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A READING FROM YESTERDAYS BEAUTIFUL WEDDING

“Union” by Robert Fulghum

This beautiful reading was read by the brides sister and when she had ended, she was greeted with a tumultuous round of applause, why you my ask, because she had managed not to CRY.

If this reading is before the vows (the first reading):

"You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks — all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” — those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” — and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed — well, I meant it all, every word.”

Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another  — acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. 

For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my husband, this is my wife

If this reading is after the vows (the second reading):

You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks — all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” — those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” — and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you have just made are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed — well, I meant it all, every word.”

Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another — acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you have said a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my husband, this is my wife

A FABULOUS WEDDING

Ruth 1:16-17

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 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

One of the reasons why couples get married is usually, 'Because they love each other!' I hope each has said to the other, 'I love you', and that you'll go on saying it often for the whole of your lives. Marriage is built on love as its foundation. Today Melanie-Rose  and Ricky   start a new chapter in their lives together, today they get a new blank piece of paper, the start of a new, the next chapter in their lives together. The title for this new chapter, a suggestion “Our wedding” today is the day, the day, 2  became one according to the laws of this land, they become husband and wife. 

Now, the love that you have for one another is not perfect, because nothing in this world is perfect, but it is love, and with these vows that you exchange today, you are promising one another each other’s trust, love, fidelity, honor, respect, and commitment. Unfortunately, like all things we know, marriage is imperfect. As read earlier in the service, neither the state, nor God nor I can create this marriage, only the two of you. Marriage is not so much a promise to love one another as it is a promise of fidelity and commitment. However, it is that promise of fidelity that will allow you to nurture your love and grow together in relationship.

The text from the Bible you chose to have read comes from the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. The story goes that Naomi and her husband moved away from their own country to live as resident aliens while her two boys were still young. Eventually, her husband died, leaving her to raise her sons. They grew up and took foreign wives, and then they, too, tragically died. With nothing left to tie her to that land, Naomi kissed her daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah goodbye and headed back to her homeland in bitter sorrow and anger. Ruth, however, refused to leave her, vowing to stay with Naomi, even though Ruth would be a foreigner in Naomi’s land without a means of support. Ruth’s devotion to and love for Naomi, in spite of all the hardships it meant for her, is why the passage that Annie read earlier is so appropriate for our ceremony today.

Like Naomi, we are not always at our best, sometimes we are angry and sorrowful and nasty to be around, yet like Ruth, we continue to stick together for the sake of love. Ricky there will be days when Me  will annoy you to no end, and Mel there will be days when you are so angry with Ricky that you will not even want to speak to him. When those days come, remember Naomi and Ruth, remember your love for one another. Act out of that love always, doing only kindness even when you are angry or hurt, and your love will continue to blossom. mel and Ricky  today you are pledging your devotion to one another, in spite of whatever hardships you may face ahead of you, because you love one another, and that love is what calls you to this marriage. Remember to live in that love.

You both know as well as anybody that there will be hard times to come. You know that life is not going to be any easier than it has already been, and sometimes will be much harder. “Marriage is not a promise of how life will be, but a promise that it will not be lived alone.”  This marriage is going to be work, but it will be worth every tear, every drop of sweat that you put into it, because from now on, you are living not just for yourselves, but for one another, and it is is that relationship that will give you strength and courage. I have faith in the two of you, and I hope that you have faith in each other, that there is nothing ahead of you that you cannot face together. 

I pray that  God richly blesses you in your life together.