Oprah interviewed Prince Harry and Meghan on Sunday and 17 million people in the USA watched. Ever since, Karla has been anxiously waiting for Oprah’s interview request since she is also married to a Prince. Our wedding (33 years ago tomorrow) was a slightly less formal affair than Harry and Meghan’s nuptials. Oprah hasn’t called, but if she does this is what I will tell her:

1) Our Prince story did not begin with kissing a frog. I was a summer intern at a church in Alanson, Michigan. She was the summer Pellston Airport station manager for Simmons Air. No frog smootches were involved, but I did ask for the pastor’s permission to ask her out (thanks for saying yes, Rev. John Carr). 

2)  Our Prince marriage did not include castles. We’ve lived in an apartment, three parsonages, three homes owned by us (well, owned by the banks) and one borrowed condo for six months (thanks Jeff and Paula). Houses don’t matter. A home matters. I’m thankful that we’ve tried to make our house a home where Jesus’ love reigns. 

3)  This Prince has never garnished the reference of “your Highness.” Karla has called me many things in our marriage, but “Your highness” isn’t one of them. My memory isn’t always great (she may say, “Hey, you big dummy, don’t you remember when…”), but I don’t ever recall a time when she has called me an untoward name, nor I to her. (The “big dummy” reference was a joke). 

4). This Prince isn’t a great rescuer of damsels in distress. Once Karla had a flat tire at VG’s Supermarket. She should have called AAA. Instead, she called her Prince, who promptly put the spare tire on incorrectly. Before arriving at the tire shop, the spare tire flew off the chariot (a 1997 Mercury Villager) and landed in the tire shop lawn. Our mini van laid stranded on Center Road, a hundred yards away. Please refer to the above statement on “no untoward names” and be more impressed by Karla’s great restraint. 

5) Our Prince marriage did involve slaying the three-headed-dragon. Every healthy marriage must slay the three-headed-monster “me, myself and I,” so that “we, us and ours” remain.

5)  Our Prince marriage isn’t a fairy tale. No matter what you may have thought about Oprah’s interview with the Royals, one thing became clear: Married to a Prince is no fairy tale. Karla would agree. Our marriage didn’t begin with “Once upon a time” and it hasn’t been “happily ever after.” There have been joys and sorrows (more “joys” for sure). There have been ups and downs (more “ups” for sure). Life hasn’t always been a picnic, but neither has it always been a famine. It’s been life. In our lives together, we’ve determined to face each challenge hand-in-hand, trusting Jesus all the way!  

Every marriage (Prince Harry and Meghan’s, Karla and me and everyone else) would do well to live by this verse pulled out of the middle of the love chapter: Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  1 Corinthians 13:5

Hey Oprah, we are available!