On Friday my good friend Sarah Mills became Mrs. Mathew Dixon. I love weddings and it made me especially happy to be at Matt and Sarah's wedding. It was such a joy to stand up with her on her big day. They are a wonderful couple and I am so excited to see where God will take them from here. This is the toast/blessing I gave at their wedding:

I have known Sarah for about 10 years now – you can make a lot of memories in 10 years and I have many wonderful ones of Sarah and I hanging out – some of which include dreaming about this day – getting married. But, one memory that stands out to me is that we used dance around the kitchen singing and pretending wooden spoons were microphones. Some of the songs we used to sing regularly were songs from the Sound of Music, so in honor of those memories and in honor of both Sarah and Matt’s love for music I wrote this blessing:

Do – a deer a female deer – Sarah, may you be like a gentle and tender deer. May you be a kind and loving support  – a place of comfort and rest for Matt. And, Matt, may you be gentle with Sarah, may you treat her like a tender deer, even when she’s not acting like one. Remember that Sarah is God’s gift to you, remember that no matter how strong she may seem and how assertive she can be at times she is fragile and God has given you the charge to care for her and provide for her.

Ray – a drop of Golden sun - May your marriage be a ray of light that brings God’s precious Son to all who know you . Remember that your relationship with each other is not just about your relationship with one another it is a symbol and example to the world of Christ’s love for the Church.

Me – a name I call myself. My prayer for you is that me, my and I be quickly replaced with us, ours, and we – may you quickly learn to think in terms of what will be best for your relationship instead of simply what would be best for you as an individual.

Fa – A long long way to run. May you have a long life together, a long way to run together and may you journey through each twist and turn in the road laid out for you continually clinging to God and one another.

So – a needle pulling thread. May you be sown together in an unbreakable bond that would stand all the tests of time and trails of fortune. The sowing may not be comfortable at times, it demands a needle piercing your very being, but I pray that in moments when unity is painful you would remember that God is making you one and the outcome will be a deeper and more beautiful connection to one another.

La – a note to follow so. After the sowing may you find the joyful music of unity – may your heart sing together and your souls praise God in joyful song.

Te – I drink with Jam and bread. I pray that in your life together you would always have bread (the necessities of life) – no matter what may befall you may you always have what you need and in those times of lack and little may you rejoice together.  I also pray that your life together would have tea and jam as well – may you know more than just the necessities of life - may there be times when you would also know the joys of plenty. May you together praise God in the times of abundance as well as the times of scarcity. And in both may you cling to Him and to one another and rejoice that you can face it all together.

That would bring us back to do. May you both be like soft dough in each other’s hands and in God’s hands – allowing God through each other to shape you into the people that he desires and designed you to be – until you become so intertwined and mashed together that you are no longer two but one.

Raise your glasses with me now in toast and celebration of Matt and Sarah Dixon and the new life and unity that they are beginning today. Congratulations to both of you and God bless!

Rejoicing in the journey - Beth Stedman

Photograph by Beth Stedman