4/19/2005 12:21:00 AM|||Joel VandenBrink|||

This past friday night I got lured into going to a birthday party. The birthday party was inititated by Michael Wilhoit, to be thrown for his girlfriend, Rachel Rollins. The party, was a month, almost to the day before her birthday. But, I didn't think this terribly odd because Rachel had thrown a birthday party for Michael three weeks before his birthday -- so I was starting to believe that this type of activity was 'normal' for them.

Because I am a slacker I arrived at the party (it was going to be a surprise for rachel...) with no card, and no present. I brought all that I was told to, myself, and chocolates. The plan was to get there at 6 and Michael and Rachel would show up at about 6:30. I, being Dutch, showed up right on time and found that the house was already being decorated by more punctual people than myself. Big balloons, streamers, noise makers were either floating, taped to ceiling, or laying on the table, respectively. At about 6:15 one of Michael's roommates invited all of us in attendance to join him in the living room to 'prep' us for the surprise. At this point he began reading something that went sort of like:

Friends of Rachel and Myself -
thank you so much for being here, but I must admit that I invited you here under a guise. By the time you are hearing these words I have asked Rachel to marry me and she has hopefully said yes.....

At this point the rest of the letter got ignored, at least by me. I was too lost in my thoughts that ranged from "Holy Cow" (that's the PG version) to "Whoa" to "Oh my goodness" to "Jeepers Creapers" to "That's awesome." Immediately the room was filled with laughter and celebration. But then silence set in. You see, most of us in the room didn't know Michael and Rachel were at this point in their relationship -- as they only starting dating in January. So someone voiced the question of "What if she says no?" A fair question. And then, all doubt was diminshed with the click of a finger. Tim, one of Michael's good friends, had photographed the entire proposal and put it in a powerpoint presentation (to music and all). As the 10-12 of us sat there and watched it our hearts began to beat quicker as Michael slowly got down on one kneee, pulled out a ring...and then...a big bear hug and a twirling. It was obvious at that point that she, had indeed, said yes.

The next 10 minutes were agonizing. I couldn't wait for the two of them to come through the door and to wrap them both in my arms and smile.

Four hours, two pizzas, a couple cases of beer, and many good conversations later Brooke and I departed the time.

However, somewhere in that four hour window I was honored in a way that I've never been honored before. In order for that sentence to make complete sense a long story needs to be told about the journey between Rachel and myself. The incredibly short of the long is that we, in our friendship have incarnated the gospel, numerous times. We have gone from a place of an awkwardness between us that led us not to talk to each other -- to a place of trust, respect, and redemption. Thus, we have lived the gospel and it has been a beautiful process to participate in.

All that to say that Rachel and Michael invited me to be the individual to marry them. Could there be a higher compliment paid? I am invited to not only be present at the day of their marriage, but to speak to all those in attendance and to send the two of them into their first day of marriage with the words that come out of my mouth. I get the honor to be the first human to say, "I now pronounce Mr. and Mrs. Wilhoit" (or some derivative of that).

For this opportunity and priviledge I say 'thank you michael and rachel.' And I can not wait for that day in August when the two of you voluntarily, willingly, and lovingly step into the playground that God calls 'oneness.'

a humbled and grateful,
joel

|||111389694624947750|||a beautiful story