranged it, I said to Susan, “Hey, Susan could I talk to you for a moment?”
Susan said, “Yes, sure Dan.”
I walked with Susan into the sanctuary, “I know you were talking with someone there and I apologize for interrupting,” I said.
“It’s not a problem,” replied Susan.
When we got to the platform at the front of the sanctuary, I told Susan, “Could you just stand there, for a moment.” And I went several paces to my right to grab a folder which had my Vow Renewal notes.
Susan was puzzled by all this, but as soon as she saw me pick up the folder she said, “What’s going on here? Is this something Paul is up to?”
At that point, as we had planned, Paul and their two children, Paul and Olivia came walking into the sanctuary and other people from church came walking in, as well.
Susan said, “What is this?!?”
As people came in and sat down Paul and Susan stood at the front of the sanctuary with me and I explained to everyone that Paul was completing the steps that are presented in “The Love Dare”. I asked Susan if she noticed that Paul had been more wonderful than usual lately.
She said, “Well, I noticed that he was a little strange a few times.” And everyone laughed.
We launched into a brief marriage vow renewal ceremony in which Paul and Susan restated their vows of love and trust and commitment and fidelity to each other. There was some minor tension as we all waited to see if Susan was actually going to say the vows, since she had not agreed to this whole process beforehand.
But she did. And we were all happy about that….especially Paul.
We concluded the brief ceremony with the traditional…”You may kiss the bride.” And as Paul and Susan kissed everyone CHEERED!!!
That was a pretty nice way to do Valentine’s day, don’t you think?
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