{My oldest little brother got married this weekend. In South Africa. I wasn’t there. But I was. Because words have wings and love can span oceans.}
Joshua, I don’t know if you’ve ever been my little brother.
You’ve always been the rock, the hug, the guy that knows how to comfort his sister when her mom died, when her boyfriend broke up with her, when she was surviving her good-byes in a hundred different airport departure lounges.
The guy who has lived in both my South African and American worlds.
We have lived the life of the in between together.
And when I talk about being homesick, I know you can understand.
I am homesick for you today, Joshua.
But I am also the happiest I have ever been for you. Can you see me? Can you see me standing right there next to Luke grinning and hugging myself with the happiness of this moment? Because little brother who always felt like my big brother I have watched you do the hard work of growing up into the man you are today.
And it has been my deep honor to have been able to hold your hand a little bit on that journey.
I measure how long it’s been by the age of my second born son, Micah. Because when I sat in the yellow rocker in Michigan, holding that newborn to my heart I was also whispering prayers for you and Megan through the dark watches of the night.
She is the gift and I have loved her from those snowy nights in Michigan all the way to Washington DC when Micah was 2 and Megan came to visit us.
And Megan, I can still feel how my heart ached when you told me right there in front of the US Capitol, “But I just LOVE Josh, so much!”
And we kept praying and Micah turned three and Joshua drove to Cape Town and we all held our breath.
And God said that it was good and he redeemed and restored and sealed in love the happiness you all get to witness today. Take a photo for me will you? Take a deep heart photo and carry it in your memory because this is the hard love. This is the love that goes to the faithful.
This is the love that tastes the sweetest for being the the most hard won.
Marriage is an act of courage and commitment the likes of which the world cannot comprehend.
It is the upside down love that puts someone else first.
And it is the most rewarding.
“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.” Song of Solomon 8:7
I don’t need to be there today to know what you both look like. Because I can see it all the way over here – how love is reflected in your faces, your vows, your first dance, the way he puts his hand on the small of her back and how she leans into him.
I love you.
I love you guys so much.
Megan, you are my sister.
And Joshua, you are the big brother I could not be more proud of.
::
{All photos by uber talented South African photographer Laura Jane.}
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What a beautiful post! Huge congratulations to the lovely couple.
Cxx
Beautiful! You are such a sweet sister!
your love is deep but that is what God does… always!
such an amazing post… I would be proud to be one of your family…. I know they will feel you close!
You are a beautiful sister to your brother, and he will feel you there at his wedding, beause your love will shine through. After reading this, there will not be a dry eye anywhere!
Beautiful, moving post.
Wow, what a gorgeous post!
And a stunning set of photos.
Beautiful.
Rejoicing with you!!
We just got word that my one-year-married brother & sister-in-law, living in Africa now for the past 5 years, are expecting their first baby! So thrilled they are coming to the states for baby’s arrival, and we’ll get to see them & meet the new little one. Mombasa is home to them now…and we miss them…yet are so grateful God has brought them joyfully right where they belong.
How beautiful! I love the photos with the post, and what a wonderful tribute you’ve written to your brother and his wife. I’m sure they felt you there.
Lisa-Jo, How lovely, and fun and wonderful this is. Congratulations to your Brother and his wife, and to you, for gaining a sister! I love the photos’ and your words are the sweetest gift to them. Beautiful….
I don’t know if you wept as you wrote this beautiful and touching ode to your brother and soon to be sister-in-law, but I wept reading it. I’ve been separated from family for years, and you spoke words from my very own heart.
Beautiful, and heart ache-inducing:)
My husband and I celebrated our 6th anniversary yesterday. The way you describe marriage is so true. It is better and harder than I ever expected. Much like parenthood, it is deeply challenging and joyful.
Thank you for sharing your heart.
What a beautiful post.May the blessing of God be on their love and marriage.
Hi Lisa Jo,
How your heart must ache for not being able to be there and yet, like you say on your blog, you were and are there by expressing your wishes in such a beautiful and apt way. I guess with a baby girl still depending so much on you it is impossible to travel all the way. I guess also that Josh understands. But how difficult it must sometimes feel not being able to be there. I know that that is exactly why I had to return home after three years in the US. You are so brave and you did become the human rights lawyer I have never been, even though I did the Masters at ND! And you have found a different path this time. As will I. I am going to get married too Lisa Jo, I mentioned it in a small post just around your departure for SA and I guess you did not see it then. We will marry next year 12-12-2012. And I also am getting out of law and teaching and I will pursue a different career, as this job has become stale and tires me out instead of giving me energy. Follow the heart, just as home is where the heart is. Anyway, I always enjoy your blog and I love all the pics from your family, that way I am keeping up with what you are doing.
Bless your dear heart Lisa Jo and do go on encouraging so many others.
Lots of love and hugs
Selina
I feel the depth of your love for your brother and his wife through this post. You are a beautiful sister!
I’m so sorry that you couldn’t be there for your brother’s wedding, but I’m so glad that it led to such a beautiful post. Wouldn’t it be great if we all wrote tributes to couples close to us when they got married? What an awesome thing for them to read, keep, and remember. It is a powerful thing to stop and put into words why we love someone. You did it wonderfully.
I’ve been reading your blog for several weeks and your writing is such a blessing to me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts…. I’m so sorry you weren’t able to be there for your brother’s wedding, but this post will be such a treasure to him and his wife. You obviously have an amazing family and a wonderful gift of expressing your faith. Congratulations to your family!
My beautiful new sister, you were right, you were there! And we pictured you next to Luke, both of you with the same huge smile plastered across your faces! Kim did a sterling job of reading your post and it touched so many people there, most who have never met you, as the power of your words and the story you told brought tears to our eyes. This post is so special and we will treasure it forever. I have re-read it again and again on honeymoon and will keep revisiting it in the years to come, thank you for your wonderful gift. Words do have wings and love does span oceans. We can’t WAIT to visit next year. Tons of love and tight hugs xxx