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Steve and Lisa's Wedding

A wise person once said that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Steve and Lisa Lyons have known of each other for nearly 10 years beginning with wondering 'who' each of us were. Their meeting and friendship began when they set up a blessing of the animals for Lisa's dog obedience class.

In 1999, Steve moved to Florida. Though unknowingly to most people at the time, Steve and Lisa continued their corresponding through e-mail and later through (not free Verizon) phone conversations.

On a very late, early morning summer night in 2001 (July 26th-7th), Steve and Lisa began to realize that the friendship had blossomed into a true-to-life long distance romance. "We both knew what we wanted in a relationship, but were afraid, so to speak, that love was not really going to happen for us." Lisa says. Steve adds, "That mixture of knowledge and fear made for what can only be said was an interesting night's discussion that lead to a realization and acceptance of our feelings."

At the end of the summer, Steve asked Lisa to marry him, and later, moved back to the Houston area where the relationship continued to grow. "We were able to do more together that we had only talked about via e-mail." says Lisa. "Things like baseball games, trying sushi, doing 'things', church activities, Steve sharing his homemade bread, music, and being part of each others daily lives."

People might ask "why did you wait for five years if you knew that it was to be?" Steve and Lisa both say "why not?" In reality, there were many reasons why these two chose to take their time. They are older, possibly, though not likely, set in their ways. Neither Steve nor Lisa wanted to get married until she retired, and both Steve and Lisa realized that they had their own lives. A friend called it "bow hunting," the act of continuing and respecting your individual hobbies and interests as part of a successful relationship and knowing the other will still be there when you're finished "bow hunting".

Since Lisa was an elementary school teacher with a Masters Degree, and Steve is a former pastor with a Masters Degree as well, the two realized that words were very important. Throughout their relationship, Lisa and Steve have shared in word studies... really trying to understand what it means "to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for better for worse..." They analyzed the Methodist Book of Worship wedding vows for weeks. In their studies, the two came up with words to say what it really means to make our relationship/marriage work.

Their words?

Lisa and Steve are friends. Friendship was not simply a beginning of their relationship, but is something that has continued throughout these past years. There is an enjoyment of just doing things together. Maybe going to a ball game, or a garage sale. Even yard work is more fun when it happens with a friend.

Lisa and Steve are helpers. In Genesis, when it speaks of God making Eve, she is called a helper. There is a special time when two people can help each other and share in the load.

Lisa and Steve are partners. In the early stages of their relationship, both realized that prayer is a vital part of any relationship. Steve and Lisa are prayer partners, lifting each other up to God, and sharing in God's blessings together.

Lisa and Steve are confidants. For a marriage to work, their can really be no secrets between the two, but there are certainly things that can only be shared between the two. To know you can trust that what is said in the home is safe ground is critical.

Lisa and Steve are paracletes. In the Bible, a Paraclete is the word used to describe the Holy Spirit. In the common Greek, however, soldiers would go into battle in pairs, standing back to back protecting each other. The person who had your back was your paraclete. This person would protect you in battle. There is a strong trust in this particular word.

Lisa and Steve are each other's baby. This might sound strange, but there is something special in saying "you're my baby;" to share the gentle side of a relationship is special.

Lisa and Steve are lovers. Among Christians, it might sound like a dirty little secret to claim to be lovers outside of marriage. No doubt, Steve and Lisa keep limits in their engagement, and the lines are not crossed. Steve preaches celibacy outside of marriage and Steve and Lisa keep to it. But the romance is still a vital part of any relationship. To explore life as lovers, and to share the emotional aspect as you grow in a relationship are important.

Now, on July 26, 2006, Steve and Lisa will add one more set of words to their list, as Lisa and Steve will be each others wife and husband. After all these years, Steve and Lisa will marry in a small ceremony with a few friends and family members to make their joy complete.

Being married doesn't end the words that came before. For Steve and Lisa, it is the merging of all the words.

August 28th, 2006 update:

About 60 people joined Lisa and me for the wedding, and about 80 for dinner afterwards, and almost everything was the way we wanted. The only problem was the weather, which caused a few friends to cancel their plans to be with us. But the ceremony went off with out a hitch, and Skip Nallia's concert before hand was an exciting moment (Skip said later that he even did some things that he had never done before).

Lisa and I are both excited to share our wedding with our friends and family. The flash video below is just a few pictures of our wedding, the reception and our "honeymoon" baseball game.

My Baby, My Lover, My Wife
© 2002, 2006 Steve and Lisa Goad

(Steve)
(1) You know I'm not a man of means, not worthy of your love / but I love you just the same. / And you know that more than anything I want you in my life, / and in God's time to have you share my name.

(Chorus 1) You are there whene'er I need a friend / A partner to share God's love now until the end. / And I know when I'm scared, my love you'll be there. / To help me, to hold me, O, for all our lives. / My baby, my lover, my wife.

(Lisa)
(2) You know that I can't offer you the riches of the world / and the world may not believe this song I sing. / But all I have, I give to you, and I pray that you will know / that my love is worth more than anything.

(Chorus 2) I'll be there whene'er you need a friend. / A partner to share God's love now until the end. / And you know when you're scared, my love I'll be there / to help you, to hold you, O for all our lives, / I'll be your baby, your lover, your wife.

(Both Steve and Lisa)
(Bridge) The years have come and gone since that very special night / when we first found the words inside our hearts. / But eVERY time I hold you, each word just seems so right, / just the way it did right from the start.

(Chorus 2) I'll be there whene'er you need a friend. / A partner to share God's love now until the end. / And you know when you're scared, my love I'll be there / to help you, to hold you, O for all our lives, / (Lisa) I'm your baby, your lover, your wife.

(Steve) You're my baby, my lover my wife.