Nevertheless, we spent yesterday helping
out as we could with preparations for the wedding. Since it will be in our friends’ (the bride’s
parents) backyard everything is falling on their shoulders up until the actual
event itself. That means setting up all
chairs and tables in their proper places (that would be according to the layout
scheme that exists only in the head of Melissa, the bride’s Momma who is
playing the role of our beloved wedding coordinator), placing two arches and
anchoring them and decorating them (again, according to that vision residing in
Melissa’s substantially overstocked brain), keeping drinks on ice (which
actually has been going on for several days now. I have been on one of the Sam’s runs to get
more ice), running Christmas lights all along the bushes (I presume for
dramatic and romantic effect. We left
that one entirely up to Melissa and Chris, and the end result is very nice),
and tweaking the outdoor wireless sound system that Mark had installed for the
event (a pretty amazing feat, I might add.
The music can be operated using Mark’s cell phone. Problem is, if he gets too far away from the
wireless router the music become erratic and the whole system goes down. I think he got that figured out though, but
someone else will have to operate the system during the wedding, and Mark is
not one to give up control so easily). Some
of the preparations are being kept a secret so the guests will be surprised as
they arrive. Some very funny stuff. Practical, but funny.
The rehearsal went off without a
hitch. Well, if you don’t count the fact
that right as we got started it began to rain and we all had to run
inside. I did a hand-fasting ceremony while
we waited for it to stop. That is a little
extra bonus I like to do as early as possible after a couple has decided to get
married. It is loosely based on the
betrothal idea and an actual ancient custom of tying the bride and groom’s
hands together. In this case, I looped a
rope around the bride and groom’s hands, tying “tying them together” and I pointed
out a few things. The two circles represent
each of their lives. The knot in the
center represents their love-commitment to each other. If you loosen the knot it becomes a third
circle, showing that God is actually the third person of their marriage
trinity. I pulled it tight again and
said there will be times when their relationship get all knotted up. But if they will just ease up for a moment (I
loosened the knot again) and return to God and refocus on him, then all will be
well, and they can renew their love-commitment (at this I had the two of them
pull the knot tight again). They get to
keep the “love knot” as a souvenir. I guess
it went well enough. At least it was a
reminder of the marriage counseling principles from the night before. I have faith in Ashley and Josh that they
will hang in there.
By the time we finished the handfasting,
the rain had stopped, so we ran through the logistics of the ceremony
outside. Mark started grilling some hot
dogs and hamburgers and the rehearsal dinner was underway. Check off one more step in the Jersey wedding
extravaganza.
Psalms 104:13-15 says, “He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is
satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and
plants for man to cultivate — bringing forth food from the earth: wine that
gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains
his heart.”
Father, thank you for the window between
the rains so we could get the rehearsal done.
Could we have another for the wedding? Amen.
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