The crappy camera-phone documentarian strikes again! This wedding celebration happened to be kicking off right in our neighborhood, within about 50 meters of our house, earlier this afternoon -- and I was so fascinated that I had to capture the experience on video.

The drums and horns are fascinating enough, but when when the woman (Is it the bride?  Or maybe the mother of the groom?) tips back her head, covers her face with her hand, and let's out a loud thrilling cry, it seems like a fictional experience.

In our neighborhood, there are a lot of Berber Muslims, originally from the mountains of Morocco -- settled in Amsterdam over the past two or three generations.  Most of the time, they're pretty quiet, unassuming citizens.  But when it comes time to celebrate a wedding, they do it in style!

Twelve years ago, today, Marci and I were married.  Our first dozen years.  In some ways, it feels like that's quite a bit of time to have spent together; but when I think about the fact that three of our four sets of grandparents have made it to their 60th anniversary (five dozen years!), then I realize that we're still just starting out in a lot of ways.

This evening, we watched our wedding video with our children.  It's become something of a tradition.  Some things are really funny to revisit -- the way my Dad still had a moustache back in those days, the number of people with whom we've lost touch over the last twelve years, and the extreme youth especially among the wedding party (for instance, it's crazy to realize that my brother Alex was only a couple of years older than Elliot at the time of our wedding!).  But it's also really cool to remember some of the things that happened on that day.  For instance, at the end of our wedding ceremony, we had all of our families (parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) come up and surround us to sing a benediction, to the accompaniment of a (hired) string quartet.  It was really beautiful at the time, but even more so now realizing that some in that circle have since passed away.  That was a special moment to celebrate together as a family -- both on the surface level (beautiful music, surprisingly high-quality choral performance, unique aesthetic at the end of a wedding ceremony) and on the deeper, symbolic levels (surrounding us with their love and their blessing, initiating us to the wonder of two families becoming one).  I think that was one of the coolest things that we did on our wedding day.

But it was also refreshing to hear our vows to each other again.  I was especially struck by the Bible passage that we chose to incorporate into our vows -- establishing it as something of a manifesto to our lives and our relationship.  The passage was Galatians 6:9-10:  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  Both Marci and I have gone back to that passage specifically in the last month or so, drawing strength and sustenance from its exhortation.  So to hear those words again, in the context of our wedding ceremony, was a special confirmation of God's involvement in our lives and in our marriage.  With God's grace, we both hope and pray that we can continue so doing for the next several dozen years.

Yesterday we received a belated Valentine's Day card in the mail, from my grandparents in North Dakota.  The handwriting on the envelope suggested that maybe one of their in-home care providers had assisted them in getting the card out in the mail -- as they're now in their late 80s -- but it was special to get a little tangible reminder of their love, in the form of that Valentine's Day card.

But even more than the card, I enjoyed the picture that they sent along with the card:  an image from a recent summer, in which my grandparents are sitting on a grassy lawn together, eating corn-dogs and drinking soft drinks bought from the midway of the county fair.  To me, it's such an iconic image of my grandparents, of the American Midwest, and of enduring love.  Every time I look at the picture, I can't help but smile.

So of course, I thought I would share it (see above).

The 14th of February happens to fall on a Sunday this year:  Valentine’s Day.  And to observe that occasion, our church has come up with an idea to host a panel of married couples -- a “Panel of Love,” if you will -- to do an open discussion about love and marriage, from a Christian, biblically-based perspective.

We’re going to have three different couples, from three different stages of life, participating in the panel:  Marci and I (married for almost 12 years), Marc and Heidi La Porte (married for 4 years), and Marco and Claudia Pauws (married for 4 months).  Anthony Dunstan will be serving as moderator for the discussion, directing the flow -- but really, the whole thing is going to be based on answering questions from the church.  We've solicited (and received) questions through a variety of different means already, but I also promised to post an electronic opening for questions here on this blog, so please feel free to leave any questions that you might want to have considered for inclusion in the discussion by our "Panel of Love."

Maybe you’ll want to ask us about sex... or arguing... or having children... or division of household responsibilities... or finding the love of your life... There are a lot of different possibilities -- but how the discussion will go all depends on the questions we receive.  The comment box is now open (and yes, it's OK if you'd prefer to ask your question anonymously)...

Today I have the privilege of officiating a wedding for two dear friends from our church here in Amsterdam.  It's going to be a lot of fun.  In addition to the special joy of taking part in a beautiful ceremony to join two beautiful people, the occasion is also special because it affords me the opportunity to preach in one of the oldest, most storied ministry venues in old Amsterdam:  The English Reformed Church in the Begijnhof.

The church building dates back over 500 years.  English Pilgrims worshipped in the same sanctuary in the early 1600s, just prior to sailing for the New World aboard the Mayflower and settling at Plymouth Colony.  And today, I will get to perform a wedding in the same space!

[P.S. - 7 February 2010 - I thought it might be cool to also include a picture from the actual occasion.  Thanks to my friend Sergei Tserasiuk for this really cool photo of the action!]