Phoenix Weekend

We left after work on Friday evening. A five hour drive put us in Phoenix after 10:30pm. Not too bad, a little map trouble and off-ramp confusion, but we arrived safely. The Best Western was nice, the room was quiet considering we were next to the (wonderful!) Breakfast Buffet Room.
Saturday morning was restful. After a good breakfast, I drove us to a local mall to do some shopping. I needed a birthday present for Chuggy and a wedding card for our gift.
The wedding wasn't until 3:00pm so it was an easy schedule. Lunch was left-over ham and bread from breakfast, with Starbucks. Three, to be exact; the barista made a mistake on our order.
I think we counted about 100 guests, including around 45-50 visitors.
Jim had a very sweet word, concentrating primarily on the life of Cornelius in Acts 10:2 "A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway."
He exhorted Josh and Amy to have a home 'characterized by prayer' and to build it into their life together right away. Such a beautiful wedding discourse!

I was looking forward to this particular wedding for quite a while. I love both of these young-people very much. They both have been through the fire in their lives, suffered incredible losses, one very painful shared loss, in fact. They've both accepted it from the hand of a loving God, recovered their footing, and go on. Brightly go on. Both have committed their lives and their future to the Lord. There's no self pity, no nursing of grievances, no 'throwing in the towel'. The Lord will bless them for this faith. It's so refreshing, so hard to find. They are surrounded by a strong and supportive spiritual family there in Phoenix, and are grateful for it. They will be a wonderful asset to the assembly there, and a blessing.
Meeting the next day was a happy finishing touch. Everyone stayed for lunch and an afternoon address by Jim. He took up the Queen of Sheba and her 'hard questions', her observations, and her faith. Particularly addressing the thought that a 'greater than Solomon is here'. Wisdom, Glory, Majesty. Compassion, Patience, Love. Solomon gave back to her more than, and including, all the gifts she'd brought to him. '...of thine own have we given Thee' was read in the breaking of bread in the morning and brought out in the afternoon. A perfectly humbling, perfectly comforting, thought.
What a fabulous weekend!