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Welcome to ST MICHAEL & All ANGELS CHURCH (Church of
England) St Michael's Green,
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YOUR CHURCH
WEDDING Some non-bible readings which you may find suitable for use at a wedding Please click here to see some suggested readings from the Bible You might like to look at these to
give you some ideas, or one or two of these actual readings may be what you
wish to say. There are many other suitable
readings from poetry, newspaper cuttings, to the words of pop songs. If you want anything special, it can always
be fitted in. If you are using any of these readings or prayers, please
quote the number as well as the title on your planning sheet 1. I am so happy
with you. I can
discuss all my thoughts, or don't
have to say anything you
always understand. I am so
relaxed with you, I don't
need to pretend, I don't
need to look good, You
accept me for what I am. I am so
strong with you, I
depend on you for love, but I
live my own life, You
give me extra confidence to succeed. Susan Polis Schutz 2. LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY by Percy Bysshe Shelley The
Fountains mingle with the River And the
Rivers with the Ocean, The
winds of Heaven mix for ever With a
sweet emotion; Nothing
in the world is single; All
things by a law divine In one
spirit meet and mingle, Why not
I with thine? See the
mountains kiss high Heaven And the
waves clasp one another; No
sister-flower would be forgiven If it
disdained its brother. And the
sunlight clasps the earth And the
moonbeams kiss the sea: What is
all this sweet work worth If thou
kiss not me? 3. If I truly love
one person, I love
all persons, I love
the world, I love
life. If I
can say to somebody else, 'I love
you' I must
be able to say, I love
in you everybody, I love
through you the world. I love
in you also myself. Erich Fromm 4. My heart is like
a singing bird Whose
nest is in a water'd shoot; My
heart is like an apple-tree Whose
boughs are bent with thick set
fruit; My
heart is like a rainbow shell That
paddles in a halcyon sea; My
heart is gladder than all these Because
my love is come to me. Raise
me a dais of silk and down; Hang it
with vair and purple dyes; Carve
it in doves and pomegranates, And
peacocks with a hundred eyes; Work it
in gold and silver grapes; In
leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys; Because
the birthday of my life Is come, my love is come to me 5. US TWO from Now
We are Six by A.A. Milne Wherever
I am, there's always Pooh, There's
always Pooh and Me. Whatever
I do, he wants to do, "Where
are you going today?" says Pooh: "Well
that's very odd 'cos I was too. "Let's
go together," says Pooh, says he. "Let's
go together," says Pooh. "What's
twice eleven?" I said to Pooh, ("Twice
what?" said Pooh to Me.) "I
think it ought to be twenty-two." "Just
what I think myself." said Pooh. "It
wasn't an easy sum to do, But
that's what it is," said Pooh, said he. "That's
what it is," said Pooh. "Let's
look for dragons," I said to Pooh, "Yes,
let's," said Pooh to Me. We
crossed the river and found a few - "Yes,
those are dragons all right," said Pooh. "As
soon as I saw their beaks I knew. "That's
what they are," said Pooh, said he. "That's
what they are," said Pooh. "Let's
frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh. "That's
right," said Pooh to Me. "I'm
not afraid," I said to Pooh. And I
held his paw and I shouted "Shoo! Silly
old dragons!" and off they flew. "I
wasn't afraid," said Pooh said he, "I'm
never afraid with you." So
wherever I am, there's always Pooh, There's
always Pooh and Me. "What
would I do?" I said to Pooh, "If
it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True. It
isn't much fun for One, but Two "Can
stick together," says Pooh, says he. "That's
how it is," says Pooh. 6. FROM THIS DAY
FORWARD by Helen Steiner Rice Sharing
