The Best is Yet to Be
"Grow old along with me,
The best is yet to be."
I tried to type up some sort of blog post about the wedding. I thought that might be the thing to do.
However,
I discovered that I hated everything I wrote. It simply wasn't
capturing the fullness of all I wanted to say. Thus, I have put it out
in poetry rather than prose. After all, sometimes I think my life is a
poem; sometimes idyllic, sometimes tragic, and sometimes a steady mix of
both along with something else inexplicable, but all the same, I think
it rhymes...and it definitely has metre. Beyond that, I'll let these
beautiful pictures do their work. After all, it is true that in many
cases a picture is worth a thousand words.
~~~~~
You asked me if I'd marry you---I hesitated,
Not because I wasn't sure, but for the years I'd waited...
Waited for you, prayed for you,
Longed for you and wondered why---
You delayed so long.
I knew then it was God who was preparing,
A man beyond my kenning,
A man I had not thought to pray for,
But who, deep down, my soul had longed for,
Now that you were kneeling there,
Heart out poured, bold and fair,
I had to stop and treasure it
To take it in and ponder it,
To keep it as a moment in my heart,
A picture to deploy
Against an enemy that seeks to rob my joy.
And so I took those precious fleeting seconds,
And tied them up, a seal upon my mind,
My memory forever to impress,
Before I answered "yes."
Now the precious day has come, at last!
Six months of eager hope have passed.
Two as one, the cord and bow,
The precious ties that bind forever,
Seeds of love and joy to sow,
From now on no man may sever.
This to be our dancing day,
Christ and Church together play.
Let me fall in step with you,
And keep the measure true.
Friends from old times,
Friends from good times,
Gather round with love sublime.
This the true thing, this the best thing,
These the ones to help us sing.
Precious in our Father's sight,
Brothers all in strength unite,
To celebrate this sacred union,
In their kind and sweet communion.
Laughter...
Smiles...
And joy hereafter...
In these things they have a part,
May these friends stay close to heart.
And you my beloved art the best of these, to me,
The closest friend,
The greatest lover...after Christ,
'Tis only thee.
Someday, we shall, the church all glorious,
Dress to meet our Groom victorious...
For now I, the counterpart, dress to meet you all in white,
This is sacred, this is right.
For all the skill and beauty that each helping hand doth bring,
Of gratitude and joy my heart doth sing.
Of all the precious, lovely things,
Among the loveliest that springs...
These are my pleasure,
These my treasure...
For colours, for smiles,
For feminine wiles,
Of beauty and laughter, and innocence,
These are the best of presents.
For flowing skirts and flowers,
For girls in meadow bowers,
For little ones,
God's darling ones,
For titian songs,
And strong communion,
Gentle courage,
Fierce endurance...
Every one, unique and wonderful
Each one unforgettable.
As for me, there is no older dream of mine,
Than to dance in a gauzy dress of white.
To spin in circles beneath the sky,
In a gown that bids the swans decry---
That shade which is all colours
Merged in one.
This is my joy,
This is my gift.
What an offering of praise.
Now the veil,
And now the silence,
Now the final moments,
I bid farewell to the shelter of my mother,
Parting for the shelter of another.
This the happiness and sorrow in the leaving,
This the heartache in the cleaving.
My groom is waiting,
Music swelling,
Stories telling,
In the language of emotion,
Strains of love, strains of devotion,
The prayers and love all culminating,
In this solemn house instating,
In the presence of the Lord,
In the the presence of the young,
And unknowing...
In the presence of elation,
Of this solemn congregation,
Nine witnesses for each of us,
Friends of recent times...
Sisters in love...
Friends of olden times...
Companions of the heart...
Companions of the mind...
Dear ones of encouragement...
Dear ones in the deepest portions of my heart...
Sisters in blood and in our Lord...
My lover, my friend, my joy,
What a wond'rous gift is this,
God's glories to employ?
This miracle, this holy thing of grace,
Here in this sacred place...
Here on this forever hallowed day
I give you my hand,
My heart,
My all...
In the presence of the Cross of Christ...
In the presence of these witnesses...
The fullness of union,
Of song,
And communion,
Goodness, and beauty, and truth...
And also laughter,
These things are ours,
Now and hereafter.
I pledge my troth to thee,
As thine is pledged to me.
With all these saints to testify,
That this is good, and this is right.
One kiss, the first of many more,
One vow to bind us evermore.
It is finished it is done,
Now the two have been made one.
Ring the merry bells,
For all this day foretells.
This is much the best in sight,
This is holy, this is right...
Of all which thou and and I have sought,
This, by far, the greatest joy,
Behold what God our King hath wrought
Ring the merry bells,
For all this gathering foretells,
Let the righteous gladly tell,
"Jesus doeth all things well."
Now the solemn fast is o'er,
Now the stories, now the songs,
Now the preservation of it all,
Told in loving smiles,
And Christian brotherhood,
Told in warmth of family
The blood that supersedes and binds us all,
What God has brought together,
Let no man rend asunder...
This is perfection here on earth,
This is Creation at its birth.
These are all the highest things of worth.
For all the friends and flowers, Lord we thank You. 
For music and for dancing, Lord we thank You.
For words of love and praising, Lord we thank You.
For food and for traditions which bind us,
For parents whose love and care refined us.
For glorious eccentricities that draw our hearts together,
For steps and rhythm of music and of measure,
For escapades and birdseed, and the things we only do once...
Those things we've been so glad of ever since.
For all these things and so much more,
Lord we thank you!
A huge thank you to Danielle Bullen for her beautiful photos. What a lovely job she did!
Until next time,
~ Christianna Matthews