As the
music swells and the doors at the back of Stone Chapel open, you just know that
for some weddings you should have worn water-proof mascara. Yesterday was
Sarah’s wedding.
From
concerts to football games, our families seem to have navigated the teenage
years together. Between our families, we managed to have 7 consecutive years of
kids in school. Kris taught them history, and I taught them English. With
shared activities and our daughters’ close friendships, we’ve spent a lot of
time together—their family and ours. Even beyond high school, our children’s
chosen paths are uncannily similar: We have a son in the military; they have a
son in the military. They have a son in ministry; we have a son in ministry.
Our youngest daughters remain dear friends.
But, our
Joy and their Sarah are both firstborns—and both dreamed of marriage and
motherhood. Both watched each of their younger siblings marry and become
parents as they waited…and they waited. They waited a seemingly very long time. And often they lifted
each other up.
Scripture
instructs us to share in each other’s sorrow and each other’s joy.
It’s hard
to share joy as you watch others experience what you so desperately desire. It
isn’t that you want any less for them—but, oh, the ache—the longing. The
wondering “Why?” The wondering “What’s wrong with me?”
But
yesterday—yesterday, we stood in the same chapel where we stood for Joy only a
few short years ago, waiting for the music to swell—waiting for those doors at
the back to open.
And this
time I could hardly stand it as I watched the little bell ringers (Sarah’s
nephews) prance down the aisle, bells in hand, shouting, “The bride is coming!
The bride is coming!” And I just knew then that I’d made a mistake when I’d
chosen my mascara.
We watched as
Sarah became single no longer. We ate dinner, and Joy sat across the table in
miserable full-term-pregnancy delight as she shared in Sarah’s joy. And I
imbibed as an elixir the pleasure of Sarah’s brothers and sister as they celebrated
with Sarah. It reminded me of us.
Sometimes it is so easy to share in
someone’s joy.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans. 12:15
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