What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it… From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. – John 1:4-5, 16

Rebekah and I have full hearts today because we are in Virginia Beach for a family wedding.

Reed – the first of the ten cousins in our children’s generation – is getting married and we are all so excited. Rebekah and her brother Jesse are officiating.

But first we stopped by our house – which is now ready for us to take possession this coming week (just as soon as we go to closing). And it all feels so very good when we walk around and sit on the front stoop and believe we will actually be moving – or at least starting to move – in just a few days.

More on the house soon, but right now we are with the wide, wild, noisy and about to get noisier extended family.

Reed may have been the first of Bob and Nell Alexander’s grandchildren, but he is number seven to be married. Annette is a beautiful and enthusiastic presence in his life and we are looking forward to getting to know her.

We only wish that Reed’s mother – Rebekah’s sister Rachel – could have lived to see how happy he is and had the opportunity to fall in love with Annette too. And we know that this is both a joyful and bittersweet day for Tom, who is of course a most awesome father-of-the-groom regardless.

Afternoon Light:

The late afternoon light in the sanctuary at Providence Presbyterian Church created some extraordinary illumination and shadows and textures.

It is as if God is pouring in light and blessings and promise and goodness and radiant love.

A wedding is a lot like the testimony of the morning sun as it crests the horizon and literally washes over the darkness. “We declare love,” the participants say, all of us. “We declare victory over despair and disappointment and unbelief. We are not just saying that love wins, we are going to live the truth of it!”

You go, Reed! You go, Reed and Annette! Let the light shine, let the darkness be quenched. We declare the victory because we know the Lord of love, we know the author of light, we know who wins! – DEREK