We had rehearsal on Thursday evening and the wedding on Friday. It was held on an outside patio at a huge hotel right on the golf course. The landscaping was gorgeous. The weather was 70 degrees and sunny with a slight breeze. Being away from home and the office was wonderful. I got to take my time getting ready for the ceremony and even relaxed in the sun, putting the finishing touches on my tan.
We met Teresa and her parents only once prior to this weekend and found them to be absolutely wonderful people. It really was as if we had known them for a very long time.
We had family in from several states and Teresa had family in from all over the country. It was a large family and they all made the trek to be there for the ceremony. It was obvious that everyone who came to the ceremony really, really wanted to be there. There was a sincere joy and happiness that filled the air.
The wedding went very well. Derek was quite dapper looking and Teresa was absolutely stunning. Following the ceremony I was blessed to walk around and talk with many of the guests. What a wonderful group of people!
There was a time of refreshments and appetizers before we moved into the enormous white tent for dinner. I had been asked to bless the meal and when I stood to do so, I looked around the room and became aware of somethingI had never thought of before.
This giant tent was filled with 200 some people. These people were of a variety of different political persuasions. They represented many faiths, income levels, and careers. The ages ranged from the 2.5 year old flower girl to grandparents in their 90's. There were vegetarians and carnivores, people who enjoyed wine and people who only liked soda, coffee drinkers and non coffee drinkers and on and on. There was a broad representation of nationalities and traditions. There were different clothing and hair styles, not to mention hair colors. And, as I've already mentioned, people represented states and cities from all over the United States.
All that being said, there was no division between any of us, no grumbling, no finger pointing, no belittling or mocking. Although we were from such a diversity of humanity, we were as one. We all had found a commonality in a single purpose. We were united in support and there to honor Derek and Teresa.
What could cause people to set aside so much time, travel at such expense and get all dressed up while bearing gifts? What would cause so many people to give up golf games, boating, watching ball games or putting extra hours in at the office? What would cause so many people to talk to strangers with no fear or prejudice? What astonishing event would cause hundreds of people to stop living their "normal" lives? What single thing would create new friendships in such a brief moment as this?
The answer? Good old Love!
We all gathered to "celebrate" the love two people have for one another. We witnessed as they shared vows of love and devotion for each other while promising to be there for each other for a lifetime.
Do we too often underestimate the power and value of love?
Many things bring people together, but do many things bring people together and fill us with such joy, tenderness and excitement? I don't think so.
Perhaps we can take a lesson from this and "make" more time to love and be loved. Perhaps we can replace playing with our iPads, TV, golf games, or cleaning long enough to keep kindling the love in our own lives. Perhaps, once we recognize the value and importance of love, we can make an effort to create loving moments with those we care about.
I know that even though we don't always see eye to eye, I love my family and wife's family. Do we take the time to flame the fires of that love and friendship? Do we maybe take it for granted thinking that we have an eternity to express it?
I have been blessed with an entire new family in the family of the bride. They made us feel we belonged and were valued. I imagine the next time we go to Chicago, we will want to allow more time so we can spend some time with them. Wonderful people are sometimes hard to find and when we find them we might want to make an effort to not let them slip away.
In this wedding we saw the great love two people have for one another. We saw the love they have for their families and the love their families have for them. We felt the love they expressed for us strangers and a love we felt toward them. This was truly an affair of love bringing my mind and heart right back to the undefinable value of love.
The love we feel and experience is only a small portion of the love the Father has for us. He loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the death penalty for our sins so that we can sit in the presence of His love for us and all people. I imagine that tent will hold billions of people and that the feelings will be deeper and more intense. Can you imagine? We will feel an instant love for millions and millions of people we have never met because we will have come together under one tent to celebrate the love our Father has for us. You see the love we feel and experience today is of God Himself. It is who He is. The love we experience is a gift from Him for us to hang onto while we wait to gather in eternity with Him and each other. It is a gift that is to be treasured, protected, nurtured, and cared for. It is a gift that is not to be cheapened by only a physical act and something to do on a Saturday night. It is not to be cheapened by trading it for a ball game or TV show. Love is the most valuable and priceless thing we have been given. It is a gift given to us from above so that it can help us survive this life as best we can until that day when we will experience the glory of the love of God in the really big tent with Him.
This weekend, I was given the gift of being reminded of all these things by Derek, Teresa, and both of their families. Actually, everyone had to have been reminded of it unless we just were not paying attention, for it was expressed beautifully. Thank you so much.