Light the Lamps

I've been doing some thinking today. I remember having a friend who said, "Marriage is a lot like taking care of an oil lamp. It takes work to keep it going." I'm going to go one step further. In olden days, before electric street lights, there were gas lamps. One person's job was to keep the wicks trimmed. Someone else lit the lamps each night. A third person came through the next morning and snuffed out the lights. In marriage, it takes two to keep it going just like it took two to keep those lamps going. And a third person can snuff it out. If only the wick trimmer does his job, the lamps would remain dark. If there was no wick to light, the lamp lighter couldn't do his job. In marriage, we both need to work to keep things going strong. And we can let a third person or activity or anything else take over our marriage and snuff it out. But we can guard against that. Most marriage ceremonies end with the phrase "What God has joined together, let man not separate." Most also include the phrases, "For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health." Marriage isn't easy. It takes work. But it's worth it! Take it from one who almost let hers be snuffed out.