My parents with Neal and Darla
On Saturday the spring sun came out to shine on the wedding of my sister Darla and her groom, Neal.
It has been six years since the last wedding in my family. Enough years to bring a lot of changes in the family, especially in Darla's nieces and nephews, which you can see by looking at the last wedding post.
My siblings and I in order of age.
Somehow my siblings have become a family of adults. I'm the oldest of the nine but have become the shortest.
Ed's energy level has been better this week, though he would still say he gets tired quickly. We were so glad he felt great and could enjoy the day. If Darla has as good of marriage as me, she'll be blessed indeed.
The bridal party.
This day was bittersweet. Sweet because getting a brother-in-law as great as Neal is a always a good thing. Difficult because Neal has spent the last few years sharing Christ with an unreached people group in Asia. Next year, Lord willing, he plans to move Darla to China.
Darla is the first of my married siblings to move more than ten miles from my parent's home, so to have family on the opposite side of the world will be an adjustment to our family. But our sacrifice pales in comparison to Christ's sacrifice for us.
I've been challenged by Neal and Darla's commitment to God, and I'm truly happy that they found someone who shares their vision for serving God will all their heart.
Congratulations, Neal and Darla. God go with you.
God bless Neal and Darla's marriage and also their future plans in China! It looks like they had a beautiful wedding!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful family!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful wedding! Thanks for sharing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless this new family as they serve Him. Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures with us.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Weddings are always such wonderful times! One quick question (and please don't feel you must answer it, if you don't care to or don't have time): From the pictures, it looks as though the couple was married under a small canopy. In our Jewish tradition, the cloth canopy is called the "chuppah" and it symbolizes the new couple's future home together. Four people generally hold the poles at the four corners, thus symbolically surrounding the two. Is this traditional in your family's church also?
ReplyDeleteAnd on a totally unrelated note, your Bulgar Rolls have become a family favorite, here in California. They hold up to little grandchildrens' hands without getting tough. Love, prayers and support to your beautiful family. Thank you for taking the time to blog.
Thanks for sharing a bit about your wedding traditions. The arbor in the wedding pictures was just part of the decoration and not part of the service.
DeleteGlad you enjoy the Bulgar Rolls. They are a favorite at our house!
Gina
Thanks for sharing these pictures of this beautiful wedding. I am the oldest of eight children and I am the shortest :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this happy occasion. I enjoyed it so much that I went back to look at your last wedding post too! And I empathize with the bittersweetness of your sister and brother in law moving so far away. We have an aunt and uncle who work with least-reached people groups and it's been hard to have them so far away for many decades. I'm grateful that they have email now instead of long-delayed airmail letters, and also we see them more often than the old days (furlough only once every four years). It surely helps me keep dragging my focus back to an eternal perspective!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures and it looks like your oldest daughter is taller than you, too. My daughter outgrew me at 13 or 14.
ReplyDeleteI know it will be difficult to gave family overseas but e-mail and the internet will keep you in touch and sharing, presuming they will have it.
What a beautiful family! I enjoy seeing a strong Christian family and the encouragement this brings me.
ReplyDeleteI am praying for Ed today as he starts his treatment.
God bless,
Marney
Our oldest daughter was married last September. The end of January, they moved to Thailand, where they both spent 3 years prior to marriage. We have gotten used to Esther being away and it is nice to think of her being with a husband in her travels now, but the thought of potential grandchildren on the other side of the world is what brings me to tears. Especially when I see young couples and their parents rejoicing over a baby. That's when I think,"This is what I am giving to You, God, for the sake of your Kingdom and to have a Light shine in southern Thailand." May His kingdom come there and may the Light drive out the darkness in many hearts!
ReplyDeleteWhat a happy occasion! I'm glad your husband has had a little more energy. Interesting that your sister is moving - Have you ever read Gladys Aylward? She was a missionary to China a long time ago. God bless your family. Chris
ReplyDeleteSo glad you were able to celebrate this special day together, and that Ed had enough energy to share in the joy in person! What a blessing it is indeed to have siblings walking closely with the Lord! I think it's kind of you to share the height genes with your younger siblings instead of keeping them all to yourself! ;-) Love & prayers, Eunice
ReplyDeleteCould you please give just the first name of each of your siblings?
ReplyDeleteBrad, Kent, Eric, Todd, Danae, Darla, Vaun, and Charity
DeleteWhat a beautiful wedding. I have a brother-in-law who moved from China a few years ago. He got to stay here because he met and married my sister-in-law. He also became a Christian before that while here. China certainly needs missionaries. Its a very dark place.
ReplyDeleteCould you post pics from your family's butchering days? :)
ReplyDeleteI've done several posts about hog butchering such as this one. http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2013/12/hog-butchering-2013.html
DeleteGina