I take you, as my beloved.

"The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy."

ㅡPsalm 145:8

On July 13, 2013 my parents renewed their wedding vows after twenty-five beautiful years. I really thought I prepared myself for the emotional roller coaster that hits most people at weddings, but...it just couldn't be helped. My mom walked down the aisle as the original Liveloud song "Gracious God" was being sung. It goes like this:

Gracious God, mighty one on high.

All powerful, Lord and Saviour of my life.

You are worthy to be praised. 

You are worthy to be praised.

Gracious God, You conquered darkness with light.

You've changed this wasteland to be my home, gave me life.

You are worthy to be praised. 

You are worthy to be praised.

Lord I lift my praise to you, for All that You are.

I surrender my life to You for all You've done for me (Lord)

I'll declare to the world how great You are

For You are my Gracious God.

-------

Unstoppable tears. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. It wasn't just  my father taking my mother's hand at the altar, it was God taking them into His arms. I didn't see two people, instead I saw three. As the vocalist sang, I could see two hearts jumping and dancing around each other. The song became a silent declaration magnified. 

My background in Education never fails to remind me of the horrific fact that the rate of successful marriages in Canada is 1 in 2. That means that my parents rose above the tragic statistic which says love is only worth 50% the fight. Imagine that. 

1 out of 2 couples end up in divorce. 

50% of marriages end. 

Yet, here they are very much alive and in love after 25 years. 

Wow. 

Both my parents are Marian devotees and that's probably why their marriage beat the odds. They not only asked God for guidance, they also asked His mother to intercede. Their marriage is rooted beyond emotions and feel good moments. It's rooted in something sacred, something eternal. Their marriage is blessed by and through God so of course everything that He is manifests in their relationship. He is boundless, endless and overflowing in love, mercy & grace, thus their marriage reflects just that!

As they both uttered the words that renewed their vows my whole being became so hyper sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit. I could feel the Sacred Heart (also the name of the church) coming alive before my eyes- the synchronization of three hearts beating as one, two lives so closely intertwined woven into the fabric of  His eternity. 

The transportation of Heaven on earth and earth on heaven.

The vows exchanged between man and woman are so sacred and so holy. It mirrors the vows that Jesus Christ sealed with His people through the Cross. God doesn't make promises, He makes covenants. He made a covenant with Moses, with Abraham, and the other prophets before us. Therefore, a wedding vow isn't just a promise, it's a covenant. An unbreakable, unshakable force. 

Then, I had a revelation. Something so blatantly obvious put under a brighter light, His light. I am a manifestation of that vow between my parents and God. The fruition of prayers and sacrifices, of Yes's and I do's. I am a product of faith, hope and love. 

My dear daughter, 

You are Precious. You are Divine. You are Mine. 

I can't doubt that. Not when I'm surrounded by two people who live that message so clearly every day of my life.