Joshua and Brittany's Wedding

** Some of you asked about the pictures. They are in the post below this one!!! **

We just got back from our trip to Florida for the wedding. What a week. I am not even sure how to tell it all. It was a very busy but happy time. We left here last Tuesday. I drove down to meet Michael at his parents after work. We left from there. We spent the night in Statesville, NC. We went on to Florida the next day. After dropping our stuff off at the hotel, we went out to Brittany's house to see if we could help. It was good to see everyone. Terri (Brittany's Mom) was still very much pregnant with what they thought were twins. We went back to the hotel thinking that Joshua would be leaving early Thursday morning to come down. He actually left Wednesday night and drove all night. He made it safely and went to the hotel to take a nap.

We went out with our good friends (Phil, Sharri & family) to dinner at a local restaurant. They had come in that day. We all went back out to the house to try and help with flowers. Terri's midwife had all the items we needed to make the corsages and boutonnieres. She had a birth to attend and we did not do flowers. =) The midwife arrived home sometime around 4 AM. Just after she got in the door, Terri called and said she was in labor. The midwife came right away and instead of twins, a very healthy and BIG girl was born just after 8 AM. She is precious. This was Friday morning... the day before the wedding.

We worked getting the tables ready and other things done. Terri who should have been in bed, sat on the couch most of the day and greeted the people who went in and out of her house. She is Wonder Woman. =) We worked right up until time for the rehearsal. We ran to the hotel, got cleaned up and headed back over. The rehearsal was kind of crazy, but we were still trying to figure out how we wanted it to work. The two little flower girls were adorable. The youngest was just 2 1/2. They had put leaves in their baskets to practice throwing petals on their way down the aisle. When Berri got to the front, she dumped her basket upside down, thumped it hard and then dug out the rest of the leaves. It became a hat for her and then it went around her head and the around her waist where she was unable to get it off and needed help. Brasen the ring bearer who is not quite 4, had a ball cap on. When it came time for him to walk over and let them take the rings from his pillow, he pulled the ball cap over his eyes and walked like a blind man. It was so funny. The rehearsal was a very enjoyable time of laughter and fun. We then all went to a local restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. Terri missed both the rehearsal and the dinner, and we were sorry she had to. We did understand though.

The day of the wedding came. The weather was very breezy and we had some cloud cover, which was nice. It got up in the high 80's. We have friends who told us that during the wedding ceremony, just as Jeff said something about coming out of the darkness and into the light, the sun came out from behind the clouds. It decided to stay out, so several peop[le got some sunburns. Joshua and Brittany wrote their vows. I was very touched. The entire ceremony was written to show the BIG wedding of Christ and His bride, the church. Here is what Jeff said just before the vows.

One of the best ways God has demonstrated to us what is occurring in a covenant was through the Salt Covenant. This was a covenant of loyalty. The Word of God says, "The Lord keeps covenant for a thousand generations to those who love Him and keep His commands." In ancient times when two people wanted to enter into a covenant of loyalty, they would recite the details of the covenant, exchange salt from one pouch to the other and then shake the pouches. The symbolism is powerful. The only way this contract could possibly be broken is for each to individually retrieve their own grains of salt, which is impossible. So, once the covenant of loyalty is spoken and made, it is bound on earth and recorded in heaven. Joshua, you and Brittany will now exchange your solemn oaths to one another. You are in affect exchanging salt. Your fathers and mothers and God say, "Shake your salt pouch vigorously so the grains are inseparable for all times."

Joshua's Vows
I, Josh promise you, Brittany that as Christ's perfect example of loving the church and giving himself for it, so will I strive to love you in all ways, every day that we are blessed with life on this earth. With joy and gratefulness I promise to lead you, washing you with the water of the Word and lead our family with a passion for Jesus Christ. I promise to always be true to you in every way. I will always be there for you rejoicing in the many good times and comforting you in the tough ones. I will provide for and defend you and our children. I will be your best friend, and your closest confidant. If the Lord blesses us with children I promise that with your help we will teach them to love and fear the Lord. I promise to always love and cherish you as the beautiful gift from God that you are. I will remain your faithful and dedicated husband until death do us part.

Brittany's Vows
I, Brittany promise you, Josh that I will love, honor and obey you. I submit myself to you, as the church is subject to Christ. I will honor and respect you, so that your heart can safely trust in me. I promise to be your encourager, helpmeet, closest confidant and best friend. I will stand beside you, loving you and supporting you in times of joy and times of sadness, in times of sickness and health, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I will be your loving, prudent keeper at home, always striving for a gentle and quiet spirit, making our home a peaceful and restful place that brings glory to God. If the Lord chooses to so bless us , it will be my greatest joy to be your fruitful bearer of children, and I will help you diligently teach them the commandments of the Lord. Where you go I will go. Your goals will be my goals and I will share your dreams. I give to you all my love, my hopes and dreams and my life as your faithful and obedient wife. I love you.

There was another part of the ceremony that I want to share as well. Just before the pronouncement of husband and wife, Jeff shared this.
The question is asked, "Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young man and a young woman clasping clean hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage?" And the answer is given, "Yes- there is a more beautiful thing, it is the spectacle of an old man and an old woman finishing their journey together on that path. Their hands are gnarled, but still clasped; their faces are seamed, but still radiant; their hearts are tired and bowed down, but still strong. They have proven the happiness of marriage and have vindicated it from the jeers of the cynics.

And now having pledged your love and loyalty to each other, and having sealed the pledge with marriage rings, I do, by the authority of Almighty God, pronounce you husband and wife.

Joshua and Brittany, you are no longer two independent persons, but you are now one in the eyes of the Lord. You may celebrate with your first kiss.

I will be sharing some pictures with you in another post or two or three. =) Thank you for all the congratulations and prayers. I will probably think of more things I wanted to share, but I will end this post here.

** I just thought of another neat thing that happened. On the way home, we stopped and let a Realtor show us around an area we are looking at moving to. She happened to know Cheri, the TN Farmgirl. We popped in and surprised Cheri. She was very gracious to let us into her home for a bit. She is as sweet as she sounds online. **