He tapped his Bible and read, “Psalm 127 verses three through five says, ‘Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. And happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.’”
The congregation roared with laughter. Garnet felt her neck flush and her cheeks burn. Noah placed his hand over hers and grinned.
“Marriage is the union of a man and a woman in heart, soul and body. It is for their mutual joy and celebration in good times and reassurance and encouragement in the bad. Remember to take time to celebrate and laugh together.”
The pastor continued, “As a symbol of your union, please join hands. Noah, in taking Garnet to be your wife, I require you to promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days, in the good that may brighten your ways, and to be true to her until death alone shall part you. Do you promise?”
Noah’s rich bass answered, “I do.”
“Garnet, do you promise?”
“I do.” Garnet offered Noah a watery smile.
Pastor Nelson continued, “Now you may seal your promise to each other by giving and receiving the rings. Noah, place the ring on Garnet’s finger and repeat after me: I, Noah, take you, Garnet, to be my wedded wife—To have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and cherish ‘til death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance. And with this ring, I pledge you my love.”
Noah took the ring from his father. He placed a gold band with a center heart-shaped garnet on her finger, then kissed her hand. She offered a watery smile, content to stare into his eyes.
The pastor cleared his throat. “Garnet, are you ready?” He inclined his head toward Victoria who was waiting to take her flowers.
Garnet’s face flamed, but she chuckled. She passed her bouquet to Victoria, who in turn placed Noah’s ring in her palm. Her hands shook when she put the ring on his finger, happy that he wanted to wear one.
The pastor’s eyes twinkled. “All right then, here we go. Repeat after me. I, Garnet, take you, Noah, to be my wedded husband—To have and to hold from this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer, In sickness and in health. To love and cherish ‘til death do us part, According to God’s holy ordinance. And with this ring, I pledge you my love.
“Noah and Garnet, in these moments, I have heard you pledge your love and faith to each other. Your friends and family members assembled here have heard you seal your solemn vows of marriage by giving and receiving the rings. Now it is my joy and personal privilege to declare you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Despite Annie’s groan, Noah pulled her close and kissed her properly, much to the delight of friends and family.
Pastor Nelson shook Noah’s hand and patted Garnet’s shoulder. He leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “It’s been my joy to perform quite a few weddings in my time, but without a doubt, this has been one of my favorites. May God bless your union.”
He pivoted. “Friends and family of the bride and groom, the family would like you to join them in celebrating at the home of Sheriff and Mrs. Scott for cake and refreshments. Now it is my pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Noah Christopher Scott.”
They left the church to music, applause and smiling faces. Noah paused in front of the church and lifted Garnet’s chin. “Thank you for marrying me and helping me see what love looks like in church and what joy feels like in marriage. I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too.” Garnet stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his.
Breaking apart at the sound of friends and family joining them on the boardwalk, Noah stared at her wildflowers. Garnet followed his gaze to find a family of ladybugs nestling in her bouquet.
“I know it’s a wives’ tale—” He placed Garnet’s hand in the crook of his arm and whispered in her ear, “—but how many children did you say you wanted?”
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Other Books by Kimberly Grist
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Rebecca's Hope
Raised by her guardian and influenced by the mostly male population of Carrie Town Texas, Rebecca benefited from a forward-thinking, unorthodox education not typical for a young woman in the late Nineteenth century.
As an adult, she is armed with skills that most would covet, yet she lives in a boarding house, works as a waitress and struggles financially. Most single women in the area didn’t stay single long. Most, but not her. The one man she had said yes to was dragging his feet. The townspeople all agree she needs a husband. Even the young girls in her Sunday School Class have taken action by writing an ad for the paper.
Wanted: Husband for Rebecca Mueller. **Must be handsome, nice, like children, and live within walking distance of Carrie Town School.
Will her circumstances change and allow her to hold out for true love?
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Emma's Dream
In my first novel Rebecca's Hope, I introduced a western town in the late 19th century filled with colorful characters and innovative young women. Emma's Dream is a continuation of the tale based on Rebecca's best friend. While other young women in the late nineteenth century are reading about proper housekeeping, Emma studies herd improvement and her cooking skills leave a lot to be desired.
Our story begins several months before Rebecca's wedding. Circumstances require Emma to take on the household chores which include taking care of her six-year-old twin cousins. Like a double-edged sword, help arrives in the form of Grandma Tennessee who manages a household with ease but whose colorful stories, old wives’ tales and superstitions flow like a river.
