The White Wedding

This past weekend, we had the opportunity to attend the wedding of the daughter of some dear friends. It was held in our former "home" town...not really our home town, but it's where we spent 15 years of our lives when our kids were younger, so they consider it "home."

And people in town were calling it the "White" wedding, because both the bride's last name, and the groom's last name, is WHITE.

Isn't that fun?

I really wanted to bring Joshua with us. I knew that there was no one in our family who would enjoy it more. BUT I was going to be taking him to camp the next morning, and I was afraid the extra excitement and the late night would be too much for him....and might affect him adversely. You know, gastro-ly speaking. Ha! :)

So Jim and I drove over there by ourselves.

The wedding was held at our "home" church...and the church where Holly and Aaron were married. SO many memories there. We saw old friends, and people we knew, starting from the time we stepped out of our car in the parking lot.

That's something I MISS SO MUCH. Where we live now...and we've been here 3 years...we don't have that feeling at all. Oh, we know people at church, and we recognized others as looking familiar...but that feeling like it's where we belong? Not there yet.

May never be there again.

This world is not our home, right?

Anyway, it was Old Home Week for Jim and me at this wedding. We had the BEST time! It was also incredibly special, because the minister who was marrying these two young ones...was the minister who married Holly and Aaron. And he and his wife are precious friends of our family.

At the reception after the wedding, we were able to see a TON of people. From the very old...to the ones our age...to seeing their children...and even some of their grandchildren! How is it that people our age are GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS?

MAN! Life goes on!

Everyone there asked about our family. Everyone who asked about our family, asked specifically about Joshua. Well, mainly they asked WHY WE DIDN'T BRING HIM.

Yeah. We probably should have.

Jim and I talked all the way home...about the mark that town made on our lives; about the people who poured into us and our children; about the lessons God taught us during those 15 years.

INVEST IN PEOPLE, y'all. No matter where you live, no matter how long (or short) you've been there, no matter how long you think you'll stay.

Someone is waiting for you to hold out your hand to them...for you to make eye contact and ask questions and be genuinely concerned and LISTEN TO THEM.

Save a life, make a friend, be the hands and feet of Jesus.

"So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith." 1 Thessalonians 3:7