Zack and Kenzie will be married Sunday February 28, 2021. When they got engaged last May, they FaceTimed me to give the news. I don’t FaceTime, especially in my jammies without my makeup. But I knew I needed to take that FaceTime. We planned on going to the Florida wedding. Wouldn’t miss it for anything. Except Covid-19. Paul’s work has out of state travel restrictions right now, and we made the hard decision to stay home. We also missed a SC family wedding in 2020 because of the pandemic, and I hate that. The wonderfulness of Zack’s and Kenzie’s wedding day isn’t contingent upon us being there. But they wanted us there, and I hate being part of what they wanted but can’t have.

Zack used to call me Aunt Sandie, but I’m not his aunt. I’m actually his first cousin once removed in-law…on his Momma’s side. So to get from me to Zack, the family tree has several zig zags. And now I’m thrilled there is an extra zag to get me to Kenzie.

Zack is a photographer. His photos are so far beyond any pics I can take for so many reasons. He has a photographer’s eye. He understands all the details that go into a breathtaking, storytelling photo. I don’t have that eye, so when I point and click with my camera phone, of course I don’t get the results Zack gets with his camera. Zack understands and has a mastery of all the micro-technicalities of photography. Aperture, f/stop, focal length, shutter speed, ISO. I don’t know what those are. And he knows how to work the macro-technicalities to his advantage. Lighting, shadows, composition, editing, angles. And timing. Timing has to be just right. A great photographer has to be ready right now, or miss the shot. And has to be willing to wait because you can’t rush perfection.

We have all heard the saying “the devil is in the details.” I’m not so sure that’s true. I think Zack is in the details, but hear me out. Zack is in the details, and God is in Zack. When Zack takes a captivating, spirit stirring photo pulling together all those elements I don’t understand, that’s God in Zack. And when we understand Kenzie’s passion for healthcare, we can take a step back and know that God is the Great Physician and He is in the healing business. Whether He heals here on earth or in Heaven, it’s what He does. And Kenzie wanting to be part of that healing is God in Kenzie.

God shows off His incredible artistry and healing through the handiwork of His humble servants. If I am called to understand that this wedding day is the day that the Lord has made, and if I am inspired to be glad and rejoice in it, then I must acknowledge that since the beginning of time, the Author of Time has been at work planning the circumstances and arrangements to choreograph this day, working all these micro- and macro-technicalities together for His good, for Zack and for Kenzie who love God and who are called to His purpose. And This. Is. His. Purpose.

This is His purpose. This wedding is His purpose. This wedding is a family portrait in blue and white. Blue suit, white dress. As witnesses, we are charged to pray for this wedding portrait, to protect it, honor it, and to hold it in the highest esteem. We are called to this wedding by invitation only. And just as Zack and Kenzie have invited us to their wedding, God has invited us to be the Bride of Christ. And if anyone doesn’t know how to respond to that invitation, then let’s have a talk about that, because you don’t want to miss that wedding.

Zack and Kenzie, we commit to pray for you both through every perfect thing that happens in your marriage and through every imperfect thing that happens. There will be a ton of both.

I look forward to meeting Kenzie and seeing my friend Zack again someday. Usually when extended fam comes to NC from Florida and Michigan, we meet at our house for pizza and ice cream. Part of my penance for missing the wedding is that from now on I’ll make sure that Zack has all the sprinkles and chocolate syrup and hot fudge he wants. And he can also snarkily remind me “hey Sandie, remember when me and Kenzie were getting married and you said you’d come to the wedding…BUT YOU DIDN’T? Remember?” I guess I deserve that.

Happy wedding day Zack and Kenzie.

Photo credit to Nat and Bryan Weddings. https://www.natandbryan.com/engagements