and caring Giving
and forgiving Loving
and being loved Walking
hand in hand Talking
heart to heart Seeing
through each others eyes Laughing
together Weeping
together Praying
together And
always trusting And
believing And
thanking God For
each other. 7. I love to have
you near me, To kiss
and hold you tight, And
when I'm in your warm embrace Everything
is Right. For
Something very precious Between
us both has grown, Such
happiness you've given me, Such
tenderness you've shown. I'll
try my best to show you How
much you'll always mean, With
care and loving phrases, And
kisses in between. So
please don't ever doubt me, On days
when I feel blue; Forever
I will love you, Forever
I'll be true. Anon 8. A DESCRIPTION OF
LOVE by Sir Walter Raleigh Now
what is love? I pray thee, tell. It is
that fountain and that well, Where
pleasure and repentance dwell. It is
perhaps that sauncing bell, That
tolls all into heaven or hell: And
this is love, as I hear tell. Yet
what is love? I pray thee say. It is a
work on holy-day; It is
December matched with May; When
lusty bloods, in fresh array, Hear
ten months after of the play: And
this is love, as I hear say. Yet
what is love? I pray thee say. It is a
sunshine mixed with rain; It is a
toothe-ache, or like pain; It is a
game where none doth gain; The
lass saith no, and would full fain: And
this is love, as I hear say. Yet
what is love? I pray thee say. It is a
yes, it is a nay, A
pretty kind of sporting fray; It is a
thing will soon away; Then
take the vantage while you may: And
this is love, as I hear say. Yet
what is love? I pray thee show. A thing
that creeps, it cannot go; A prize
that passeth to and fro; A thing
for one, a thing for mo; And he
that proved must find it so: And
this is love, sweet friend, I trow. 9. THESE I CAN PROMISE author unknown I
cannot promise you a life of sunshine; I
cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold; I
cannot promise you an easy pathway that
leads away from change or growing old. But I
can promise all my heart’s devotion; A smile
to chase away your tears of sorrow; A love
that’s ever true and ever growing; A hand
to hold in yours through each tomorrow. 10. Love, they say,
is patient, Love,
they say, is kind; It sees
beyond other faults, For
love they say is blind. Love
takes away the me and mine, Instead
it's us and we; Yours
and mine is ours now, For
love is unity. Love
will not diminish Or rust
and fade with years, But it
will gain strength from time, Laughter
and joy and tears. Love is
God's own gift to us, A
present from above; He
gives us peace, He gives us joy, But
first He gives us love. 11. No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the
continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the
sea, John Donne 12. FROM 'LOVE' by Laurie Lee 12a) Love is; and makes all the
rules itself, according to the multiple needs of the lover. To be in love, of
course, is to take on the penthouse of living, that topmost toppling tower,
perpetually lit by the privileged radiance of wellbeing which sets one apart
from the nether world. 12b) Love also brings into our lives that mysterious
apparition called style, the special fluency of our acts
and feelings, so that we are dressed, while it lasts, in the flashy garments
of superman, omnipotent, supercharged. At best love is simply the slipping of
a hand into another's, of knowing you are where you belong at last. 12c) But if we have chosen to live in the private grip
of love, and it
seems that most of us have, perhaps we might ask what such love should be.
Not the seeking of ourselves in others certainly, which can lead later to mutual
rejection, but in acknowledging the uniqueness of the sexes, their
tongue-and-groove opposite, which provides love with its natural adhesive. 12d) Most of all love must be built on truth, not
dreams, the
knowledge of what we are, rather than what we think it is the fashion to be.
