Sometime in July

 

(I think.)

We had so many weddings last year in our little church, with all the ladies doing what christian women do best- rolling up their sleeves and digging in to the work and making beauty happen all around them, getting things done.  Bringing glory. Women are behind most of the smiles of the world, I think.

If people didn't feel cared for, they wouldn't smile.  If they are hungry, they wouldn't smile.  If they didn't experience beauty, it would be hard to smile.

(One of my favorite scenes in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is that moment when Millie looks at the wreckage of a cabin of seven bachelors and decides to firmly plant her feet on the ground and she rolls up her sleeves instead of high-tailing it back into town.  What beauty comes from that decision.)

One of these days, I'll post more of all the weddings and showers but not today.  Today I am posting a blogpost whose photos were already uploaded back in July... I don't know what the post was intended to be way back then as there were no words, but looking back, I see hints of glory every which way.

A rosy bride.  A handmade wedding present.  Making batch after batch of candied nuts (I made over 200 pounds of them for weddings!)  Lemon Lavendar cookies.  Hosting church and picnic here at Hopestead.  A congregation of fellow reformed folk, visiting for a wedding weekend.  Every picture hints at something profound.  Glory, with a bit of blue.