today we joined many in celebrating two people's union in marriage. our friend, big c, got married... he is a good friend of P's and has continued to honor that friendship by relating with me and A and also with my in-laws.
in the fall of 2006, P got an e-mail from a high school friend, JP. JP's girlfriend's brother was moving to indo and JP asked where we lived and if P would be his friend as he settled into life in indo. Jp's girlfriend's brother is big c. so december of 2006, big c comes to indo and begins coming to our house almost every week to spend time with P and another guy PY for prayer and accountability. it fed my tank as well because i love serving and cooking... so the nights these guys came i got to cook and serve them.
and that's when the connections start. big c's mom and P's mom went to the same elementary school (i think... some school) and their dads (the moms' dads) were in the same hospital before going to be with the Lord. big c's mentor is the guy that P interviewed for his thesis paper in grad school... P's high school friend ended up marrying big c's sister... there are so many other connections with this family and ours... it goes back a couple generations...
in the beginning of this semester i went into a class to find a crazy connection... this guy comes up to me at break and says, "you're EP". i'm like yup.. AC is friend's with big c and had heard of me and P. later in the semester, AC was talking about hanging out with big c at some cabin in the middle of nowhere in kansas. as he described it, i told him, "ummm i think that's my family's land you were on..." sure enough he had spent that week at our family cabin P's dad made in memory of P. AC stood at big c's wedding today.
at the wedding, i saw this couple come into the sanctuary and i was like i know those people... the wife was one of the ladies that helped prepare things for us to leave indo when P died. she was so kind... bought A a backpack full of fun things to play with on the plane and snacks... the husband was the man who if he wasn't there at the airport, stuck in immigration with me, the day we left indo a year ago, we would not have left indo. so finally after a year, i got to say thank you to this wonderful couple...
connections... somehow we are all connected to different people and it works in God's amazing intricate plan.
at dinner, dad talked about how through the whole ceremony he thought of P and i... how big c reminded him of how P looked when he saw me walking down the aisle... eyes watering... the commitment they made to serve the Lord together wherever the Lord takes them... we'll never look at things the same way anymore. i know that when they were saying their vows, i just thought... "til death do us part"... some powerful words you are saying... powerful words i have said... you really don't know the weight of it... Lord willing, if i get married again, i want to take that part out. :)
through all these connections, our lives weave together, in and out of each other's seasons of life... effecting one another, some very little, some very big...
i was really blessed through the ceremony today... it was all pointed up toward God and was so intentional of explaining this is just a taste of what the final wedding celebration of Jesus as the bridegroom and we as his bride will be like. i saw a man crazy in love with the sweetest, cutest woman... and i thought of what a beautiful picture that was. thankful that i once had someone that looked at me the same way and hopeful that one day i will have that again... a man crazy about me and my daughter, no questions asked, you look at him and you'll know. that's what i saw today.
my friend and i talk a lot about how marriage is work. we all have to work at a good marriage, but that doesn't mean you settle. some people, and i have to say i'm one of them (at times), think... well if it's work, then just marry anyone and it could work... so not true!!! i am reminded again how crucial it is to look the way you feel! again, today i saw a man and a woman totally in love with God and in love with each other. and i texted that friend after the wedding and said how i am praying that we both find someone that is totally head over heals for us and then we could work through the rest.
i feel like i rambled a lot, but really... this is all the crazy thoughts that went through my head today. now i have to study for my biblical theology and interpretations class. :)
congrats to AC and CC!!! you guys are great together and i really appreciated seeing how God worked to bring the two of you together. God is good!! praising God with you guys for today's celebration and looking forward to see how God uses you as a couple for His glory!!