For no pair of lovers was ever built to an identical programme. So beware of
the norm, for no-one is normal. There is only one rule that demands what love
should be - the dovetailing of oddities which love welcomes and combines. 12e) All such is right, if love is right, and neither
person is used
simply as the other's victim, but as one whose needs should also be
cherished. Love approved, allows and liberates, and is a warmblooded
acceptance of what one is. 12f) The sum of love is that it should be a meeting
place, an
interlocking of nerves and senses, a series of constant surprises and
renewals of each other's moods, a sharing of the gods of bliss and silence -
best of all, a steady building from the inside out, from the cosy centre of
love's indulgences, to extend its regions to admit a larger world where
children can live and breathe. 12g) Love must be deeper to adapt to the shifting sands
of the world; able
to withstand disaffections and occasional betrayals; be sufficiently
constant, in the centre of orgy and bedlam, to create its own area of sacred
quiet; and also be strong enough to take marriage, its toughest test, and to
sink the best of its virtues in it, so that its children may be heirs of its
proper kingdom rather than the frail castaways of its self
absorption. 12h) For love still has intimations of immortality to
offer us, if we
are willing to pay it tribute. Love is not merely the indulgence of one's
personal taste-buds; it is also the delight of indulging another's. Also in remembering the lost beauties of
tenderness and care, in taking some pleasure in the act of adoring, and in
being content, now and then, to lie by one's sleeping love and to shield her
eyes from the sun. 13. THE MOST WONDERFUL OF ALL THINGS IN LIFE by
Sir Hugh Walpole The most wonderful of all things
in life is the discovery of another human being with whom one’s relationship
has a growing depth, beauty and joy as the years increase. This inner
progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvellous thing;
it cannot be found by looking for it, or by passionately wishing for it. It
is a sort of divine accident and the most wonderful of all things in life. 14. BLESSING FOR A MARRIAGE by
James Dillet Freeman May your marriage bring you all
the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you
also patience, tolerance and understanding. May you always need one another – not
so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. a
mountain needs a valley to be complete; the valley does not make the mountain
less, but more; and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain
towering over it. So let it me with you and you. May you need one another, but not
out of weakness. May you want one another, but not
out of lack. May you entice one another, but
not compel one another. May you embrace on another, but
not out encircle one another May you succeed in all important
ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise,
often say “I love you” and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you
apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step
back. May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another’s
presence – no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side
by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant
cities. May you have happiness and may you find it making one another happy.
May you have love and may you find it living one another. 15. WHAT IS LOVE Author unknown Sooner or later we begin to
understand that love is more than verses on valentines and romance in the
movies. We begin to know that love is here and now, real and true, the most
important thing in our lives. For love is the creator of our favourite
memories and the foundation of our fondest dreams. Love is a promise that is always
kept, a fortune that can never be spent, a seed that can flourish in even the
most unlikely of places. And this radiance that never fades, this mysterious
and magical joy is the greatest treasure of all – one known only by those who
love. 16. DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann Go placidly amid the noise and
haste and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible
without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly
and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have
their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you
may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser
persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own
career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of
time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of
trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons
strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in
face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial
as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the
years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of
spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with
imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome
discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And
whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace
with God, whatever you conceive of Him to be, and whatever your labours and
inspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and
broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. 17. THOUGHTS It is not uncommon in a society
where there is great disparity of wealth for the “haves” to argue amongst
themselves as to whether the “have-nots” are grateful or ungrateful. Some “haves” are obsessed with a
belief in the ingratitude of the “have-nots”, to the extent that they are
embittered by it. “I gave him this and I gave him that, and look what he did
to me!” That there are cases of
ingratitude one cannot doubt, but apart from those it is my experience that
those who complain of ingratitude never give themselves with their gifts. It
is the gift, the thing, the money, that they expect to evoke the response,
and very often it does not. But when we give ourselves, not
seeking gratitude, we are often overwhelmed by the response in some other
person who at that moment gives himself to us. It is in that moment that we
receive; it is in that moment that God is; it is in that place that God is.
That, above all, is what we receive, and it is an experience of joy. And that for me is one of the
meanings of God, that He is in that time and place where you and I give of
ourselves to each other. 18. THE BOND D. H. Lawrence, Kangaroo When a man and woman truly come
together, when there is a marriage, then an unconscious, vital connection is
established between them, like a throbbing blood circuit. A man may forget a woman entirely
with his head, and fling himself with energy and fervour into whatever job he
is tackling, and all is well, all is good, if he does not break that inner
vital connection which is the mystery of marriage. But let him once get out
of unison, out of conjunction, let him inwardly break loose and come apart,
let him fall into that worst of male vices, that vice of abstraction and mechanisation,
and have a concert of working alone and of himself, then he commits the
breach. He hurts the woman and he hurts himself, though neither may know why.
