weddings and making a discovery

i had the distinct pleasure to officiate at a wedding on saturday. the location was about an hour north east from merced, so i ended up staying over both friday night (for the rehearsal) and saturday night (for the wedding), and getting up bright and early sunday morning (well, it would have been bright if it hadn't been raining!) to get to worship by 9!

but it was a great time to be away from my usual routine; i brought work to do during saturday, but life seemed so much more inviting than if i had stayed in my office doing that same work! i love computers for this reason -- and laptops, especially! i parked myself in front of a renewing view, and worked and listed to balls whizzing by me (ok, we were at a golf and country club, and i was on the 'green', but i didn't have to worry about my 'putt' -- good thing; i can't golf!)

so, i enjoyed watching and working and when i had a mind to take a break, i walked around the area and discovered this great picture above . . . the area is filled with unique sites and beauty. and i have always loved poppies. so, in the midst of this recreation-living community, i was able to be renewed with the sights and sounds of god's creation.

the wedding. the bride was beautiful; the groom cried. the family was happy; the guests, while very diverse, found that the common link to the week-end was love. love is the deepest, most common thread in our lives. and when we discover love . . . it is as if god reminds us to 'take no chances; embrace that love'. and for the sake of this couple, everyone did! love flowed as surely as the wine! (oops, i mean grape juice! we (united) methodists are filled with the un-fermented love of the vine!) i trust that this love will only grow more strongly as time goes on for marc and amy. they are a delight to witness -- and, because they are my neighbors, i will get to watch their love grow and mature.

love is not simple in this day and age. and each person must make their way to find such love and nurture its development. and all i can do with any couple is to support them and pray for them and be there for them...such a little investment on my part, but what an impact supportive family and friends can have on an evolving relationship. never underestimate your impact on another human being. love is as delicate as the poppy. but see how that poppy stands out when it is nurtured and appreciated.



the discovery i made was returning home in the wee hours of sunday. pretty much around the corner from where i live stands this marker of safety. this emblem -- monument, really -- has been in that spot since the 1930's! i've lived here for five years and noticed it and kept meaning to stop and see it; honestly it is so 'out of place'; this stands on a busy highway, in front of an abandoned house near the edge of the road. the company that received this recognition is no longer there, but the saying is all well and good for today: "safety follows wisdom". notice, i stopped and finally looked!

safety follows wisdom. what a perfect metaphor for beginning a new life together. in love, we promise to be faithful no matter what; to be supportive, to honor and respect one another; to laugh and cry and to be there for one another. love must be protected in safety. and those who are wise and successful in their relationships know the great cost of love. wouldn't it be a powerful tribute to love if we could place a monument somewhere to remind us that the cost of this 'hard work' was worth it?!

amy and marc know that; for as much as they tried to have the perfect wedding, unforeseen things happen; the wind blew out their unity candle. they know, however, that the real flame is the one shining within. those could be meaningful words on a monument, don't you think?

what phrase would you want the world to live by in this day and age, that would have lasting meaning in the years to come? 'safety follows wisdom' and 'love never ends' works well for me!