Uniquely God's

I wept a few times yesterday. I was putting together a binder of the wedding ceremony for your Daddy. While reading through the vows, exchanging of the rings, declaration of marriage and introduction of the newlyweds, I kept wiping away tears. I could hear my daughter and her fiance reciting the words and kept getting choked up. But that didn't get me nearly as much as a decision Ayla made. I asked her what she wanted to walk down the aisle to, and she said she was thinking about using a segment of the song "Your Hands Are Cold" from Pride & Prejudice by Dario Marianelli. This is one of my favorite songs of all time. To me it is the perfect blend of piano and violin in a breathtaking crescendo that is euphoric. Plus, cinematically, Darcy is walking through the fog in the wee hours of the morning to the woman who bewitched him body and soul. Ahhh, so romantic. The same piece of music is used earlier in the film when Elizabeth stands precariously on the edge of a jutting rock over a cliff in the Peak District of the United Kingdom, the wind blowing through her hair and whipping back her coat as she thinks about Darcy. But to top that all off, that portion of the song has been the ringtone on my cellphone for Ayla for the last three years. When that song plays, I think of my daughter. So to hear that is what she wants to walk down the aisle to her beloved got me all teary eyed again. How will I ever get through this service?

Special touching moments like this make your wedding ceremony yours. While the service itself is about worship of the Almighty and professing sacred vows before him, adding individual touches unique to the couple make it even more distinct and personal. Themes, colors, decorations and music mold the worship service into a microcosm example of what each couple is as a God-selected team, made up of two gifted, talented, crafted souls.

I am so looking forward to celebrating this wedding day with my daughter and future son-in-law in just 16 days. And looking forward to celebrating an equally unique celebration with Anton and Kayla next June. I am proud of these couples and what they are selecting to do in their ceremonies and receptions. But mostly grateful that though they are each very different personalities, each are created in God's image and will be glorifying Him in every aspect of their marriage celebrations. Praising Him for Who He is and thanking Him for what He has made ... especially the musical talent of Marianelli and a song that has multiple, precious meanings for us and now yet a new one to come on this most important of days.

Discussion: What are some unique aspects of your wedding that are representative of you as individuals and as a couple? How do those moments glorify the Lord?

Prayer: Lord God, you are so amazing and we proclaim your name and lift our holy hands in praise to you. Thank you for the uniqueness in each of us. We pray we reflect your character as we go about our daily lives. And we pray the personal touches of our weddings, reflect you as well. In Jesus, Amen.

Decently And In Order

A wedding is a big event with lots going on. There are family members, bridal party, vendors and friends to organize as you get ready, have photos, remember to eat, have your ceremony and reception. It's wise to have a schedule set and someone to make sure all is going according to the plan. After searching the internet, the schedule below is based on what Ayla and Rob have planned for their wedding with regards to time and activities.

7 a.m. – Golf for Groomsmen and friends

8 a.m. – Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – Bride showers

9:30 a.m. – Make sure bag is ready to go for honeymoon night & survival kit.

10 a.m. – Hair

11 a.m. – Make-up

Noon – Light Lunch then drive to Riverhouse

1 p.m. – Bride and bridesmaids dress and do last minute touch ups       (photographer at Riverhouse). Groom showering/shaving. Making sure his bag is ready for honeymoon night.

2 p.m. – Bridal photos (Bride, Bridesmaids, MOB, DOB and grandparents).   Groom heading to Riverhouse – Groom/Groomsmen dressing at Riverhouse.

3 p.m. – Groom photos (Groom, Groomsmen, MOG, DOG)

4 p.m. – Prayer between bride and groom. Music begins. Groomsmen seat guests.

4:25 p.m. – Wedding ceremony (See wedding ceremony schedule)

5:15 p.m. – Bridal couple and party photos (Guests into reception hall)

6-6:15 p.m. – Intro to Reception

6:30 p.m. – Dinner (6:45 p.m: sunset is at 7 p.m. if you want a picture together)

7 p.m. – Toasts

7:15 p.m. – First Dance and other dances (Daddy/Daughter; Mother/Son)

7:30 p.m. – Dance Floor opens

8 p.m. – Cake Cutting

8:30 p.m. – Bouquet toss/Garter Toss

8:30 p.m. – Dance the Night Away

9:45 p.m. – Dollar Dance

10 p.m. – Newlyweds send-off

1 Corinthians 14:40 says: "All things should be done decently and in order," so hopefully this will help with organization and keeping the flow. Tweak as necessary!