The greatest hero that ever
existed was heroic whilst he kept the throbbing inner union with something,
God, or Fatherland, or woman 19. In love, the gates of my soul spring open, Allowing me to breathe a new air
of freedom and forget my own petty self. In love, my whole being steams forth
out of the rigid confines of narrowness and self assertion, which make me a
prisoner of my own poverty and emptiness. Karl Rahner 20. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and
breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling
out of sight For the end of Being and Ideal
Grace. I love thee to the level of every
day's Most quiet need, by sun and
candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive
for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn
from Praise, I love thee with the passion put
to use In my old griefs, and with my
childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed
to lose With my lost saints - I love thee
with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! -
and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after
death. E B Browning 21. A RED, RED ROSE by Robert
Burns My love is like a red, red rose That’s newly sprung in June: My love is like a melody That’s sweetly played in tune. As fair art you, my bonnie lass, So deep in love am I; And I will love you still, my
dear, Till all the seas run dry. Till all the seas gone dry, my dear And the rocks melt with the sun; And I will love thee still, my
dear While the sands of life shall run. And fare thee well, my only love, And fare thee well a while, And I will come again, my love Though it were ten thousand mile 22. I love you, Not only for what you are, But for what I am When I am with you. I love you, Not only for what You have made of yourself But for what your are making of me. I love you, For the part of me That you bring out. I love you For putting your hand Into my heaped up heart, and passing over All the foolish, weak things That you can't help Dimly seeing there; And for drawing out Into the light All the beautiful belongings That no-one else had looked Quite far enough to find. I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life Not a tavern, but a temple; Out of works of my everyday Not a reproach, but a song. I love you, Because you have done More than any creed Could have done To make me good, and more than any fate Could have done To make me happy. You have done it, Without a touch, Without a word, Without a sign, You have done it, By being yourself. Perhaps that is what Being a friend (and lover) means After
all. Rod McKewan 23. SMILE A smile costs nothing, but gives
much. it enriches them who receive, without making poorer those who
give. It takes but a moment, yet the
memory of it may last forever. A smile creates happiness in the
home, fosters goodwill in business, and
is the sign of friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer
to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad, and is nature's best antidote to
trouble. Yet a smile cannot be bought,
begged. borrowed or stolen; for it is
something of no value to anyone, unless it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you
a smile. Give them one of yours. No one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give. 24. THE BARGAIN by Philip Sidney My true love hath my heart, and I
have his, By just exchange one for another
given. I hold his dear, and mine he
cannot miss: There never was a better bargain
driven My true love hath my heart and I
have his. His heart in me, keeps him and me
in one, My heart in him, his thoughts and
senses Guides He loves my heart, for once it was
his own: I cherish his, because in me it
bides. My true love hath my heart and I
have his. 25. ALL THINGS ARE OURS by
Barbara Burrow All things are ours because we
love, The earth below, the sky above, The mountains, meadow, sand and
sea. All things surrounding you and me Are but a sweet reflection of The gentle wonder of our love. 26. IMAGINE by John Lennon Imagine there's no heaven, It's easy if you try; No hell below us, Above us only sky. Imagine all the people Living for today. Imagine there's no countries - It isn't hard to do; Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion too. Imagine all the people Living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one; I hope some day you'll join us, And the world will be one. Imagine no possessions - I wonder if you can; No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people Sharing all the world. You may say I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only one; I hope some day you'll join us And the world will live as one. 27. SOMEWHERE by Sir Edwin Arnold Somewhere there waiteth in this
world of ours for one lone soul, another lonely soul – each chasing each
through all the weary hours, and meeting strangely at one sudden goal; Then blend they – like green
leaves with golden flowers into one beautiful and perfect whole – and life’s long
night is ended, and the way lies open onward to eternal day. 28. IZZAT LOVE by Todd Rungren Izzat love what I feel when you're
