"Make the Most of Your Marriage"

50 years ago this month, Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon both got married to their wives within 8 days of each other.  I only learned this odd fact because I recently bought one of those cheap paperback books that outlines major events from 1969 (pictured above).   See, I'm trying to prevent getting the Dementia I wrote about in my LAST post by revisiting Memory Lane....been sharpening my memory for many, many years this way.

Anyway, I found this proximity of those marriages interesting, and it was something I never "caught" at the time because I really wasn't "into" the Beatles until they broke up a year later, 1970, when I was 15.

(Of course everything I've just written assumes the book I refer to is ACCURATE, which may not be the case as they have Richard Nixon being elected President on 1/6/'69 and sworn in two weeks later (1/20/'69), Lol!! And THAT isn't right, Lol!!)

But be that as it may, it was fascinating to see Paul (and his bride Linda) and John (and his Yoko) pictured in that very same spread which you can view above (and yes, they DID get married 8 days apart...I checked google)!!  You see, in these past 50 years, death has claimed one partner in each of those two Beatle marriages, though I'm sure they all had that sense that "this is forever" on their wedding days.  It's all a reminder to me how TRANSIENT this life is and, how all marriages, though they hopefully last UNTIL the death of one of the spouses, DO end when that death inevitably occurs.

(And I freely admit that because MY first wife died two years ago last week, my thoughts about Lennon and McCartney's marriages were affected as I perused the book.)

You see, the moment my wife Beth passed away, on 3/5/'17, two things happened.  1.) After 69-plus years of life, she immediately entered into the glorious presence of the Lord!! and 2.) After 38 years-plus of marriage, our marriage here on earth was instantly, and forever, over.


What am I leading up to, here?? Just this....take it from one who knows, LIFE IS SHORT, years roll by and sometimes we don't realize how fast this is happening.  MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MARRIAGE, if you're married.  By that I mean let THE LORD and HIS WORD be your day-by-day source of Light and Strength, and above all, LOVE (your spouse) EVERY DAY AS IF IT WILL BE YOUR LAST.  That's right, I didn't say LIVE every day as if it will be your last...I said LOVE every day as if it will be your last.  It is totally possible to LIVE every day as if it's your last and yet be selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed.  That is not possible, however, if we LOVE every day as if it's our last.  There is NO marriage in Heaven, according to Scripture, so we had better make the most of our marriages here and NOW.

This is my daily, fervent prayer regarding my second marriage (that I would LOVE my new bride every day, as if it will be my last.).  Sometimes looking at the past helps us to live more wisely in the present and, I trust, the FUTURE.

At least  I hope that's the case, for even one of those who has read this far.