Ten days out. Long days of school, a trip to the east coast for a funeral, late nights, early mornings, (over and over again) and emails and work and volunteering piling up unmercifully–
Joy is still on the throne.
I can’t explain it. Why we trip down the road at twilight the five of us that remain, and laugh instead of cry.
I can’t explain it except to say that our joy is unutterably full.
And it doesn’t even seem like they’re gone.
They aren’t really… They’re closer than they were when she slept upstairs.
Even if we only exchange maybe one email a week.
The joy of giving far outshines the joy of having.
I can’t explain it.
I feel no need to try.
Almost every table and windowsill in the house boasts their faces in some form.
And almost every conversation includes references to “Lukey and Chantée.”
Something tells me that for some time, that’s how it’ll stay.
October 5, 2012 at 4:20 am
Amazing. Wonderful. Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing some of the joy! Amen.
October 5, 2012 at 4:22 am
I love the unsurpassed joyfulness evidenced in your post and photos. ^_^ There are few families as happy as yours. You are exceedingly blessed beyond measure. 🙂
October 5, 2012 at 4:41 am
Pure love and Heaven-blessed marriage. Wish it were possible to have been in two places at the same time. I'm rejoicing and celebrating with you all from across the world. :)Thanks for sharing the slideshow. Beautiful!
October 5, 2012 at 5:21 am
I so loved the second song on the slideshow! Could you please share the words? So happy for them. 🙂
October 5, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Great Joy!! I can see it in every picture. A gift from God. LOVE. Very Precious.
October 5, 2012 at 3:26 pm
I'm so happy for them too… Amazing love for sure.
October 5, 2012 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for sharing the slide show too 🙂 It was special to get to see it!
October 6, 2012 at 2:32 am
Beautiful!!
God is so infinitely good.
October 6, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Amazing. I love it!!!
Thank you for sharing photos because I've been waiting for them for a month.
October 6, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Thank you Sean for posting these wonderful pictures and the great video. I wonder where the music sheets for "Amazing Love" are available – well, I guess I will find them somewhere!
October 6, 2012 at 8:53 pm
You're welcome, Daniela! 🙂 Amazing Love was written for the wedding, so there isn't any sheet music as yet… 🙂
October 6, 2012 at 9:37 pm
🙂
Amazing Love
The morning star grows faint,
In streaks of bran new day
The clouds are rimmed with rose
The night is chased away
The star we call our own
treks it's westward way
And all is earth is filled,
All the earth is filled with Song–
Amazing love!
Amazing love!
Amazing love,
how can it be that light should rise and shine on me…
The rain that blurs the glass
The tears that stain the face
Both serve to wash away
Every selfish trace
And when sun shines again,
We see the work of grace
Each drop is now a stone,
Each glistening drop, a diamond rare
Amazing love!
Amazing love!
Amazing love, how can it be
that joy should come, and tears should flee.
By waters still and deep
Through places high and steep
The Shepherd leads and they–
They're trusting Him to keep
And all the while He knows
The joys that they will reap
For on the mountainside,
They find a love that cannot die
Amazing love!
Amazing love!
Amazing love, how can it be
that dawn should reach eternity…
Amazing love!
Amazing love!
Amazing love, how can it be
that Christ Himself should choose to bleed
That I myself might blessed be.
Amazing love…
October 7, 2012 at 2:59 pm
This wedding and Caroline's wedding last spring were good for me. Not only were they beautiful, Christ-centered occasions, but they both gave me faith in place of the fear I have possessed at the thought of losing my own dear siblings. What you 3 and Paulo going ahead of me did experience grows my conviction that I will be able to grow closer to my siblings instead of having to lose them when that time comes – I won't give them away, I'll gain them even more. And even if I do "give them away" my joy will be the more full because "the joy of giving far outshines the joy of having". 🙂 Thank-you for this post, Sean.
October 7, 2012 at 4:26 pm
So right. You're welcome, Elissa. 🙂
October 12, 2012 at 3:22 am
How beautiful! What a testimony! True Love; what the world rarely sees.
Enjoyed the video; and songs!!!
January 25, 2013 at 1:19 am
Now I wonder about the other song in the slideshow (not "Amazing Love"). Who sings the other song?
January 25, 2013 at 3:05 am
Also my sibs and I… "Promise Me Forever"
From the album "I Will Go"
January 26, 2013 at 7:23 am
Very nice song as well.Praise God!