The music began and the bride walked in. No, I take that back. She "tromped" in. White dress (albeit her 4th or 5th marriage, I can't recall), Harley boots, and tatoos covering her bare back. She tripped on her dress multiple times, finally just yanking it up and marching forward in a huff. And she snorted multiple times.

This was the scene from a wedding I recently attended. It was unlike anything I had seen before. Of course, the groom was none the wiser and it is safe to say that in their minds, it was a beautiful day. And no, they won't read my blog. :)
I was reminded of this experience during my recent study of Proverbs 31.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:1-3

The bride represents certain things in our minds. She has grace. She is not thrown together or disheveled. She is beautiful. Her beauty is not only outward though. She represents prayerfulness, faithfulness, sincerity, reliability, confidence, intelliegence, tenderness and passion. Those essential traits that prolong and maintain her ranks in the true league of beauty.

The following is one of my favorite excerpts from The Christian Wife by J. R. Miller and is a masterful description of what we should strive to be:

Commonly, today's bride doesn't represent goodness. In fact, their dependence is weak, indolent helplessness. They lean—but impart no strength. They cling—but they sap the life. They put forth no hand to help. They loll on sofas or promenade the streets; they dream over filthy novels; their homes are in disarray. They are utterly useless—and being useless they become burdens even to manliest, tenderest love. Instead of making a man's life stronger, happier, richer—they absorb his strength, impair his usefulness and hinder his success.

Yet, dependence is beautiful when it does not become weakness and inefficiency. The true wife clings and leans—but she also helps and inspires. Her husband feels the mighty inspiration of her love in all his life. Toil is easier, burdens are lighter, battles are less fierce—because of the face that waits in the quiet of the home, because of the heart that beats in loving sympathy whatever the experience, because of the voice that speaks its words of cheer and encouragement when the day's work is done. No wife knows how much she can do to make her husband honored among men, and his life a power and a success, by her loyal faithfulness, by the active inspiration of her own sweet life!

So when his heart is crushed, beneath her smile it gathers itself again into strength. De Tocqueville wrote of his wife: "You cannot imagine what she is in great trials. Usually so gentle, she then becomes strong and energetic. She watches me without my knowing it; she softens, calms and strengthens me in difficulties which distract me—but leave her serene." An eloquent tribute—but one which thousands of husbands might give. Being a true Christian woman, as the one described in Proverbs 31, is the best thing I could ever devote myself to becoming.