(A little behind-the-scenes story from the wedding that everyone but our family missed) The Power of Doxology How did I make it down the aisle, arm and arm with my beautiful daughter, without the flood of tears that often flow when I am moved? I believe I was able to proudly walk down that aisle with a smile on my face, basking in the glow of my daughter’s face and the astonished-at-her-beauty faces that looked at us as we passed, because of Doxology. I was never nervous – it was larger and deeper than nervous. It was more the fact that I have never before had the intense feelings of joy, and yes, of the sweet sorrow of “parting”, all at once. So my family had joked the day before that I would need 4 handkerchiefs, and that just to make it down the aisle. But I felt great because Racquel’s Mom gave me carte blanche permission to cry all I wanted to. So I joined in the laughter as they handed me a handkerchief that had an R on it – for laughing at Dad’s tears has been a source of entertainment for my children for years: I do cry over hats the fall and milk that spills. Then, as our immediate family made our way down the back steps into the fellowship hall before we went up to begin the wedding procession (we could hear the organ resounding above us), I realized we should pray together – for the last time all as Skolds and Bundys. I knew, however, that I could not get past the first syllable without turning into a useless fountain of blobbering sobs. So I had the idea “We should sing the doxology” The idea seemed good to Charles, so as we made the very last arrangements of clothes, and flowers on lapels before the great ascent, I said we should sing the Doxology. And we did. And I felt as if angels had entered the room and swept us up in love. My children have inherited remarkable voices from the Brown side of the family, so as we began to sing “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” (I forget if we joined hands?) I was overcome with a great sense of gratefulness and joy. I still couldn’t really join in the singing, I was just basking in the sound of the harmony of voice and heart that filled our circle. I do not recall the simple song of praise (Doxa=Glory) ever sounding so beautiful, and to my surprise (as I look back) my beating heart (the one that almost stopped beating roughly 4 years ago when I almost died) became a still lake of rippling joy. And after the last sweet notes of “Amen” blended together in glorious harmony, (a moment I wanted to last forever? But they can’t, can they? Or can they?) we were suddenly flowing one by one up the stairs. Soon the line at the door into the main sanctuary got shorter as brother after brother (7 in all) walked through to proceed down the aisle. And then as the adorable children walked through the door holding the rings, it was just father and daughter at the threshold. The beauty of my daughter was really overwhelming; her joy and her smile were heavenly, and her last words to me as Miss Racquel Muriel Skold were full of love and kindness. After a hug and a deep, deep breath I walked through the threshold first so as to not walk on her glorious, white train. And we reminded each other that Mother has said go slow to make the moment last, so we slowly began the walk to the altar that really began the day our little girl was born. And though I am a poet, I don’t think words could really describe the incredible feelings of pride, and happiness, and thankfulness, and fullness, and excitement that all mixed around in my heart like a happy hurricane. And miracle of miracles, the tears held their place and I was able to march, like a King with his Princess, down the carpet without my sight being blurred. It was later, as I thought about the joy of that moment, that I realized it was the power of that praise that kept my heart flooded but my eyes nearly dry. There was an overflow of peace that seemed to drift off the last voiced chords and into my racing heart, and I believe that short time of togetherness and praise is what fortified me to give the hand of my daughter (I gave her ALL away, btw, not just her hand) to her beloved Brad. With that sweet singing, I was able, by Gods grace, to not experience an emotional meltdown as we turned the corner for that lovely, last walk as father and daughter Skold, towards that first, giant step into the holy state of matrimony for Mrs. Bradley Stucky The cherry on the icing on the cake of our walk was when I put Racquel’s hand into Brads, and all three of us briefly squeezed hands…a trinity of love…Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost.
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 16:55:45 +0000