Monday, May 14, 2018

The Marriage Manual


We are entering into wedding season! Often when I preach a wedding, my students stand in for the real life coopule so I can practice. This entry is from 11-15-06.

I have been practicing for Emily and Josh's wedding in my Bible classes. Yesterday, my 10th grade Gospels classes went through the whole wedding ceremony. Emily DeWitt was played by Corley Carter, Rachael Mumbach, and Jackie Marini. The role of Josh Wood was handled by Asa Davis, Christian Broussard, and Jordan Walker. Twice, we used the church auditorium for the run through but in my eighth period class, we cleared a center aisle from the desk rows and turned Room 258 into a wedding chapel. (I bet Emily, when she spent two years in that same room as one of my students, never envisioned what would transpire within those walls in the coming years!) In conjunction with the wedding, I have allowed the students to cast their vote and select the tie I will wear during the ceremony: they chose a grey-silver number given to me last year by Destiny Ngwaubala. Today, I had all my classes read my devotional entry entitled The Princess Bride And MookDa's List. This piece centered around an eleven year old Malaysian girl who compiled a list of qualities she will require in a husband. MookDa presented her manifesto to a missionary who mentioned that she might have some interest in his thirteen year old grandson. After reading, I had my classes commit their own list to paper in the same fashion as MookDa. I have selected four of the students' lists. These four represent the diversity of our school. Chaul is from China, Eduardo comes from Mexico, Waltia lives in The Bahamas, and Glory is a first generation American whose parents are from Nigeria. Here are their thoughts:
Chaul
1. He must have a job.
2. He can speak both Chinese and English.
3. He could be an American citizen.
4. He will be a college graduate.
5. He must play the violin or any other stringed instrument.

Eduardo
1. She has to love me.
2. I have to love her.
3. I have to feel that everyday, I love her even more.
4. She has to accept me for who I am.
5. I have to feel something special for her, something that she makes me feel without pretending to be someone else. Someone that just being herself makes me happy.

Waltia
1. He must be a Christian and not abusive.
2. He must be smart and graduate from college.
3. He must be tall!
4. He must have dreams and determination.
5. He must be a horrible singer so I can sing better than him.
6. He does not have to be cute because looks do not matter.
7. He has to have great teeth.
8. He especially has to have a good sense of humor.

Glory
1. He must be a Christian and truly fear God.
2. He must be Nigerian or first generation American-Nigerian.
3. He loves me for me and is willing to work at the relationship.
4. He must be handsome.
5. He must have wealth to give me security
.

I thought all my classes did a good job. I was again struck by the difference in the thought processes of boys and girls. Many female students mentioned employment requirements and many boys listed cooking ability. The girls had more sobering answers, ofter citing they would not marry an abusive man or anyone with a temper problem. In five years, will all my students have the same checklist? Probably not...but at least they are thinking. I just wish I still had Emily's list from five years ago: we could find out if Josh really fit the bill. I have the idea he would do just fine.


Applicable quote of the day:
"Before marriage, a man will lay down his life for you; after marriage, he won't even lay down his newspaper."
Helen Rowland


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

http://www.hawleybooks.com/
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com

2 comments:

Jason said...

Coach,
Just wanted you to know the title of your blog (and book!) from Luke 1:66 was an inspiration for a recent sermon for me. Thanks! Hope all is well with you! Sunny says hello.

Sherry Ann said...

This is funny! I like Waltia's list. resembles mine :) well, some of it.