The wedding was held at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fresno. While outside the rain danced and the wind howled, inside stillness reigned - the kind of stillness that comes from being dressed up in a church surrounded by a lot of history and stained glass.
The ceremony was rich and full: every note clear, every word like a petal in the aisle, every moment pulsing with the presence of God. Something about a proper wedding makes you think about the legacy of life, the tapestry of time, even the making of the world. Always there is the unmistakable feeling that whatever is happening here, it's much deeper than I'll ever understand.
I'll say one thing: it's very different watching a wedding from the chancel. The emotion is undiluted up there - you can't escape it, and none of us wanted to.
If you've never had the experience of losing yourself in someone else's joy, I highly recommend it. There is a fulfillment found in simply standing in solidarity with your brother that you can't find anywhere else. It is tonic to the soul. Living in Christian community and brotherhood is all about identification - "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep." Sometimes, the rejoicing and weeping happen simultaneously.
Max and Jenny's courtship was exemplary all the way, and it was powerful to watch the sacramental culmination of many years of faithfulness. In the spirit of Philippians 4:8, it is a story I will treasure and share for a long time.
How long you have traveled in darkness weeping
No rest in language, no words to speak
But there in the wreckage beneath bricks and bindings
Love has come, love has come for you
Against the night sky of your waiting
Your face is like starlight when he walks in
Everything worth keeping comes through dying
Love has come, love has come for you
So lift up your heart now, to this unfolding
All that has been broken will be restored
Here runs deep waters for all who are thirsty
Love has come, love has come for you
Ten thousand angels will light your pathway
Until the day breaks fully in the East
They will surround you and make your way straight
Love has come, love has come for you
Love has come, love has come for you
No rest in language, no words to speak
But there in the wreckage beneath bricks and bindings
Love has come, love has come for you
Against the night sky of your waiting
Your face is like starlight when he walks in
Everything worth keeping comes through dying
Love has come, love has come for you
So lift up your heart now, to this unfolding
All that has been broken will be restored
Here runs deep waters for all who are thirsty
Love has come, love has come for you
Ten thousand angels will light your pathway
Until the day breaks fully in the East
They will surround you and make your way straight
Love has come, love has come for you
Love has come, love has come for you
God bless you Max and Jenny!
3 comments:
Dear Aaron,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. And sharing them so eloquently. We'll treasure our memories of January 4 - and of all of you dear ones, friends and family, who shared this wonderful covenant-making ceremony with us. Thank you for rejoicing with them - and us -and yes, there's weeping to share in, too. Tears of great joy, and tears of something like grief as we adjust to the changes in the McCracken / Parish homes. Max and Jenny became the people that they are under our roofs - and those of us still under those roofs will miss the constant presence of those dear ones. What joy, tho, there is to rest in the sure knowledge that this is, most surely, God's great doing. What encouragement there is in seeing the good gifts a loving Father showers on His beloved children. May you, too, Aaron, be the recipient of such treasures. And thank you for recognizing the great gift to be had in rejoicing in someone else's great joy!
With love and appreciation,
Lori McC
(What a blessing for Max and Jenny to have men like you in their lives. Thank you so much for the pledge - beautifully framed - that you wrote and had signed by the groomsmen. Tim's parents were moved by such a display of godly support and friendship.)
Aaron,
Very well said Aaron! It was such a pleasure to have a part in such an amazing day!
Kendra
Dear Aaron,
You do not know us.
We saw you for the first time as you stood with Max during the ceremony. We knew you must be special, simply because he requested your presence there. In reading your words, we can see even further into your heart. Aaron, may you be blessed with the rich relationship with God that it is clear you seek. May you, too, rejoice with the wife of your youth, whomever that turns out to be. Thank you for your encouraging, challenging blog. We will look forward to reading more!
Theron and Lori Esau
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