Discussion: Are you more of a free flowing person or scheduler? What changes would you make to this schedule? What events may require less or more time?

Prayer: Lord God, we can't possibly prepare for spontaneous adjustments to the wedding day, but it certainly helps to have a schedule set for the day. Thank you, Lord, for advising us in your Word to be prepared and have an itinerary. We pray all goes well the day of both our children's weddings. In Christ, Amen.

So Happy Together

It was precious hearing the comments. Here I was on a Ladies Beach Retreat with some of the most fun women on the planet, having a fabulous time sunning by the sea, visiting, laughing, eating and shopping, and they couldn't help but talk about their husbands. Several times I heard wives say, "my sweet husband did" this or that. There were a few, "I wonder if my husband did [this or that] while I was gone," but most often they spoke about how much they loved their husbands. And I heard many talk about being excited to get back with their husbands after the weekend, including myself. One even went home a day early to watch football with her husband. These women ranged in age from 48-62. All but one are married and happily so. One of the husbands even commented on a picture on Facebook of his wife from the beach saying, "I miss you, princess! Have fun!" A sweet message of love. It was just so comforting to hear women speak fondly of their best friend, lover and husband - all one in the same. And each one's husband is as unique and precious as the ladies are. I was in awe of our Father in Heaven thinking how different each of us is and how God had brought to us godly, amazing men to be our helpmate in this spiritual journey to Him. And I was thankful for their long, healthy and happy marriages, praying they continue to be so.

For myself, with all the fun I was having and the great memories I made with these ladies (and look forward to making in future yearly beach trips), I could not wait to get home to my beloved. I couldn't wait to see my husband, hold and kiss him. I couldn't wait to share with him all the silliness and fascinating conversations we women had as we attempted to solve all the problems of the world. Your Daddy is my safe place. He knows me better than anyone else. My best times in life are spent with him, as are my greatest challenges and sorrows. We uplift each other, share each other's burdens, encourage each other, call into question things that might need tweaked in each other, have so much fun together and most importantly love each other so dearly. Our lives are so intertwined with each other that it's hard to pull apart from that for even a few days. It's a beautiful mystery our Father created.

Our hope for all of you is that you feel the same way about your future spouses as Daddy and I do and as each of those ladies feel. That you will be a best friend to your spouse, an encourager, lover and accountability partner. That you will care so deeply for your spouse that when apart, you long to be back together. That is a true two-become-one Biblical connection. That is true love.

Discussion: When you are apart from each other, what is it you most can't wait for when you get back together? What does your beloved do that makes you better? What are some comments you make to others about your beloved?

Prayer: Lord God, how amazing you are that you have placed this special someone in our lives, hand-selected and hand-created just for us! Father, you are an awesome God! We thank you for our beloved and pray we always remember to cherish them! In Jesus, Amen.

Shine Like Stars

Tonight there is a lunar eclipse. An eclipse is when the earth orbits directly between the sun and moon causing the shadow of the earth to pass over the face of the full moon, making the moon go dark. What is significant about this eclipse it's is supermoon. It's when the moon is closest to the earth in it's orbit, making it appear 14 percent larger in the sky. If we have clear sky this eclipse will be a phenomenal event to witness. The last time there was a supermoon lunar eclipse was in 1983, 32 years ago, and the next one won't be for another 18 years in 2033 ... I will be 68 years old, babies born now will be graduating high school and, my sweet ones, you will be in your 40's. So this is something you do not want to miss. Plus the next regular lunar eclipse won't be until 2018. And here's another reason to watch it: t's the fourth blood moon we've had in a year. A blood moon is another name for a lunar eclipse. When the earth's shadow passes in front of the moon it makes it look red. People have associated blood moons with various historical occurrences and some see them is prophetic Biblical events, inching us every closer to the end times. So you have several reasons to keep your eyes on the night sky tonight. It starts at 8:07 p.m. CST and should be a full lunar eclipse by 10:11 p.m. lasting about an hour.

