By Pat Haggerty

Those readers who are not new to my blog, know that I delight in family events and in my family.  As a wife, mother and grandmother, I have much to be thankful for.  The Lord has blessed me many times over!  My life is always full with family commitments and family events.

At the end of June my son was married to a lovely young woman.· It was a beautiful wedding!· The bride and groom were not selfish about the “limelight.”· They didn’t need to have the entire focus of the wedding be on them.· They graciously asked their young niece and two nephews to be in the wedding party.· Sam and Will were the ring-bearers and Sophie was the flower girl.· Any couple who allows children to be in the spotlight at their wedding has to be a generous pair!

I was honored to be asked to say the blessing before the wedding meal.  I thought long and hard about what I was going to offer up as a prayer.  The Holy Spirit guided me in my thoughts, and I came up with something heartfelt and, hopefully, meaningful.  I reflected on how weddings were an integral part of Jesus’ life—how he often spoke about them and how he even participated in the wedding feast at Cana.  At that wedding he helped the couple by providing wine when there was no more.  I thought about how Jesus touches us in the simplest ways in our daily lives.  He is so present in these symbols of life that are so meaningful to us.

During my blessing, I asked God to “blanket his grace on all those present.”  I concluded my prayer with a verse from the psalm refrain for the day (taken from Psalm 34):

“Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Since that day, I have meditated on the words of that psalm refrain.  It has comforted me and given me inspiration.  I think of how I often get stressed over the least little thing; of how I let my perceptions run away with me; of how I don’t place my total trust in the Lord.  Why?  Is it because I think I am in control of my life?  I need to think again!  I need to allow the Lord to “deliver me from all my fears.”

I am so happy for my son and his new bride.  I thank God that they have found each other.  I pray for their new life together.  And, I thank God for giving me the grace and inspiration to renew my trust in Him.