Weddings and Revelations

I had a great 6-day vacation this past weekend where my sister-in-law, Angela, got married. It was a great time to spend with friends & family and time to relax, reflect, and retain some relationships. I couldn’t be happier for Angela who married a Calgary-boy (and is, coincidentally, a Flames fan). Yet, Josh is much more than another dude, but a great guy who loves the Lord; a welcome addition to the family. He’s the strong, silent type and really counter-balance’s Angela’s personality. Their relationship reminds me of my own with Catherine; I’m the obnoxious, out-going, care-free, intellectual while Cat is the silent, internal, sweet, compassionate one of the two. It’s interesting to see how God connects two people. While the jury is still out on whether there is only “one true partner” for every person, it’s often not hard to see that some people are just meant to be together. I see that in Josh and Ang.

But God does that. He balance’s us out. God seeks to help us improve upon who we are, what we’re missing, and what to change. In that, servanthood appears. We are called to be servants to our spouses. We are entering a covenant much like the one God promised Noah. Noah faithfullly served and obeyed God's command and God in return made a promise to Noah. This is much like we are to do for our spouses. And, of course, servanthood also reflects a Christian covenant to help those who cannot, give to those who have not, and love those who know not.

My uncle Paul Thistle, a doctor and missionary in Zimbabwe, and Captain in the Salvation church, had a great mini-sermon on servanthood during the wedding ceremony and how that is conducive to the marriage covenant. He quoted an old Zimbabwean proverb that says, “In order to clap, you must use both hands.” Isn’t that true of God’s plan for our relationships and marriages? If we’re working together, in the same ways, with the same goals, God can use us to do amazing things. Each person is a hand and when used correctly and purposefully, we clap. We make joyful noise. We praise. We serve.

Uncle Paul quoted this prayer from St Francis of Assissi (aptly named The Prayer of St Francis) during the ceremony:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

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The wedding was beautiful (can a dude say that?) and went off without a hitch... figuratively speaking, of course. The reception was very touching, entertaining, and ended with a limbo competition, dance, and lots of laughter. It’s nice to step aside from life for a moment and just enjoy a moment; an instant in time to enjoy being you, enjoy your family & friends, and seeing love communicate itself through the smiles, laughter, and joy of others around you.