in my arms Make me die before I'd do you harm When you're lost I will lead you
home If you're cold, you know I'll keep
you warm Am I wrong? Or Izzat love when I dream there
is no one Else in the end? Who's your
friend? just myself. Izzat love to forget my pride To conceal how it feels deep
inside Am I wrong? Or Izzat love? Izzat love to forgive all those
things you've done? If you go, still you know, I'm the
one. Only love, love alone can survive Deep inside. I believe it's alive. Am I wrong? Or Izzat love? 29. BLAKELOVE And did that Love, in times gone
by, work upon all our hopes and
dreams? And did that Heart, that Touch,
that Voice, make holy all life’s common
themes: and was the Wonder, Power and Joy embodied there, in souls made new? And was the heaven of grace
builded here where daily I go on with you? Here is my strength pledged for
your peace: here my respect, my worth, my
good; here all my tenderness, my tears, my friendship, all my heart’s best
food. I will not cease from total fight, nor shall my prayer give up its
gains, till we have built our house of
love, and Love forever in us reigns 30. THE CUP by F. J. Harding One day I dropped a china cup, A wedding present too, I simply stood and stared awhile Not knowing what to do. For just high days and holidays It saw the light of day, Then spent its life high on the
shelf Securely packed away. And now the broken pieces lay All scattered on the floor, The china cup we so much prized Had gone for evermore. But many moons have waxed and
waned Since that eventful day And other pieces of the set Have gone the self same way. And yet, somehow as years pass by The broken cups and such Which caused so much anxiety Don't matter over much. For as we journey day by day No need to be dismayed, The highest mountains, as we know, Are out of mole-hills made. As long as we can heed God's word And strive to do His will, Remembering that in His sight Small things are precious still. A happy smile, the kindly word, One act of love maybe Will be remembered up above Throughout
Eternity. 31. A SONNET by
William Shakespeare Let me not to the marriage of true
minds Admit impediments. Love is not
love Which alters when it alteration
finds, Or bends with the remover to
remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is
never shaken; It is the star to every wandering
bark, Whose worth's unknown, although
his height be taken. Love's not time's fool, though
rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's
compass come, Love alters not with his brief
hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge
of doom: If this be error and upon me
proved, I never writ, nor no man ever
loved. 32. From MARRIAGE AND MORALS (1929) by Bertrand Russell It is ... possible for a civilized
man and woman to be happy in marriage, although if this is to be the case a
number of conditions must be fulfilled. There must be a feeling of complete
equality on both sides; there must be no interference with mutual freedom;
there must be the most complete physical and mental intimacy; and there must
be a certain similarity in regard to standards of values. (It is fatal, for
example, if one values only money while the other values only good work.) Given all these conditions, I
believe marriage to be the best and most important relation that can exist between
two human beings. If it has not often been realized hitherto, that is chiefly
because husband and wife have regarded themselves as each other's policeman. If marriage is to achieve its
possibilities, husbands and wives must learn to understand that whatever the
law may say, in their private lives they must be free. 33. THE ROSE Some say love it is a river that
drowns the tender reeds, Some say love it is a razor that
leaves your soul to bleed, Some say love it is a hunger, an
endless aching need. I say love it is a flower and you
its only seed. It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance, It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance, It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give, And the soul afraid of dying that
never learns to live. When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long And you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong, Just remember in the Winter, far
beneath the bitter snow Lies the
seed that with the sun's love in the Spring becomes the Rose. 34. ANNIVERSARY by Susan De Vore Love, like friendship Must be about something Besides itself. I love you, not for the sake of
loving, Nor for the sake of being loved, But for the sake of the truths we
share, The joy of walking on the same
secret road. I love you, not out of my need for
love, But because of our common vision. Our travels on the same quest. We are collaborators, companions,
allies, Face to face, and side by side. I love you, not because love has
survival value, But because you are helping give
value to survival. I love you because you stand for
yourself And I for myself And we are the sovereign princes
of independent states, On neutral ground, Free of context and naked of
