bar Jonah
July 14th 2003, 05:31 PM
As the best man at my brother's wedding this Friday, I hold the responsibility of giving two toasts/speeches, one at the rehearsal dinner and one at the real dinner. Here they are... Let me know what you think of my rough drafts. :ri:
(And if anyone wants to know... No, I won't have a blue mohawk to go with my blue-vested tuxedo. LOL)
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Rob and Vicky met in church, in a Bible study group in fact. A fitting beginning for a friendship and love, a match made in Heaven.
I think it was soon before their engagement that Vicky shared a story from work. She would often tell the other nurses and nursing students all about how terrific Rob is. And some of them seemed somewhere between confused and exasperated. "Vicky, where did you find such a wonderful fella? I mean, we go to singles bars and hand out our phone numbers to guys we meet on the street... but we can't seem to find any good men!"
Let this be a lesson to us all. Now, before I go any further, I'd like to address the obligatory 'embarassing story about the groom.' It doesn't necessarily connect with anything else here, but being a huge movie buff, I have come to the conclusion that it is apparently absolutely necessary. So I feel compelled to recall - out loud - how when Rob was but 4 or 5 years old and we were living up in Arvada, Dave and I would pay Rob nickles (and later, dimes) to kiss the 4 or 5 year old girl down the street. On the lips. Looking back, Rob had quite a scam going. And I honestly do recall that he never seemed to mind in the slightest. I should have known way back then, that he would be the first of the Schofield brothers to marry.
Now he gets to smooch the prettiest gal on the block, and though he doesn't get paid anymore, he clearly still doesn't mind. And it is no confession for me to say that I'm envious. Not jealous mind you, but envious; there's a big difference. But anyone who doesn't have what they have SHOULD be envious. Why? Because they have more than love.
In the Bible, many authors, including John and my favorite, Paul, wrote about the importance of Truth and Love.
Truth and Love. These must go hand in hand. Truth without love is harsh and unforgiving. Love without truth is weak, ephemeral and pointless. But truth and love, hand in hand, this is what their relationship is based on. And there is no truth without God at the heart of it. Each of them makes their highest priority not each other, but God. And each other second. As it should be.
Not only do I toast them, that their marriage continue to grow in truth and love, based on the bedrock foundation of Jesus Christ, but I wish to thank them, for being the godly example they are to all of us.
To Rob and Vicky!
========================================================
We are here to celebrate the second-most important day in the lives of Vicky and Rob. Second only to the day each accepted Christ into their lives. As someone who is pretty good at extemporaneous speaking, off the top of my head, so to speak, I wanted to put aside a written speech and convey my thoughts fresh and new, right from my heart as much as possible. And as I considered that all eyes would be on me, seemingly the weight of the world, the meaning of this moment distilled into a few precious seconds of time... I decided to jot this down and make sure I get it right, so that I can embarass you just enough but not too much.
Little brothers and big brothers. A relationship nearly as old as the world itself. Granted, it got off to a rocky start back then, but still, it hasn't changed much over the millenia. Though there is often some kind of conflict, a tug-of-war, competition, one-up-mans-ship.... there is also underlying respect, admiration. Commonly, the little brother will look up to the big brother as someone to emulate. Someone to set as his goal, who he wants to be like. It's common for little brothers to copy big brothers in many ways. And likewise, it's not unusual for little brothers to brag about their big brothers.
And it is in keeping with that age-old tradition that I look up to MY big brother, Rob, as an example to me and to others. I lift him up as a godly man, and a wonderful gift to us all, but most especially to his bride, Vicky.
I've known Vicky for a couple of years. Her compassion and her heart for service to others and to God are genuine and impacts anyone she knows. She and Rob met in a Bible study group at our church. They were friendly from the start but before they ever thought of courtship, she went off to college in Michigan for a while. But soon she returned, and next thing you know, they were going on their first date. The worst date either of them ever had. And the best.
But most importantly they always have made their highest priority in their lives, not each other but God. And each other, second. And in that, they are an example to us all, single or engaged or married.
As Mark would say, may God bless you both, even in ways you don't even want!
May the cornerstone of their marriage be their love and faith in each other and in Jesus Christ, just as the cornerstone of their life is the love and faith of Jesus Christ in them.
To Rob and Vicky!
[Mark is the church music minister, who once said something similar in leading the worship service in prayer -- "Lord, bless us in ways that we don't even want." One of my all-time favorite things I've ever heard in a prayer. I know Rob loved it too. Though I dislike rehearsed and rote prayers, I have used that phrase many times.]
