Sunrise, Sunset: A Celebration of Marriage

Some of you know that our second-oldest son got married last fall. We couldn’t be more delighted with the girl he chose to be his bride, but I must confess to shedding a few tears during the wedding ceremony at the thought of how very quickly he grew up.

It brought to mind this wonderful old song from Fiddler on the Roof. Not so very long ago, I was singing this very song to my children as a lullaby.

Remembering how much I love it, my son surprised me by having this tune played for a special dance with me at the reception. (I would have brushed up on my waltzing had I known that was coming!)

So I decided to return the favor and surprise him by making a little video rendition of the same tune. The lyrics, which I tweaked just a bit to better fit the situation, can be found at the end of this post. (If you cannot see the video below, click here to view it.)

Sunrise, Sunset

Original text by Sheldon Harnick
(Second refrain lyrics by Jennifer Flanders)

Is this the little boy I carried?
Is this the little girl at play?
I don’t remember growing older.
When did they?
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?
Wasn’t it yesterday when they were small?

Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days.
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.

Now is the little boy a bridegroom.
Now is the little girl a bride.
Under the canopy we see them,
Side-by-side.
Place the gold ring around her finger.
Pledge your sweet love and share a kiss.
God’s plan for marriage can be seen in this:

One man, one wife,
Wedded for life,
Join hearts as they pray:
“Lord, pour Your blessings out upon us,
“Help us stay faithful, day by day.
“In want, in wealth,
“In sickness and health,
“Keep us ever true,
“And — as You planned from the beginning —
“Let our love point others back to You.”

Pointing others to Christ. Did you know that was one of the reasons God created the institution of marriage in the first place? It was (see Ephesians 5:22-33). For some tried-and-true advice on building a biblical marriage, check out the following pasts:

• The #1 Rule for Building a Happy Marriage
• Love in Bloom: 5 Essentials to a Thriving Marriage
• The A-to-Z Guide to Building a Better Marriage (includes free printable guide)
• A Piece of Cake? (Free Printable) Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Or order a copy of my book, Love Your Husband, Love Yourself: