Thankful Thursday: Wedding

For those of you who don’t know (since I have been rather absent from my blog of late), Daniel Garcia and I were married March 9.

We took a quick getaway to Nebraska City before coming back to Wichita for Daniel’s class and three days of work–then we were off to Charleston for a long and lovely honeymoon.

This week I’m thankful…

…for peace amidst the last-minute details
When we went around the room for prayer requests at Bible Study the Wednesday before the wedding, my sister asked for prayer that she wouldn’t be maid-of-honor-zilla. I was wondering when bridezilla would kick in. She never did. I was relaxed for all but fifteen minutes of those last few days. Multiple people commented that I was the most “chill” bride they’d ever seen. This is God’s grace.

…for my parents’ and sisters’ help
Daniel commented before the wedding that he hadn’t realized how much a bride’s family does. The truth is, few families do as much as mine did prior to a wedding. My dad cleaned the entire church and set up chairs. My mom made Grace’s bridesmaid dresses, arranged the cake and deli trays, altered my dress, made last minute adjustments to the flower girl’s dress, and made the salads and punch for the reception. Anna made her own bridesmaid dress, made the flower arrangements for the reception, and did my nails. Grace helped with making salads for the reception, ran about to pick up last minute items, and made the bows for all the body flowers. I have a wonderful family.

…for a Skype conversation with my brother in Okinawa
I was still in bed the morning of my wedding, reading something on my cell phone, when I got a Facebook message from my brother John. We messaged back and forth a couple of times before he wrote “You wouldn’t happen to be around a computer and willing to waste a few minutes Skyping, would you?” Of course, I would be willing to Skype. It was great to spend some time with my brother on my wedding day, even if he was halfway around the world

…for a terribly happy surprise
I was busy applying my makeup in the fellowship hall of the church I grew up in when I heard gasps from the other side of the curtain, where brunch was set up for family and attendants. I heard what sounded like my brother’s voice and ran to investigate. What I found necessitated the reapplication of my makeup. My brother Daniel, his eight-month-pregnant wife Debbie, and Little Miss Menter were there from Wisconsin for my wedding. Daniel had been sure they couldn’t make it, since he had a work project he needed to get done that Friday–and they’d been unsure anyway with Debbie so far along. But Daniel got done with his project Thursday night, so they made a snap decision to come down to join me for my wedding.

…for precious moments with our parents
We wanted to have some time together before the wedding, so we designated the church nursery as our space for a half an hour before the ceremony started. Daniel and I sat and talked for a while, and then had our parents join us ten or fifteen minutes before the ceremony. We joined hands, the six of us in the center of the nursery, praying for our marriage. It was a sweet time to hear our parents’ hearts on our behalf.

…for God’s faithfulness through our lives
The best part of the day was that at the end of it all, we were married. God has been so gracious to Daniel and I, individually as we walked out our single lives, and together through our dating and engagement. Thus far in our married life, He has proven Himself gracious and faithful.

Which is why, as I raise my thanks today, I raise them with the two hymns we had the congregation sing at our wedding:

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art
…
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

and

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee,
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,
As Thou hast been,Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!