I have a cousin in California who is one of those “off the hook” good surfers. He lives in the land of big waves—really, really big waves. The biggest ones (for you non-Californians) are not in Huntington Beach or Newport. They are several hours North where the water is even colder and the sharks a little crazier.
Anyway, my cousin (Skip is his name—yes, I’m serious. Isn’t that the official name of surfers everywhere?) met his wife on a surfing trip to Mexico (Baja peninsula for all you doubters) and described it as love at first sight. The problem was (as is often the case when you go to another country) she didn’t speak any English and he didn’t speak any Spanish. So there they were, the two of them feeling drawn to each other yet neither one understanding the primary language of the one they loved.
Okay before you say it, I know what some of you are thinking, “But pastor Rob, you always say that’s a Hollywood kind of love – certainly you are not endorsing ‘love at first sight,’ are you?’” Actually this post isn’t about ‘love at first sight’ or prearranged marriages or anything in between—this is about the fruit of real love. And as it turns out it was real love for my cousin because even though he lived in Santa Barbara, California—his new favorite surfing place became Baja, Mexico! And someone previously uninterested in school became an expert in linguistics! The same was true for his lovely bride to be. All of a sudden her interest in studying English peaked and Skips love of Spanish did as well.
The Long and short of it is this; after about six months of studying each other’s language and many visits later, the happy couple got married and lived happily ever after. Oops, I almost bought into that, “Once Upon a Time” stuff. Actually, they had the normal struggles most couples have but a pretty solid marriage all in all.
What is my point within a point? Simply this; up to this stage in our “Vintage Love” series, we’ve talked about the perfect Designer, we’ve talked about The Wonder Years, making the honeymoon last and more. But this coming weekend could be the most pivotal week in the entire four week series because this Sunday we will talk about the importance of loving someone in the language of love that they understood.
So if you’re dating, engaged or married you need to be here this weekend! Invite every couple you know too, because this could be the difference between having a fragile marriage hanging by a thread or a thriving marriage that lasts for life!
See you this weekend!