Wedding Party

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Today was my good friend Alan's wedding. We go back a long way, Alan and me - the four friends you see in a picture above have been together since high school, which is a little bit longer than I'd care to admit personally. We went to high school together, and have posed for pictures like the one above for many, many years.

It was an epic wedding, the best I've ever attended. Daddy read a scripture from Philippians 4:4-9, and served as a groomsmen, which was an honor. The entire evening was the perfect balance of class, humor, emotion, and tradition - it was a wedding "for the people," as Alan put it, as he wanted the participants to have just a good a time as they were. This was indeed what happened, as there were so many details that when put together created a wonderful occasion. Too many to list here.

Three of the groomsmen have daughters around Madison's age. This made for a poignant (there's that word again) moment, just after the bride's father made his toast. The three of us sat there and imagined making a similar speech some day, versus running up to the future groom and tackling him, screaming at our daughters to make a run for it. No wonder the father was so choked up - it was a beautiful speech he made, and when combined with the emotion he was feeling at the time, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was a very happy occasion. My prayers went up immediately for a similar experience with Madison, but one much further down the road. Maybe forty years or so?

Meanwhile at home, Madison and Mommy spent the day together. Mommy has been making a brilliant costume that you'll just have to see. In fact, you will see it - but you'll have to wait another day for that. It's so obscure, but we're going to have fun with it.

Madison was busy with piano practice and speech homework, and doing some drawing. Here is the latest self portrait she has done. You can clearly see it is a self portrait because the girl in the drawing has BLACK hair. She made a point of noting this to us, so I felt it important to write down as well!

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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.