I Want a Love…

Picture it. Sicily. 1936.

Haha. Seriously, though. Granddad Wright and Mamaw Verne have been that old story for me. As with most grandparents, they were the mainstay in my memories and the heartbeat of our family. Yet, that doesn’t quite encompass all that they were. You see? Their relationship was one for the ages. Truly.

Webster defines marriage as “the relationship that exists between a husband and wife.” But, wait. “The relationship”? What defines that? For our family, the one who looks to Mamaw and Granddad and their marriage as “one for the ages,” The Bible defines just that. The Bible tells us exactly what “the relationship that exists between a husband and wife” is supposed to look like, feel like, act like, sound like, BE. Genesis 2: 24 tells us basically the same as Webster, that a man and woman will leave their respective families and join together as one. Thankfully, however, the Bible expands and expounds upon this definition in so many more ways.

Our pastor has recently challenged us to C2IT. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God (Hebrews 12:15). In other words, we are to use our gifts or our calling to help spread the Word in our community. This blog is my answer to his challenge. So often, couples in our society, in our community, no longer have Christ-centered marriages as models. I want to change that by sharing examples of couples who exemplify Christ-centered marriages.

As a wife and Christian, I often see these other couples I so admire. Couples who seem to fit those examples and Biblical definitions of all a marriage should encompass. I begin to wonder what their lives are really like. What is life like for them at home, when they’re out, when they argue, when they met, when they had kids? And. So. Much. More. These questions have led me to this journey, this blog. They have led me to seek out Christ-centered couples and tell their stories. The impetus for this whole journey is my grandparents, Jimmy and Verne. Their marriage. Their relationship, with one another and with Christ. Naturally, I wanted to know more about them.

“They had brought in a band….”

Mamaw Verne began recounting when she and Granddad Wright met. It was a New Year’s celebration, and she was out with some girlfriends when she spotted him and said, “There’s the guy I want to marry.”

At the ripe, young, giggling age of 19 on December 31st of 1952, Laverne Ross’s friends began teasing and taunting her. They just knew she was too chicken to go up and kiss him. Never fear, though. As midnight approached, Mamaw showed her friends she had the right mix of bravado and carefree whimsy to march up, bend down, give him a kiss, and then politely explain what in the world she was doing.

At this point in the story, Mamaw pulled her shoulders back, sat up a little straighter, grinned a little wider, and said, “Then, he grabbed my arm and said, ‘Where are you going?’ And,” A bubble of laughter escaped her lips, “I can’t remember what happened next.”

James Wright and Laverne Ross were married the following October. They remained married from October 3, 1953 until Granddad passed away on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2004. Those 50+ years held some amazing memories, gave them 8 children, many grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.

Mamaw and Granddad weren’t perfect individuals. Their marriage wasn’t perfect. However, their marriage was a great testament to the institution of Biblical marriage. I cannot wait to sit down and share more about their story and their marriage and all that it was. Be looking for that first official post soon. She has full editing rights of the post, so all must run through her first 🙂 It will be full of pictures and stories and scriptures. For this first post, however, the picture that spurned my desire is one taken by my aunt, Pam Glaab. This is a picture of a picture of a picture. A clearer shot of this most important image will be shared soon.

❤ Erica