surroundings. No shadow of necessity, no
burdensome duty Oversees our love, nor constraint
without reason. We are free and equal as we had
met an hour ago, While the affection and tenderness
of years Enfolds us. I love you, because in making this
journey with you, I have seen you a thousand times, In fear, in anger, in sickness and
in tears, And still you ring true. I love you, and you love me, Because we bring out of each
others depths All that is best, and wisest, and
funniest, And most exquisite. Among all the spirits that roam
our planet We have found each other, And we are lucky beyond measure
and description To be in such company. 35. FOOTPRINTS One night a man had a dream, He dreamed he was walking along
the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from
his life. For each scene, he noticed two
sets of footprints in the sand, One belonged to him and the other
to the Lord. When the
last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked
back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along
the path of his life there was only one set of
footprints. He also noticed that it happened
at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he
questioned the Lord about it, 'Lord, you said that once I decided
to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the
most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of
footprints. I don't understand why when I
needed you most you would leave me.' The Lord replied, 'My precious, precious child, I
love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and
suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I
carried you,' 36. from THE GIFT OF THE SEA by
Anne Morrow Lindbergh When you love someone, you do not
love them all the time in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is
an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly
what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life,
of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in
terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency,
on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in
love, is in growth, in fluidity – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers
are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern. The only real security is not in
owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even.
Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in
nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present
relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like
islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their
limits – islands surrounded and interrupted by the sea and continually
visited and abandoned by the tides. 37. COMPATIBILITY Are we compatible? I am illogical, when you are the
epitome of logic. I am incongruous, impulsive and
emotional, against your sensibility, consistency and infallibility. I can be reckless, foolishly
extravagant and unrestrained; you are reserved, cautious, measured. Are we compatible? Our relationship remains exciting,
stimulating and unpredictable; complacency is not in our
vocabulary. Are we compatible; do opposites
really attract? Who cares? We are in
love. 38. MARRIAGE JOINS TWO PEOPLE IN THE CIRCLE OF ITS LOVE by Edmund O’Neill Marriage is a commitment to life,
the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers
opportunities for sharing and growth that no other relationship can equal. It
is a physical and an emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime. Within the circle of its love,
marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships. A wife and a
husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener and
critic. Marriage deepens and enriches
every facet of life. Happiness if fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is
stronger, even anger is felt more strongly and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives
the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life,
new experiences and new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life. When two people pledge their love
and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique unto
themselves which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage
is a promise, a potential made in the hearts of two people who love each
other and takes a lifetime to fulfil. 39. OUR LOVE by Bruce B Wilmer Our love is something we have
built from passions, hopes and dreams. It’s safe from any passing moods,
secure from all extremes. It’s something real and special,
something solid, something pure. It’s something we can always count
on, ringing sound and sure. It’s something grounded in the
heart emitting confidence. It lives in our emotions, it’s
something we can sense. Our love remains a binding force,
resistant to all strife. amidst the outer pressures it’s
