Page 116 of Wish You Faith

She remembered precisely what they had prayed. Rosie had gone first.

“Father God, our life and times are in Your hands. You bless, You give, You provide. Thank You, Lord, that we can rest in Your care all the days of our lives,” Rosie prayed. “However much time You give us on earth, we bless Your holy name, and we thank You for every moment of time that we breathe. Let our lives be a symphony of praise to You. May You be pleased as Evan and I go forward today as husband and wife.”

Rosie thought about ways she and Evan could serve God but she didn’t voice it. To her surprise, Evan picked up on that unspoken note as soon as it was his turn.

“Lord, Thank You for letting Rosie and me serve in Sunday school at church. If You so lead us to do more ministry work, then show us how we can be more effective servants,” Evan prayed. “Thank You for giving us day jobs that we love. May our lives at work reflect You, Lord. Even as we go on our honeymoon for two weeks—away from work—remind us that our walk and talk need to reflect Christ.”

Rosie wanted to remember their prayers forever. Fortunately, Amy’s crew had recorded it on video for posterity. They’d watch it again later.

Rosie and Evan had opted to take most of their couple photos before the ceremony. That way, they both still looked fresh in their new wedding attire. Mom always cried at weddings and funerals. If Mom cried today at the ceremony, then Rosie might follow, and it would ruin her makeup. Any hope of pretty photographs after the ceremony would be out the window, even after she freshened up.

It was ironic then that Mom decided she’d wait until after the ceremony to take family photos. Right now, she was busy with her friends. They had all decided to get their hair done this morning. Mei had hired some local hair stylists to come to SSLR to make sure Mom and her friends were all prettied up before the wedding.

“That’s all for now,” Amy declared after they took more photos. “We’ll come back here after the ceremony with family members. That way, we can make short work out of it and your guests won’t have to wait forever at the reception hall.”

Amy snapped some impromptu shots of Evan and Rosie as they held hands while exiting the greenhouse to return to their respective waiting rooms. The video crew continued filming as well.

“Are you glad we waited until January to get married?” Rosie asked.

Evan nodded. “Because you look more relaxed now that Christmas is over and you’re not busy at the tree farm.”

“Yeah, I was a bit stressed, wasn’t I?”

Evan seemed to want to say something but he held back.

“What?” Rosie stopped at the hallway outside the greenhouse. “Say it.”

“You were stressed from October to December not because of the tree farm but because you took on an additional part-time job at this green house.”

Well, he sure came right out and said it.

On the one hand, they shouldn’t be discussing work on their wedding day. On the other hand, Rosie was quite pleased that Evan felt so comfortable with her that he could speak his mind without fear of incurring anger or repercussions.

“Yes, we both were busy with work the last three months, but we also had to make wedding preparations,” Rosie reminded him.

“True, that.” Evan squeezed her hand.

Rosie lifted up her lips toward him and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. She was about to wipe off the lipstick stain with her thumb when Amy stopped them.

“Turn this way,” she instructed Evan. “Let me see that lipstick stain.”

Rosie’s face felt warm as Amy’s camera flashed.

“Candid.” Amy checked her LCD screen. “You two are so cute.”

“Let’s see.” Evan and Rosie crowded around Amy and peered at the small screen.

Rosie took one glance before someone spoke.

“Let’s look at photos later,” the wedding coordinator said. “We have thirty minutes before the processional.”

“I was ready a year ago,” Evan declared.

Rosie chuckled, and Amy took another photo before she let them go.

The video crew split up. One videographer followed Rosie to the parlor on the other side of the community center, and the other followed Evan to his waiting room. She called them a parlor and waiting room, but on normal days at SSLR, one was a prayer room, and the other was a staff meeting room, empty this Saturday morning.

It was the longest thirty minutes that Rosie had to wait. She didn’t want to check her phone, but the makeup artist did, having nothing else to do.

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