Wedding Guests

I have found that the most special moments in our lives are ones in which we draw the closest to the people we care about. As Joseph and I make plans for the wedding, it is so important to us that all the people we love are with us on our big day, and more than that we want them to be involved in our big day. I don't want my sisters to just be at the wedding, I want them to be the bridesmaids. Our parents will be more than just guests to us, they will have seats of honor. All of my aunts, uncles, and cousins... I want them to all be there with me, taking part in my day, even if the job I give them is just to stand by the guest book. I think God feels that way about us. Not only does he want us to just come to church, but he wants us to be a part of the church. He doesn't need us to do a specific job, but he wants us to feel involved, because we are special to him.



I think one of the hardest things for me in planning for the wedding though, is knowing that there are people I love, and who I know love me and Joseph as well who will not be there. Some of them have good reasons, I know. There are graduations and things that just can't be missed, but there are some who should just be there. I can't help but think of the parable in Luke that says a certain man had a great banquet and invited many guests, guests who did not come. One had to see about his field, one had some animals to tend to, and one had another wedding to go to. The man throwing the banquet was so upset! He had prepared this great banquet and none of his invited guests were coming. So he went out into the streets and invited whoever he could find. In the end, we find that those men who were invited and did not come were never got a taste of that great banquet. I never ever want to make excuses when God asks me to do something, because ultimately, when the day comes for that great banquet in the sky, there are no excuses. I want to be a part of the wedding that God is going to have with his bride. I want to be there, I want to be a part of it, and I don't want to let anything stand in the way of that.

Anna