To Mary

This weekend my youngest sister, Mary, got married. I was blessed to be a part of the wedding, and wanted to tell her what I couldn't tell her during my toast, because I'm a crier! and it would have been too long! :)

Mary, you have been one of the most important people in my life for as far back as my memory goes. I have always admired the way you lived your life. You have always been the more talented, nicer, more beautiful sister and yet I cannot ever remember feeling jealous of you. You lived your life with such grace and humility that I always knew that you did not consider yourself those things and even found a way to look up to me. I have yet to meet another person who has this quality.

I know that right now is a time of change in your life, a new career, a new husband, and all kinds of new decisions to make. I pray that you would trust in this process of becoming one flesh with your husband. You will both me new people in 1, 5, 10, and 50 years, if you allow the process to work. You will each become less and less your old self and more and more a new creation. It really is a miracle and it brings God glory.

If I could give you one piece of advice for marriage it is this: Fight for your marriage. Marriage is hard, and you must commit every day to do the hard work. When you are going through a rough patch do whatever it takes to get through it, fight it out, and find the resolution that brings you closer and your marriage that much stronger. When the world around you tries to tear you apart, fight against it, fight for what God has given the two of you.

James, I have been praying for you before I knew your name. Know that I continue to pray for you and Mary. I look forward to getting to know my new brother, and Kylynn getting to know her Uncle James. You are now a party of our family as well and we may be a little weird :) but we Really love our family!

I love you both,
Jenny