As I researched pioneer life in the late 19th century, I found that superstitions were widely practiced as immigrants migrated and cultures blended. One of my goals as I wrote was to give an accurate account of the period while exposing the inaccuracy of the quotes and beliefs in a humorous way. Hence the birth of the delightful character, Grandma Tennessee.
Emma's Dream is a story of love that's tested by distance and has the perfect combination of history, humor, and romance with an emphasis on faith, friends and good clean fun!
~o0o~
Lois's Risk
Lois Weaver has been schooled to be polite, lady-like, honest, to clean, cook and sew, so that at the proper age she would marry. As an adult, she surpassed her father’s expectations with her skills and beauty only to shatter them when she opens a dress shop. She risked everything to start her own business.
Now the handsome bank owner has come calling. So why isn’t she happy? And why can’t she forget about a certain farmer with big brown eyes? Daniel Lawrence, former Texas Ranger, gained immense satisfaction when he purchased his farm and livestock. His new way of life is not only a means to make a living but adds a sense of fulfillment. The only thing lacking is a wife and family.
He is just shy of proposing when a family tragedy forces him to open his home to his grieving sister and his niece. How could he bring a new wife home to this? Lois is heartbroken because Daniel is ignoring her. Can she go against the 19th-century rules of how a woman should behave and have the courage to tell Daniel how she feels?
Combining history, humor, and romance with an emphasis on faith, friends, and good clean fun, fans of historical romance set in late 19th-century will enjoy Lois’s Risk a delightful tale of courage and reminds us how God uses adversity to strengthen us and draw us closer to Him.
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Maggie’s Strength
Twenty-year-old Maggie Montgomery is a petite young woman ahead of her time. She's had a wonderful childhood and enjoyed spending time with her father and five brothers and is happiest working in the smithy with them. A competent cook and housekeeper, as a fav
or to the local doctor, she moves in to assist his wife who is struggling to recuperate from a bout of pneumonia.
A tomboy at heart, she ignores her mother's pleas to dress more appropriately, until the son returns. A recent graduate of medical school, although handsome, the young doctor is stoic and obviously put out that his father has hired her to help his mother recuperate. Sparks fly and suddenly for the first time Maggie is concerned more about how she is perceived by others, especially the young doctor? The question is, why? Can they get past their first impressions?
Maggie draws on unrelenting strength where iron sharpens iron—forging an unexpected result of the romantic kind.
~o0o~
Carol’s Choice
After the deaths of her mother and stepfather, twenty-year-old Carol Stone finds herself in reduced circumstances with two younger siblings to care for. The suggested marriage of convenience is out of the question, so she stalls for time. When Carol learns she is the sole heir of a small home in Carrie Town, a newly expanded railroad village, she throws caution to the Texas wind and packs her bags.
Though warned of the extreme change in lifestyle, she's shocked at the smallness of the Sunday House. And why didn't she think to ask about indoor plumbing?
Leaving her lifestyle of shopping, lavish parties and holiday endeavors for a simpler life is a temporary solution until she can make a match of her own design. Carol struggles to let go of the past, embrace the present, and hope for a better future. What she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome livery-stable owner, who understands the true meaning of family and Christmas. Will love conquer lavish?
~o0o~
A Promised Land
Twenty-year-old Meriwether Walker enjoys the challenge of teaching her varied group of students in the one-room schoolhouse. What she doesn't like is the nomadic lifestyle that comes with it as she rotates boarding with families in the community on a month to month basis. Meriwether longs for a home of her own, but since single female teachers have to follow so many rules, she doesn't see any end to her plight--until the letter from the attorney handling her uncle's estate arrives.
When Meriwether discovers her uncle left her his ranch, the one she loved to visit when she was a child, she quit her job and moved without hesitation to Trickling Springs, Texas to take over her property. But when she arrives, deed in hand, she discovers her decision has put her at odds with Jake Harrison, the man who rents property from her uncle and seeks to buy the land and water rights for his cattle. They butt heads, tempers flare, but Meriwether stands her ground. Yet she can't deny the romantic sparks that fly, and she can tell it's mutual. When he comes courting, can she trust Jake Harrison, or is his real attraction the property and the water rights he needs, and she has inherited?
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