By the way there is an opportunity for us here in America to see a solar eclipse Aug. 21, 2017. That is when the moon passes between the earth and the sun. It's one you cannot look at with your naked eye - even though you think you can - because it will blind you.

As you can see I have quite a passion for all things in our Father's heavenly sky. Shooting stars, comets, eclipses and constellations have been captivating mankind since the dawn of time. It's something we cannot control and gives us a glimpse of the awesomeness of our Father God and His creation. I recently saw a video where several fellows recreated to scale our solar system in dry lake bed, seven miles wide, in Nevada. Our earth was a blue marble in this model with the sun to scale at more than a yard wide. The model featured the planet's orbits. To get out wide enough to see the orbits, you cannot see the planets. It's that big. It was amazing to see. And to think it's just one solar system in one galaxy in our universe. We serve an awesome God.

Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God."  Scriptures tells us "the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands," (Isaiah 55:12), "stones will cry out" in worship (Luke 19:40), the sea will roar and fields exult His name (1 Chronicles 16:32). Creation worships the Creator. This God of ours, who put so much effort into creating our world that can't help but glorify Him, put that same effort in to us. And we too should do like wise. Like the stars, the trees, the mountains, the sea, the field ... and the supermoon lunar eclipse, we need to shout to the world, "Glory to God! Can you see Him?! Can you feel Him!? Look what He has done! Praise His name!"

Be in awe of what our Father has done, for it's mighty. Likewise, look in the mirror and be in awe. For you, like the beauty of this world, have been created for His glory. And he calls us to "shine like stars in the universe." (Philippians 2:15).

Discussion: Have you ever seen a lunar eclipse? What is the most beautiful thing you have seen in all creation that declares God's glory? Do you think of yourself as God's beautiful creation?

Prayer: Lord God, we magnify your nae along with your world. You have created this beautiful universe for us, and it's is majesty and mighty! We thank you for it. May we, like it, declare your glory. In Christ, Amen.

XOXOXOXOXO

I could see it in his eyes. The stress of the day creeping in on him nearly first thing in the morning. He sighed. He usually sighs a lot anyways, but this day he sighed a little deeper. You could hear the exhaustion. You could see the crease in his forehead deepening. His eyes were already piercing. And it was 8 a.m. So I stopped what I was doing and went over to hug him. We melted together and I could feel the anxiety leaving. I held tight and he held tight. I knew that hug wouldn't miraculously fix all that was preoccupying his mind and lessening his sleep, but knew it would certainly make him feel a little better.

The other day after your Daddy asked me to marry him again in a text, he sent a separate one that looked like this "xxxxxxxooooooo." In the world of typing slang, we all know those are kisses and hugs. I really needed those kisses and hugs and sent a good batch right back to him.

And when we were walking Sunday afternoon, both working up a good sweat after a couple miles, I interlocked my fingers with his so we could hold hands.

Hugging, kisses, holding hands are all sweet ways of connecting with your beloved on a regular basis. Scientifically they release chemical in the brain called oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin which gives you a feel-good sense of contentment. In this high stress world of go-go-go, any moments of contentment are cherished and necessary. We need hugs. We need to hold hands. We need kisses. Scientifically or not, it just makes us feel better. And the Bible even tells us how to hug. Song of Solomon 2:6 says, "His left hand was under my head and that his right hand embraced me!"

Don't every forget to hug each other, snuggle, kiss and hold hands. It probably sounds ridiculous to suggest this to you in your young love, but the world will creep in to thwart any efforts you make to show affection in uplifting one another. So make a conscious effort to. You will both need it. And you'll love it, too.

Discussion: How do you feel when you hug your beloved? Do you like to hold hands? What are the best kind of kisses?

Prayer: We thank you, Father, that you embrace us with your loving arms and keep us close. We thank you for how you care for and protect us, comfort us and uplift us. May we do likewise to our beloved in Jesus name, Amen.

The Day(s) After

It's the post-wedding glow ... or the post wedding exhaustion depending on how you're feeling that day after the big day. You may have stressed yourself out those days leading up to your wedding day, lacking sleep and going full throttle, so that when it's all over, the next day could be like a hangover. Nothing left, depleted of energy with little desire to get out of bed. Although that last bit could be for a completely different reason, wink wink. Some couples leave their ceremony and head off straight on their honeymoon. And some hang around the morning after for a post-wedding brunch and gift opening with family and the bridal party.