our anchor throughout life. 40. MARRIAGE OF TWO HEARTS by Bryce B. Wilmer In every heart there is a spark That wants to be a flame In every life there is a part That only love can tame. In every day there is a moment Eager to be shared. In every mind a tender thought Just waits to be declared. In every forest there’s a trail Which two can happier roam In every place there is a spot Which two can call a home. In every joy a higher gladness Reigns if there are two. In every love there is the hope That
dreams will all come true. In every
marriage of two hearts Two lives exist as one. In every journey that two share Life’s really just begun. 41. THE BLESSING OF THE APACHES Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be shelter to
the other. Now you will feel no cold For each of you will be warmth to
the other. Now there is no more loneliness
for you, For each of you will be companion
to the other. Now you are two bodies, But there is only one life before
you. Go now to your dwelling place, To enter into the days of your
togetherness And may your days be good and long
upon the earth. 42. COME LIVE WITH ME AND BY MY LOVE by Christopher Marlowe Come live with me and be my love And we will all the pleasures
prove, That hills and valleys, dales and
fields, And all the craggy mountains
yields. There we will sit upon the rocks And see the shepherds feed their
flocks By shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madrigals. And I will make thee beds of roses With a thousand fragrant posies, A cap of flowers, and a kirtle Embroider’d all with leaves of
myrtle. A gown made of the finest wool Which from our pretty lambs we
pull; Fair lined slippers for the cold; With buckles of the purest gold. A belt of straw and ivy buds, With coral clasps and amber studs; And if these pleasures may thee
move, Come live with me and be my love. The shepherd-swains shall dance
and sing For thy delight each May morning: If these delights thy mind may
move, Then live
with me and be my love. 43. IRISH BLESSING May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your
back May the warm rays of sun fall upon
your home And may the hand of a friend
always be near. May green be the grass you walk
on, May blue be the skies above you, May pure be the joys that surround
you, May true be the hearts that love
you. May God be with you and bless you; May you see your children’s
children. May you be poor in misfortune, Rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness From this day forward. 44a. THE ART OF A GOOD MARRIAGE by
Wilfred Adrian Peterson Happiness in marriage is not
something that just happens. A good marriage must be created. In marriage the little things are
the big things. It is never being too old to hold
hands. It is remembering to say “I love
you” at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other
for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should
continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of
values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the
world. It is forming a circle of love
that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other,
not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of
appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not looking for perfection
in each other. It is cultivating flexibility,
patience, understanding and a sense of humour. It is having the capacity to forgive
and forget. It is giving each other an
atmosphere in which each can grow, It is a common search for the good
and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship
in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation
is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right
person., it is being the right partner. 44b THE ART OF A GOOD MARRIAGE – shortened version A good marriage must be created In the marriage the little things
are the big things ….. It is never being too old to hold
hands, It is remembering to say “I love
you” at least once each day, It is never going to sleep angry, It is standing together and facing
the world, It is forming a circle of love
that gathers in the whole family, It is speaking words of
appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in
thoughtful ways, It is having the capacity to
forgive and forget, It is giving each other an
atmosphere in which each can grow, It is a common search for the good
and the beautiful, It is not
only marrying the right person It is being the right partner. 45. TRUE LOVE (author unknown) True love is a sacred flame that burns eternally and none can dim its special glow, or change its destiny. True love speaks in tender tones and hears with gentle ear; true love gives with open heart and true love conquers fear. True love makes no harsh demands, it neither rules nor binds, and true love holds with gentle
hands the hearts that it entwines. 46. BECAUSE SHE WOULD ASK ME WHY I LOVED HER by Christopher Brennan If questioning would make us wise, No eyes would ever gaze in eyes; If all our tale were told in
speech, No mouths would wander each to
each. Were spirits free from mortal mesh And love not bound in hearts of
flesh, No aching breasts would yearn to
meet And find their ecstasy complete. For who is there that lives and
knows The secret powers by which he
grows? Were knowledge all, what were our
