She did it!

We had a superb day on Saturday. The weather forecast was perfectly wrong. You can see in this picture some of the beautiful things going on.

I'm still looking for where we will put "all" of the pictures we want to share. Stay tuned.

Andy and Ryan asked me to perform (do) the ceremony. For weeks I worked on what I would say. Wanting to say only what I knew and felt, not just what I thought about marriage. Tough challenge. I fell even more deeply in love with my Cathy as part of the process. For that I am grateful to have had the chance. Plus, I knew when they asked me, I would only give my best for them. As the son of a baptist preacher I had to work out all the "preaching" with Cathy's help. And keep it to 5 or so minutes. I deleted some good stuff! Here it is for those of you who are interested.

Dearly beloved, we gather here today to celebrate the hopes, commitments, dreams and marriage of Ryan and Andy.

We bring our wishes for happiness as we promise them our hearts as well.
We commit to help thru the tough times and be thankful for the easier ones
To remind them when troubles come, they also go.
Love stays for the coming and the going.
To befriend not only each of them, but both of them and forever also will we see them as one inspiring love.
Today is the day we celebrate our love for each other too.

Our family gets bigger and better today.

And now, the love of two.

To prepare for tonite, I asked myself the following kinds of questions. I recommend you try it sometime.

What does it mean to be married, for two people to settle in with each other like this? What does it mean to say I love you? What does it mean to be happily married? And what is a perfect marriage anyway? Why do we do it? What is the payoff? Why do we stay?

For those of you who are interested, you should know there are some experts in the field here tonite. I recommend you speak with Charles & June, Jim & Terri, and my wife Cathy if you have any questions about what it means to love forever, and big. They are the inspiration behind much of what I have to say, and why I am more happily married than ever.

Here are some answers I found in my own heart. It is best to experience these things yourself, for words are so very inadequate. However, we will try together tonite, for the sake of Andy and Ryan and this blessed occasion.

In silence I found my love
for in silence I asked my real questions
and I heard the answers
no one who approaches love, God or silence
with an open heart
comes away unchanged
there's nothing left for me now, but to love

We have come to learn
love is bigger than one, it takes at least two
life is not lived alone
we need each other
and we need a container that holds more than one for our love
There is no use resisting this love
what else you gonna do?
Ask anyone who knows, love is all you need.

Your family, children, and close friends will do
the chances you need
are here with them
for it to be any good or fun at all
let them contain your love
for God is love and God wants only love for us
you know all good things come from God, ask anyone who knows
love them up and
love them big

Marriage is the mother of all containers,
don't you know
for here you show up by choice and
you make it from scratch

you cannot quit being a mother, a sister, or a father
but you can quit being married, and you can run

so marriage is where the big dicey spicy fun comes in
After all, here you take your clothes off
your faults, altitudes, habits and belly are exposed
almost every day if you're lucky
leaving you vulnerable
and available
for the big love we all have
the sweetest intimacy
you are here for the sake of love
not of blood

love is awake, and raw, or nothing at all
it's in the kitchen, the garden, at school,
and the bedroom too
when you get bored take a walk in a park
ask God to remind you about the good stuff
then call your mom, for she knows too

love is like the wind
it is real when its moving
when its more than just a word
it can turn you around sometimes
and back again
if you're lucky
may you be brave enough to be so lucky

marriage is love is commitment
to marry is to take hold of the juicy power of big love
you don't have this because you are pretty
or lucky
we're not talking about movie love here
it lasts forever because
it is not dependent upon circumstances
or your body
it does not wait
it always occurs now
it comes from within
not without
it has nothing to do with what others are doing
love is not something you have
it is something you do

love is fun if it's not, you're not doing it right
you are thinking too small
perhaps about yourself again
you enjoy your baby, and your world as they are
not as you think they should be
they are usually better
than our ideas about them anyway
don't you agree?
get a second opinion if need be
just watch um
keep up
pay attention,
you can feel their wind in your hair
you can remember why all this got started
let it start again, every day.

love is like bread
make some fresh every day
and use lots of butter and jelly too
may you share some of that warm stuff
all the way in every way

love is like a snowflake
each one is different
you would not dare consider
changing a single one
may you celebrate one another
like no other
my goodness, may we all

and so then, in marriage, you can perfect yourself
as a lover of life
and therefore as a human being
For God made us to love,
and what he made us for is perfect
You can love big here, because it is up to you
how big you love
There are no limits on love
Let love remind you of how important you are
for it takes you too to make two

And so Andy & Ryan,
As you make your promises and vows to each other now, may you remember always that everyone here tonite promises to support, honor and cherish your eternal love for each other too.

[vows]

In the greatest of wedding traditions, I am honored to introduce to you Ryan and Andy as husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.