I went to a wedding last weekend. Nothing too unusual about that- have been to ALOT of weddings over the years. I don't tend to think about them too much- they are planned from the perspective of the bride and groom. It's their day, they look awesome, in love, happy, they get married, and so far as I know, none of the marriages I have ever been to have ended in divorce. Thank you God!!
It can be so easy to comment on the look and feel of the wedding, the dress, hair, flowers......lovely, all of them in their own way.
What I am about to say though, doesn't diminish how special all the other weddings have been, or the people who have been in them.
The wedding I went to has got to have been the simplest one I have been to, or among the simplest. And it was spectacular!! It was gentle, fun, and there was tears from the bride, and the groom as she walked down the aisle.
What particularly stood out to me was their heart and values, both for their marriage, and for their lives together as they live out their marriage, and relationship with each other, and with Jesus with others.
The talk was one of the first wedding talks I have been to where I took notes....
The heart and values of the couple is to love and serve each other in their marriage, and to love and serve those around them, so the first thing they did as a married couple was to wash each other's feet. The minister then spoke on the act and process of washing one another's feet. It's a rare thing to have ones feet washed by another, especially with purpose and intention. Like anything, it can become a ritual, and lose the heart and meaning, but when done with intention, with heart, and with purpose, it becomes a humbling act, a welcome, an invitation. It says 'I welcome you and want you in my space'.
It stood out so beautifully to me, because it reflected their heart In such an extraordinary way that I haven't seen in a while. It reflected who they are, their values.
I don't often think about my wedding, because, well, I am not the only one involved. But this one got me thinking about it, and while I want it to look good and be lovely, mostly I want it to reflect the values that will be taken into the life being created.
There have been a few men who have been keen to travel that route with me, and sadly I haven't returned the hopes. And maybe that's what I am holding out for. Something a little bit different.
No comments:
Post a Comment