Wedded Bliss

In the past nine days, I have had the pleasure of attending two beautiful weddings. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Stotz and to Mr. and Mrs. Thieme!!

Mr. and Mrs. Thieme

It's a weird feeling to watch your first friend get married but maybe it's just another growth spurt.  I couldn't be happier for her. We have had a lot of fun together over the years and I'm sure that this won't change anytime soon.  She has the perfect guy and I know they will have a wonderful, Christ-centered life together.  It was a beautiful symbol of their love for one another and their covenant with God.  And check out this cake... yum!

I even made friends with the cake maker and she said she would give me a deal when I get married!  Networking and discounts... maybe this marketing job is working out for me!

Even among all the happiness and celebration, there were tears of joy and tears of sorrow this weekend.  For those of you who don't know, Nick and I lost a friend about a month ago. It was the first time we had been back in the sanctuary since the memorial service and it was definitely not easy.  It brought back many memories of the day that we had to say goodbye but it made me think about all of the things that happen inside of a church.

The most joyous times in our lives are celebrated in a church including our baptisms, first communions, confirmations, and weddings but it also is the place that we live out the saddest times in our lives.  I have been surrounded by God's love over the past month as I went through some of the most exciting times but also some of the hardest things I will ever experience.  When I think about it, the people who support me the most and genuinely care about me are people from my congregation.  This is a reflection of God's love for us; He surrounds us with people to support us through the celebrations and through the sorrows.

I can't thank people enough or begin to describe how much it has meant to me to have an outpouring of love over the past month or two.  The people of my congregation have reached out so much to not only myself but also to Nick.  Your support for us and words of encouragement have undoubtedly helped Nick and I on this journey.  I'm oftentimes undeserving of such love but God's love for us is unconditional.

Not only was this wedding a covenant and commitment with God but it reinforced how God works in so many different ways.  This was a little reminder that I should thank Him all the time because He is always with me.  And maybe this can also serve as your reminder to keep Christ in your life through it all.