The following is a true story from 17 years ago.
“Good morning, Pine Lake Church of Christ,” I said as I answered the phone on Monday.
The female voice on the other end of the line responded, “Good morning, is the ‘Pastor’ in.”
“I’m the preacher, how can I help you?”
“I am looking for someone to conduct a beach wedding for my fiancée and me. Do you perform weddings for people who are not members of ‘your’ church?”
“I love beach weddings,” I replied. “When would you and your fiancée like to come by and talk about your wedding and marriage? I have a policy that I do premarital counseling before I perform a wedding.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” she responded. “We are wanting to get married this Friday.”
Something about the way she said that intrigued me; I inquired further. “This Friday? O.K. Can you come by on Wednesday afternoon for an hour or two?”
“No, we have a lot to do to get ready.”
“This Friday? Did your scheduled preacher have to cancel?” I am very curious.
“No,” she said curtly. “We just met this weekend and we want to get married before we leave the beach!”
I admit this threw me for a moment. I gathered my thoughts. “Well, I make it a policy not to do weddings if I cannot talk with the couple first. I am concerned that this wedding is ‘spur of the moment’ and will not make for a good relationship.”
The caller became frustrated, “I have you know,” she tersely replied, “I have been married five times and the best three were ‘spur of the moment!'”
The next thing I heard was the slamming of a receiver and the distinct sound of a dial tone.
Fancy weddings do not make a great marriage. If you are planning on getting married or if you are already married, take the time to work on the relationship. Love takes effort.
– Scott
Driving Thought 
This would be funny if it weren’t so sad. A young nurse that I work with and that I dearly love is in her second marriage and it is her older (20 years her senior)husband’s third. She talks as if it is nothing that they have been married this many times, as if it was just what had to be done in the course of finding a mate. What is so sad is this girl is very intelligent and a great nurse so you can’t necessarily chalk it up to ignorance. It is a form of ignorance though, and is being perpetuated by our society as a normal way of life. A good eye opening post Scott.
I hurt for people who find themselves with broken lives.
So funny, yet so sad that God has a better way and many do not know. Makes me more and more thankful for being reared to know about God and his word.
Many are not blessed to hear the dangers of flippantly entering marriage and hurt themselves tremendously — emotionally at the very least. I want to do my best to help people see the joy of living the way God plans for them. His way is best.
Love it Scott. I have never gotten a call like that one.
I was sitting right there in what is now your study when the call came in.
It is kind of ironic that you talked about this on the day Elizabeth Taylor died. Over her long career, she probably received more attention for her multiple marriages than for her acting. Even when couples have known one another much longer than the one in your story, there can be surprises that have to be worked through. Strong commitment to lifetime marriage is necessary to get through some of those obstacles. Without it, we shouldn’t be surprised to hear of people having been married five, six, seven or more times.
I did not even know about Elizabeth Taylor’s death until after I published my blog this morning. It is ironic. It is also sad that she and others abuse the relationship of marriage from the way that God intended for His creation to be blessed by it.
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