need To thrill and faint and sweetly
bleed? Then seek not, my sweet, the “if”
and “why” I love you now until I die. for I must love because I live And life in me is what you give. 47. THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE by David Foster and Arthur Janov I’ll paint a sun to warm your
heart Knowing that we’ll never part. I’ll draw the years all passing
by, So much to learn, so much to try. I’ll paint my mood in shadow blue, Paint my soul to be with you. I’ll sketch your lips in shaded
tones, Draw your mouth to my own. I’ll trace a hand to wipe your
tears And trace a look to calm your
fears. A silhouette of dark and light To hold each other oh so tight. I’ll paint the stars in the
evening sky, Draw the light into your eyes, A touch of love, a touch of grace, To softly fall on your moonlit
face. And with this ring our lives will
start, Let nothing keep our love apart. I’ll take your hand to hold in
mine, And be together through all time. 48. A GOOD WEDDING CAKE Author
unknown 4 lbs of love 1lb of butter of youth 1lb of sweet temper 1lb of blindness to faults 1lb of self forgetfulness 1lb of pounded wit 1lb of good humour 2 tablespoons of sweet argument 1 pint of rippling laughter 1 wine glass of common sense Put the love and sweet temper into
a well furnished house. Beat the butter
of youth to a cream and mix well together with
the blindness of faults. Stir the pounded wit
and good humour into the sweet argument, then add
the rippling laughter and common sense. Work
the whole together until everything is well
mixed and bake gently
for ever. 49. THE CONFIRMATION by Edwin
Muir Yes, yours, my love, is the right
human face I in my mind had waited for this
long. Seeing the false and searching the
true, Then I found you as a traveller
finds a place Of welcome suddenly amid the wrong Valleys and rocks and twisting
roads. But you, what shall I call you? A fountain in a waste, A well of water in a country dry, Or anything that’s honest and
good, an eye That makes the whole world bright. Your open heart simple with
giving, give the primal deed. The first good world, the blossom,
the blowing seed, The hearth, the steadfast land,
the wandering sea, Not beautiful or rare in every
part, But like yourself, as they were
meant to be. 50. WHY MARRIAGE? author unknown …Because to the depths of me, I
long to love one person With all my heart, my soul, my
mind. my body. …Because I need a forever friend
to trust with the intimacies of me, Who won’t hold them against me, Who loves me when I’m unlikable, Who sees the small child in me and Who looks for the divine potential
of me. …Because I need to cuddle in the
warmth of the night With someone who thanks God for
me, With someone I feel blessed to
hold. …Because marriage means
opportunity To grow in love in friendship. …Because marriage is a discipline To be added to a list of achievements …Because marriages do not fail,
people fail When they enter into marriage Expecting another to make them
whole. …Because, knowing this, I promise myself to take full
responsibility For my spiritual, mental and
physical wholeness, I create me, I take half of the responsibility
for my marriage. Together we create our marriage. …Because with this understanding The
possibilities are limitless. 51. ON LOVE by Thomas a Kempis Love is a mighty power, a great
and complete good. Love alone lightens every burden,
and makes rough places smooth. It bears every hardship as though
it were nothing and renders all bitterness sweet and acceptable. Nothing is sweeter than love, Nothing stronger, Nothing higher Nothing wider, Nothing more pleasant, Nothing fuller or better in heaven
or earth; for love is born of God. Love flies, runs and leaps for
joy. It is free and unrestrained, Love knows no limits, but ardently
transcends all bounds. Love feels no burden, takes no
account of toil, attempts things beyond its
strength, Love sees nothing as impossible, for it feels able to achieve all
things. It is strange and effective, while those who lack love faint
and fail. Love is not fickle and
sentimental, nor is it intent on vanities. Like a living flame and a burning
torch, it surges upward and surely
surmounts every obstacle. 52. I PROMISE by Dorothy R. Colgan I promise to give you the best of
myself and to ask of you no more than you
can give. I promise to respect you as your
own person and to realise that your
interests, desires and needs are no less important than my own. I promise to share with you my
time and my attention and to bring joy, strength and
imagination to our relationship. I promise to keep myself open to
you, to let you see through the window
of my world into my innermost fears and
feelings, secrets and dreams. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes in
order to keep our relationship alive and
exciting. I promise to love you in good
times and in bad, with all I have to give and all I
feel inside in the only way I know how. Completely
and forever. 53. A
MARRIAGE PRAYER by David Adam As you love each other
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