"O Perfect Love"

August 11, 2016

Today is a special day in the life of my family.  It was on a hot August Minnesota day that Ole E. Nettestad and Betty Delores Toso were united in marriage in South Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Pelican Rapids, 1951.  My Dad wore his Army attire and my Mom wore a white wool jacket and skirt which was definitely not the best outfit in the sweltering heat!  There were red roses for a bouquet and the soloist sang "O Perfect Love," a standard wedding song in that era.  

O Perfect Love (words by Dorothy F. Gurney, 1858-1932)
O Perfect Love, all human thought transcending
Lowly we kneel in prayer before Your throne.
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom You forevermore unite in one.

O Perfect Life, be now their full assurance
Of tender charity and steadfast faith
Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears no pain or death.

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

My parents were married a little over 21 years when my Dad died.  They had love but life wasn't perfect.  They had tender charity and hope which carried them over the earthly sorrows and strife.  There was joy sprinkled throughout their years, but mostly it was steadfast faith that brought them into the unknown morrow.

This summer Mark and I had the blessing of attending two weddings - one of family and one of friends.  Young people so full of dreams and energy, hope and love.  With sparkle in their eyes and arms quick to embrace and gather together all the good wishes, I think of them, too, this day.  Whatever the years may bring to them, may our Lord Jesus, O Perfect Love, guide them and sustain them.  May the vows and promises that were made - this summer and 65 summers ago - be treasured and kept.  

I am thankful that my parents were in love and in love they established their home.  They were young and full of dreams and energy, hope and love.  They, too, had sparkle in their eyes and arms quick to embrace.

A portion of a prayer from Pastor Edgar DeWitt Jones of Detroit Michigan reads
(God's Minute, a Book of 365 Daily Prayers Sixty Seconds Long for Home Worship, 1943):

"Blessed Lord of lives, we praise and glorify Thee for the light of another day with its promise of its love and ministry as well as the possibility it brings of struggle and heartache.  It is enough for us to know that we may have Thee for a constant Companion and ever present Friend.  
If Thou go with us, no way is too long or wearisome; 
no ascent too steep or perilous; 
no shock or surprise too sudden of painful 
for Thine is the love that will not let us go.  
Amidst the changing scenes of this world, may we pass in uncomplaining patience knowing that Thou art the same yesterday, today and forever...."

Jesus Christ is the same - yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Thinking of weddings and marriage, husbands and wives, vows and promises today.  Thinking of "O Perfect Love" and the One who created Love.

Blessings,
Vicki