Last night was the rehearsal dinner for a wedding I will officiate this afternoon. The Welch and the Callahan families will contribute the bride and groom. Both families I have had some very special moments with in the past and so I am truly being blessed by being a part of this wonderful and very special moment in time.
The Callahan Family Kathy and I met at Fortified Hills way back in 1982. There were Three of them at the time, as the bride for tonight's wedding was not born yet. We rejoiced with Gay and Tim as Haley grew inside her mom. Preschool programs, church events and Sunday School were all very special times for us together. Tragedy stuck as Tim lost a brother in 2002 and as me to do the service for him. Later when Tim's 102 year old father became ill once again the family called on me to be there for Mr Callahan's celebration of life. Tim put me on a deer stand one cold morning a good many years ago and the biggest deer I have ever seen came sneaking by. I got a shot but missed but the size and the rack of that big boy I will never forget. We celebrated Tim and Gay's 30th anniversary with the family and that was a wonderful night. Now to be with this family for this event is so very special.
The Welch Family We have not known Tim and Tammy Welch as long as the Callahan's as we have only known them 20 years. Tim Welch is one of my very closest of friends. Tim was the first person I ask to serve on the board of directors of Mission Team Inc in 2004 and he has traveled many many miles with me. Countless trips to Nicaragua many hours of work and a thousand phone calls where my friend just says, "Just checking in with you to make sure you are OK." We spent a week together in a shed in Nicaragua when I preached a crusade. Time fixed my coffee on a coke can stove all week. When we made one the hardest decisions I ever made, which was to leave Burnt Hickory Baptist Church staff Tim and Tammy were the first people Kathy and I told. When Kathy had heart surgery Tim and Tammy came late one evening and stayed with me for a couple of hours at the moment I needed someone the most. This I will never forget.
I cannot possibly tell all even if I wrote a book of how these two men have blessed me as a friend. These two ladies have been good to my wife and people we have just always loved and felt close to. But they did not always know each other. You see they met on a mission trip. A mission trip to Nicaragua in 1998. I have been known to twist arms and beg a bit to get people on the plane. These two went on the same team and I had a pair of "Tims." These two men are both so talented with their hands and can make or do most anything. They met and became friends. The Callahan"s soon came to Burnt Hickory and these two children met each other.
This is unique to know and have had so much experience with both families prior to a great moment of celebration in seeing their children marry. It will be a great and very special moment this afternoon rain or shine. Christopher and Haley told me yesterday it did not matter if it rains they had a hard time deciding whether to have the ceremony inside or out so they would just let the Lord decide.
I am so blessed to serve the Lord. And when God lets me do the happy events like today it is exciting. To me their will be a very special moment in the ceremony. After the vows Chris and Haley chose to do communion. But they ask if both sets of parents could come up. I will serve the dad's who will serve their wives. They will pass to Christopher who will serve Haley. We will all worship together as the first thing this young married couple will do together.
Special moments with special people. Here is a picture from the mission trip in 1998.
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