i had the honor to participate as joel and nancy got married this week-end; it was their dream wedding, and what a dream it was! they entered a contest on the internet; won this wedding back in february, and, while the ceremony has not come and gone, the memory will linger.
we worried that the wedding on the bluff would be rained out; but as this picture shows, neither rain, nor sleet, nor any other obstacle ~ well, isn't that the letter carrier motto? ~ any way, nothing prevented the dream from coming true.
'methodists' don't get to serve here; our sisters the presbyterians are planted here in this 1,000 people town. it is their church you see in this picture during the beginnings of the morning rain storm. it rained all saturday night. but 'blue sky, won out'!
funny things about weddings; people come, and they are excited to be there; the energy is filled with anxious excitement, yes, but people are happy. maybe we should be attending weddings more often; maybe the world would be a 'happier' place!
this is the bluff where the ceremony was; an intimate gathering of 50 people; the groom was proud; the bride radiant; their daughter was every bit of 'grace' that she could be! the waters roared their joy; pictures were taken; the music played in the background, and the pastor forgot his camera, and had to rely on his phone; in the excitement, i forgot to even take wedding pictures.
so fast forward to the evening, back at the bed and breakfast, where the reception offered relaxed moods, and fabulous food. and, as i passed the 'head table', i couldn't resist a picture, very dark i know, but they were bright with the joy of it all....
weddings can be difficult; lots of opinions, and lots of personalities. it is much more difficult to participate in a wedding when i only know the couple. with with nancy and joel and grace, it has been different. they invite you into their lives; they share themselves, and their friends and family become your friends and family. and so it felt like the best of all possible worlds....the witnessing of god's love and joy ~ uniting such a wonderful couple and family ~ surrounded by supportive people who have also become an extended family. may all of our love grow like this!
and so the return trip. a couple of things to be aware of....gas in mendocino costs $4.92.9 per gallon; fill up before you turn off the 101! the highway between the 101 and the 1 takes an hour and was created by someone who was drawing for fun! plan to relax; stop when you need to, and keep breathing, even when you think you're going to drive over a cliff!
only a destination of love could make you drive that more than once; but mendocino is worth the drive!
and when you return home, stop by my barn, "dr. pierce"; another poor picture, i'm sorry to say due to the sunlight, but, who would ever believe someone had put my name on their barn? what a hoot!
but as i shared at the end of the ceremony, before the kiss and the introduction, i'll share with you: 'may the sun be warm and kind to you; the darkest night some star shine through; the dullest morn some radiance brew; and when dusk comes, god's hand to you'. that is my wish for grace and nancy and joel...and for you, too!
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