June 17, 2024
“Be still, and know that I am God!” ~ Psalm 46:10
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Tomorrow, I have the privilege of officiating a wedding. I’ve had that same privilege many times before, especially when I was pastor of Wananalua Congregational Church in Hana, Maui, a destination spot for many.
Each wedding is unique. I remember one Hana wedding. The bride and groom were from Italy. They’d carried a box of butterflies on dry ice. In theory, if we removed the dry ice about 30 minutes before the end of the ceremony, the butterflies would awaken and grace the air around the couple. It happened! Then there was a wedding scheduled for late Friday afternoon. I got a call from the hotel they were going to stay at, telling me they’d changed their mind after driving the challenging Hana Highway. If they couldn’t make the trip to Hana without issues, that marriage probably would not have lasted.
But the ceremony tomorrow includes some special blessings that are a first in my experience. One that I am particularly amazed and pleased about is a moment for a moment of meditation once the participants are in place and the opening prayer has been said. Their reason, “we want to take the time to catch our breath, relish the moment, instead of rushing.” They are so wise! The day will pass in a blur unless they are intentional about being still.
I know! There is an old Pennsylvania Dutch saying, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” I’ve been feeling that way lately, running from one thing to the next with nary a moment to allow my spirit to catch up.
You can do the same. Consider this invitation to meditation I will give at the wedding to be an invitation to you right now, wherever you are. “I invite you to take a deep breath in, settle yourself into this moment in time. Take a look around you and notice what and whom you see. It is love that has brought us together. Let us rest in that love and grace in this sacred once-in-a-life-time moment. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 