3-in-1 post on another wedding weekend

This past weekend I had the immense joy, pleasure, and blessing of spending time with some of my beloved brothers as we journeyed to a sister’s wedding. Jon and I flew from opposite coasts to Dallas where we met Colby for a 5 hour drive South to La’s wedding in Kerrville, TX. The following events, thoughts, and pictures are products of this heavenly weekend.

——————–

Post 1 – “brothers”

Many people would dread a five hour drive through vast nothingness of Texas, but I can think of no place I’d rather have been than in Skylar for those hundreds of southbound miles. The drive was filled with fruitful, edifying conversation from start to finish. Imagine if you got to spend hours upon hours in a car with people you’d intentionally done life with for over half a decade (I know, some of you scoff at my mere 5 year reference, but give me a break, I’m young). People who simply being in their presence is literally encouraging to your spirit. People whose needs you’d gladly do anything in your power to meet. People who (and I thought about this before I said it; it’s not just for effect) you’d die for if it came down to it. I’m talking Jonathan and David stuff here. Much more than coming in town for a wedding (sorry La) this weekend was about a reunion of brothers. Of course, we probably wouldn’t have come in without the wedding, so it works out I guess. And without the wedding reception, we certainly wouldn’t have come across the gem pictured above: a mini-Stonehenge right in the hill country of Texas. We were so overjoyed, we jumped.

——————–

Post 2 – “being mentally where I am physically”

I’ve been meaning to post something about this for a while, and after some edifying conversations this past weekend I feel all thought-up and ready for it. Don’t set your expectations high though, it’s nothing new. Every person under the age of 25 (and arguably every person, period) is longing for what’s to come. I’m not talking about the Second Coming (though many are longing for that, myself included), I’m talking about what’s next on Earth. You know it, you’ve heard it before: Elementary>> Jr. High>> High School>> College>> Job>> Marriage>> Kids>> Retirement>> Grandkids. [Note: ">>" are to be read "can't wait until they are in/get/have"].

Not long after I showed up in Philly and decided that it wasn’t quite what I expected, I started thinking about and longing for whatever was next. About 5 seconds later the Holy Spirit was like, “no sir, you go ahead and be content where you are and stop thinking about tomorrow.” I know Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, and I’m really not. I’m just not being content and satisfied where He’s got me now. I really think the believer who is able to really “be where they’re at” is the one who is going to make a real big difference in the world around them. There is something to be said about people who have truly learned what it means to be content in all circumstances. I want, through the grace of Jesus, to be one of those people. I want to really invest in the community I’m in, whether that be four years in College Station, a weekend visit to TX, a four month stint in Philly, or whatever. I really tend to romanticize things to come, when in reality, they’re just as mundane as the present. Life is lived in the mundane. Community happens in the mundane. I love the brothers from Post 1 because of 5 years of mundane. Jesus, let me live as you did, eyes fixed on the Father and through that radically impacting every single place you went.

——————–

Post 3 – “pictures from a wedding weekend”

Jon and Colby fought for the back seat. They’re so holy.

La, the beautiful bride, with Trevor, the tall husband. My sincerest blessings.

We stopped by Waco on our way back, where we found Jessie. We were so overjoyed, we jumped (read: “karate kicked your face!”)

A girl saw us taking these and thought we were in a band. A band who sets their camera to take pictures of themselves. Who wouldn’t?

This was a failed attempt at a three-high. We succeeded (on grass) later in the day though, with Jessie on bottom, me in the middle, and Ashley Goad on top. It was the one time all weekend the camera was in the car…

Philly people have no idea about that right there.

——————–

When I got back to the office this morning one of my co-workers asked me what I did all weekend. I told her I spent the entirety of my time being awesome. I wasn’t lying. So thank you Jesus for this weekend. Thank you Jon, Colby, and Jessie for letting me be a part of your lives. Thanks Antioch for the encouraging hour and half on Sunday morning. I needed all of it. And thank you for reading all the way down here.