That last one was what Daddy and I did. We spent our first night in a hotel, then headed back to my Mom's house to open wedding gifts. We spent sometime with our family, then began our journey toward our honeymoon destination. It was a great way to say our good-byes before we head off on our lift together.

But regardless of what you do the day after the wedding, there are a few things you need to complete after the special day.

1. If you plan on saving any of the flowers in your bouquet, you can dry them out and press them. If you are going out of town, perhaps put your bouquet stems in water or put the bouquet in the refrigerator to keep it fresh while you're gone.
2. Make sure the top layer of your cake is wrapped well and stored in the freezer to eat on your first anniversary.
3. Decide what to do with your wedding gown. Preserve it? Sell it? Regardless, you'll need to clean it. Also, don't forget to return rented tuxes.
4. See if you have doubles in the gift department and return/exchange what you need to. This is also a good time to have fun shopping with gift cards.
5. Write thank yous. This will take time, so pace yourself, but plan to have all of them sent out within 6-8 weeks of the wedding. Make sure you draw attention to your new address.
6. If you were impressed with how your venue worked out, florist, caterer or baker did, a thank you to them or a positive review on Yelp is a good thing. 
7. Kill the wedding website and remove your gift registry.
8. Finish your wedding photo album or scrap book and watch your wedding video.
9. Officially change your name. Some folks begin this process before the wedding, but if you haven't yet, you need to do that. Remember you'll need to change your driver's license, bank accounts, Social Security card, insurance and other places where you have your name. It can be a hassle, but once it's done, it's done.
10. Go through items used to decorate your wedding and decide what you want to save and what you want to recycle, sell or give away.
11. Combine checking accounts and get both your names on necessary paperwork, utilities, etc.
12. Enjoy your new life and Mr. and Mrs. and making your first home together! 

Discussion: What are your immediate post wedding plans? Do you have plans for the items above?

Prayers: Father, we pray after these weddings, our couples can relax and enjoy one another a midst all the next to-dos that need accomplished. We pray the transition to married life is smooth. And we pray their marriages are filled with blessings. In Jesus, Amen.

Emergency, Fix-It, Go-Fer, Schedule-Keeping Person

Last night I had a dream. Ayla and I were walking into the reception hall after it had been decorated. Just as I was asking, "What do you think?" I looked and saw tables covered in turquoise cloths and chairs covered in deep pink. It looked like it came out of Dr. Suess's The Cat in the Hat Comes Back story where Little Cats A through Z cover everything in pink. In the dream, we quickly tried to figure out a way to fix the decorations. Then after the wedding, I noticed no one knew where to go or what to do. There was no one to tell them what was next, what was available to them during the reception and where to go. It was a nightmare of sorts in that things kept going wrong.

I suppose that is natural when you are approaching the wedding date, to have nightmares of things going all wackadoodle. It's our brain working overtime and the stresses of getting it all done rearing their ugly head. Regardless, the dream did get me thinking of something that may be important.

If you do not have a wedding coordinator to make everything go smoothly, you may want someone selected to be your emergency fix-it, go-fer, schedule-keeping person. Someone you trust to make sure all your needs as a couple are met, the ceremony and reception transitions go smoothly and can be there in a instant if you both need something. This person would also be a good soul to be the one to save you should you get into a lengthy chatting up by a guest with a "Hey, you are needed over here." They could have your photo list to make sure all the pictures you want are getting shot. Some folks call this a wedding personal assistant.

If you have someone like that, who is not part of your wedding party, it can certainly be a help. Don't make this person you maid-of-honor or best man. They will have plenty of other things to keep track of that day. This is someone close to you, who knows you both well and can keep you and the event on track. Know that this person will be doing you a great service during the wedding, so acknowledging their efforts is appropriate.

Whew, now better double check those decorations, so I can sleep better tonight.

Discussion: Is there someone you trust to help you keep everything going smoothly the day of the wedding?

Prayer: Lord God, we pray all goes well the day of the wedding. We ask for your help in keeping everything organized and smooth. And we pray we sleep well in these days leading up to the wedding. In Jesus name, Amen.