Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with.....

These past three or four weeks have been quite busy and have left little time for posting here on the family blog.  We've attended three weddings, three funerals and been much in prayer for friends and family who've experienced a variety of events in their lives these past weeks.

Of the three weddings we attended we were able to get a few pictures at only one of them.

The one pictured in this post was very lovely and suited very nicely the personality and interests of the happy couple.  The groom has been very busy building for them a period correct log cabin, and the talented bride and her family stayed very busy preparing for the wedding and marriage as she sewed her wedding gown and other dresses.

I wish I had more pictures, but I do not.  Many people dressed up and coffee was prepared and served back behind the house.  There was also a lady nearby who washed the china the old-fashioned way and in a washtub under an outbuilding.

Many of those in attendance dressed up and I thought the young people in the food line looked lovely.  My oldest son was invited to bring his Percheron horses to drive away with the bride and groom, but I had to leave with most of my other children in order to get them home to milk the cows and therefor didn't get to stay and get a picture of the horses and of them leaving.:(

I have no pictures of the other two weddings as they were out of state and I forgot to take my camera charger,  but both weddings were lovely.  The men in one of them wore overalls and the ceremony was held on family property and under a pole barn.  They had grass seed to throw as the couple left and each was packaged uniquely in a page of a seed magazine which had been twisted and shaped like a sugar cone.  Both the bride and groom are talented blue grass musicians and their wedding was beautiful and just perfect for them.

The third wedding was held in a beautiful little white church, and family members and friends worked very hard as they catered the food themselves, made the wedding cakes and also lovely favors of homemade soaps and seed packets wrapped in brown paper and including a cute little poem.

Above is another picture of the first wedding mentioned.  I love how they served period correct sweets and had an online sign up sheet for people to volunteer to bring something to contribute.  The very best part of each wedding was, I think, in how the ceremony was carried out, how each couple was surrounded by family and friends who truly desire that they have a blessed marriage and one that will honor the Lord, and how friends, family and church community were given opportunities to contribute something to the wedding feast.

This spring we also enjoyed a visit from a dear and wise friend.  We were so sorry his wife and little men had to stay behind in Ireland, but we heard many wonderful updates and were very encouraged by his visit and his many ideas for the farm.

And, of course, the girls loved the beautiful scarves...

and who can resist hot tea...

especially when there's chocolate to go with it...decisions, decisions.

We've also celebrated a few birthdays and welcomed a few ducks and two sets of twins (goats).  We've visited with hard working friends who helped with many farm chores, rejoiced with a church family who had a son recover after an unexpected hospitalization and rejoiced with them again as we gathered at the creek for their younger son's baptism.  We heard of difficulties faced by dear friends in Alabama who experienced storm damage... again... and we rejoiced with them that no one was hurt. And just last night, there was a very large forest fire not to far from the house.  My three oldest sons left at around 5:30 and returned near 11:00.  Thankfully no one was hurt and no houses were damaged.  And lastly... we've welcomed news of a new baby girl born to a sweet couple in our congregation.  She was welcomed into the world on the very day we gathered together to honor a very fine wife, mother and young grandmother, also from our church community, who unexpectedly (to us) went to be with the Lord.

 I said all that to say, it has been a very busy time, indeed, of rejoicing with those who rejoice...and mourning with those who mourn.  And whether the event be a marriage or a funeral, a birth or a frightening experience, all these various happenings seem to serve as reminders to our family and friends that, while our lives are in a constant state of change and we know not what tomorrow will bring, how very thankful we are for the One who does know and who never changes.  Even in times of transition and whether experiencing  joy or sorrow, our wise, sovereign and loving God can be trusted to order all the events in our lives.  And to those of you who have suffered loss these past weeks and will greatly miss your loved one, our prayers are with you.  And to those of you who have just been joined in marriage, our prayers are with you, too.  May God be glorified.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.  ~ Romans 12:15

Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  ~ James 4:14

"Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God.  And ultimately, marriage is the display of God.  It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does.  Marriage, therefor, is not mainly about being in love.  It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives.  And staying married is not about staying in love.  It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display." ~ John Piper

Blessings,

Sherry