Marriage Isn’t DJs, Chocolate Fountains, and Fancy Dresses. Marriage is Like Chicken Soup.

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, here are a couple of entries from Volume 49 of The Christophers’ “Three Minutes a Day” book about making love last a lifetime:

On the occasion of her 10th wedding anniversary, singer-songwriter Brooke White recalled the day she married “Dave Ray, CPA” (as she jokingly calls her husband).

Though their wedding wasn’t as big and fancy as the ones she sees in magazines nowadays, White said on Facebook that she wouldn’t change a thing. Her dress was simple and the reception was held in her parents’ backyard, but a lot of love went into the event and, more importantly, the relationship.

“The truth is,” explained White, “that a wedding, as big and exciting and beautiful as it all is, is just one day. But marriage! That’s every day. It’s real life without DJs and chocolate fountains and fancy dresses. Nothing can truly prepare you; it’s a leap of faith. There are no guarantees, but if two people decide to keep choosing each other every day, I believe it can go on forever. Ten years is a good long time [with] a lot of learning, changing, forgiving, letting go, hanging on, growing, building, and loving. But it’s hardly a particle of dust in the scheme of eternity. It’s all so much more. It’s sacred.”

Let marriage be held in honor by all. (Hebrews 13:4)

Help married couples choose each other anew each day, Lord.

During what he calls his “extended bachelorhood,” Joel Schmidt learned to cook, and eventually used his culinary skills to win over his wife Lisa. When she came down with a nasty cold during their first year of marriage, he found a recipe online for Italian Chicken Soup, which includes fennel seeds that are good for respiratory infections.

In the years since then, that soup has become a staple in the Schmidt house because it’s “practical, comforting, and economical.” The recipe has also changed a bit over time. Joel now throws in peppers and zucchini from the family vegetable garden—and adds flour to thicken up the chicken broth (something Lisa never does when she cooks it).

In addition, Joel has come to see the soup as a great analogy for marriage. He says, “It has changed over the years, but by making adjustments and working through conflicts, it has continued to improve. Rather than getting old, staying the same, and losing interest, it instead remains ever fresh and new, always satisfying and fulfilling.”

He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:28)

Lord, help married couples grow in love for each other.