(Pastor James Scarborough, Donalsonville Assembly of God)

For those who enjoy hearing about my blunders, here is one more to add to the growing list.

I received an invitation awhile back to a function sponsored by the American Cancer Society. I responded as requested to let those in charge know that Gale and I planned to attend. As the date of the event drew near, I mentioned it to a few people in the community that I expected to be there as well, but their response caught me by surprise. They looked as though they had no idea what I was talking about.

After a few of those episodes, I decided it was time for me to investigate what I had obligated myself to attend. I found that there was to be an event on the date and time that I had on my schedule, but in neither the town nor at the facility that I thought; rather than being at the Methodist Church in Donalsonville it was to take place at the Methodist Church in Bainbridge. (Give me credit--I had almost everything right!)

What led to my confusion? I failed to pay careful attention to all the details. I recognized the organization sponsoring the event, and I knew that we usually have a similar gathering in Seminole County, so I let assumption take over. Bad mistake!

I think I survived this one without doing irreparable damage to my reputation and without destroying anyone else. But I must admit, it is very humbling to have egg on the face!

There is another personally important event on my calendar for this week that, if I miss its details, I might not fare so well. Gale and I will be celebrating 32 years of marriage this week.

It seems like such a short time ago that we embarked upon life together as husband and wife. She was a beautiful 17-year-old young lady, and I was the older of the couple at 19.

Even in the face of odds that did not appear in our favor because of our youth, we took seriously our covenant with God and each other, and we still enjoy a wonderful life together. I am not suggesting that every 17-year or 19-year-old should enter into married life, but I am proclaiming without hesitation that the precious young lady that I married on that icy day in north Georgia is still the love of my life.

Focus on the Family cites a CBS News Poll that found that 90% of married Americans indicated that they would marry their spouse again. (Without a doubt, I join their number!) And the top three things that those surveyed picked as important to success in marriage were respect, trust and a sense of humor [CBSNews.com].

Perhaps those findings are a good reminder that what we sometimes think of as small details can be indispensable to keeping the home intact and peaceful. We would all do well to pay more attention to how we treat the spouse that God has joined us with. It does not take much energy, albeit it might require a good dose of humility, to behave kindly, to express appreciation and to offer apologies toward our spouse when needed.

In Song of Songs 2:15, reference is made to “the little foxes that ruin the vineyards” (NIV). One commentator suggested that this might be a statement concerning protection of the love relationship being addressed. Ignoring little, yet important, details, can be one of those “little foxes” that can pick away at a marriage until it becomes much less than it should be.

May we all pay more attention to the things that really matter.