(And if anyone wants to know... No, I won't have a blue mohawk to go with my blue-vested tuxedo. LOL)
======================================
Rob and Vicky met in church, in a Bible study group in fact. A fitting beginning for a friendship and love, a match made in Heaven.
I think it was soon before their engagement that Vicky shared a story from work. She would often tell the other nurses and nursing students all about how terrific Rob is. And some of them seemed somewhere between confused and exasperated. "Vicky, where did you find such a wonderful fella? I mean, we go to singles bars and hand out our phone numbers to guys we meet on the street... but we can't seem to find any good men!"
Let this be a lesson to us all. Now, before I go any further, I'd like to address the obligatory 'embarassing story about the groom.' It doesn't necessarily connect with anything else here, but being a huge movie buff, I have come to the conclusion that it is apparently absolutely necessary. So I feel compelled to recall - out loud - how when Rob was but 4 or 5 years old and we were living up in Arvada, Dave and I would pay Rob nickles (and later, dimes) to kiss the 4 or 5 year old girl down the street. On the lips. Looking back, Rob had quite a scam going. And I honestly do recall that he never seemed to mind in the slightest. I should have known way back then, that he would be the first of the Schofield brothers to marry.
Now he gets to smooch the prettiest gal on the block, and though he doesn't get paid anymore, he clearly still doesn't mind. And it is no confession for me to say that I'm envious. Not jealous mind you, but envious; there's a big difference. But anyone who doesn't have what they have SHOULD be envious. Why? Because they have more than love.
In the Bible, many authors, including John and my favorite, Paul, wrote about the importance of Truth and Love.
Truth and Love. These must go hand in hand. Truth without love is harsh and unforgiving. Love without truth is weak, ephemeral and pointless. But truth and love, hand in hand, this is what their relationship is based on. And there is no truth without God at the heart of it. Each of them makes their highest priority not each other, but God. And each other second. As it should be.
Not only do I toast them, that their marriage continue to grow in truth and love, based on the bedrock foundation of Jesus Christ, but I wish to thank them, for being the godly example they are to all of us.
To Rob and Vicky!
========================================================
We are here to celebrate the second-most important day in the lives of Vicky and Rob. Second only to the day each accepted Christ into their lives. As someone who is pretty good at extemporaneous speaking, off the top of my head, so to speak, I wanted to put aside a written speech and convey my thoughts fresh and new, right from my heart as much as possible. And as I considered that all eyes would be on me, seemingly the weight of the world, the meaning of this moment distilled into a few precious seconds of time... I decided to jot this down and make sure I get it right, so that I can embarass you just enough but not too much.
Little brothers and big brothers. A relationship nearly as old as the world itself. Granted, it got off to a rocky start back then, but still, it hasn't changed much over the millenia. Though there is often some kind of conflict, a tug-of-war, competition, one-up-mans-ship.... there is also underlying respect, admiration. Commonly, the little brother will look up to the big brother as someone to emulate. Someone to set as his goal, who he wants to be like. It's common for little brothers to copy big brothers in many ways. And likewise, it's not unusual for little brothers to brag about their big brothers.
And it is in keeping with that age-old tradition that I look up to MY big brother, Rob, as an example to me and to others. I lift him up as a godly man, and a wonderful gift to us all, but most especially to his bride, Vicky.
I've known Vicky for a couple of years. Her compassion and her heart for service to others and to God are genuine and impacts anyone she knows. She and Rob met in a Bible study group at our church. They were friendly from the start but before they ever thought of courtship, she went off to college in Michigan for a while. But soon she returned, and next thing you know, they were going on their first date. The worst date either of them ever had. And the best.
But most importantly they always have made their highest priority in their lives, not each other but God. And each other, second. And in that, they are an example to us all, single or engaged or married.
As Mark would say, may God bless you both, even in ways you don't even want!
May the cornerstone of their marriage be their love and faith in each other and in Jesus Christ, just as the cornerstone of their life is the love and faith of Jesus Christ in them.
To Rob and Vicky!
[Mark is the church music minister, who once said something similar in leading the worship service in prayer -- "Lord, bless us in ways that we don't even want." One of my all-time favorite things I've ever heard in a prayer. I know Rob loved it too. Though I dislike rehearsed and rote prayers, I have used that phrase many times.]