When I finally finished my homily, the groom grabbed a chair. He brought it under the tent, placed it in front of his bride and offered her a seat. She sat.
He knelt down in front of her, grabbed a basin and a towel, and washed her feet, installing clean white sandals for her (she walked the aisle barefoot as she arrived).
When he was carefully and tenderly done, he took his place on the chair and his bride washed his feet, installing similar clean white sandals for him.
They stood up together, we began the exchange of vows, and the wedding service continued. But from that moment on --- two of us had cleaner feet. And all of us had witnessed a gentle moment in a private relationship between two servant-hearts that were uniting as one.
They leave tomorrow for their honeymoon: they're heading to a third-world country and all of us will be surprised if they don't find ways to serve and minister while there.
Meanwhile, we're just returning from Lanesboro, Minnesota -- Amish Country -- after performing wedding #350 for us. And despite what you might think, after three-hundred-plus weddings, every one of the services has been unique; each homily crafted for each couple, never anything generic.
Even after this many weddings, each one resonates as an individual, identifiable ceremony.
Yes we did a wedding in Switzerland. Stone chapel. No sound system or electricity.
Yes we did a wedding on an island in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. No plumbing.
Yes we've done weddings in most of the 50 U.S. states and in many other world areas.
Yes we've done weddings for every sibling within a family circle; but one at a time. :)
Yes we've done a wedding (just one so far!) for someone whose parents we married.
Our wedding march continues. Driving away from the rolling hills of southern Minnesota, we turned off the stereo and just talked. Thirty years together and we still haven't run out of things to talk about, laugh about, and explore for our future.
Heading away from wedding #350 we are moving forward, excited about God's direction for our lives and glad to be following Him, honoring Him, serving Him.
We are definitely imperfect, but we're moving in the right direction....
He knelt down in front of her, grabbed a basin and a towel, and washed her feet, installing clean white sandals for her (she walked the aisle barefoot as she arrived).
When he was carefully and tenderly done, he took his place on the chair and his bride washed his feet, installing similar clean white sandals for him.
They stood up together, we began the exchange of vows, and the wedding service continued. But from that moment on --- two of us had cleaner feet. And all of us had witnessed a gentle moment in a private relationship between two servant-hearts that were uniting as one.
They leave tomorrow for their honeymoon: they're heading to a third-world country and all of us will be surprised if they don't find ways to serve and minister while there.
Meanwhile, we're just returning from Lanesboro, Minnesota -- Amish Country -- after performing wedding #350 for us. And despite what you might think, after three-hundred-plus weddings, every one of the services has been unique; each homily crafted for each couple, never anything generic.
Even after this many weddings, each one resonates as an individual, identifiable ceremony.
Yes we did a wedding in Switzerland. Stone chapel. No sound system or electricity.
Yes we did a wedding on an island in the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. No plumbing.
Yes we've done weddings in most of the 50 U.S. states and in many other world areas.
Yes we've done weddings for every sibling within a family circle; but one at a time. :)
Yes we've done a wedding (just one so far!) for someone whose parents we married.
Our wedding march continues. Driving away from the rolling hills of southern Minnesota, we turned off the stereo and just talked. Thirty years together and we still haven't run out of things to talk about, laugh about, and explore for our future.
Heading away from wedding #350 we are moving forward, excited about God's direction for our lives and glad to be following Him, honoring Him, serving Him.
We are definitely imperfect, but we're moving in the right direction....
