November 19 – “Under the Big Top”

Last night Chris and I went to the rehearsal for the big wedding this weekend.  They had been working all day to get the fire station to look more like a wedding venue on the inside, and they were actually doing a pretty good job.  The walls were lined with that see-through fabric stuff so popular at weddings.  It was hanging from a cable they had strung.  Apparently there had been some difficulties getting the cable to stay attached.  It had already pulled out of the sheetrock a time or two, and they were still holding their breath that nothing would cause it to collapse completely.  Especially after they started the final, coup de grace of the decorations plan.  They were hanging strips of the material from a loop at the center of the room to the tenuous support of that cable.  It amounted to about twenty swoops coming down from the center, forming what looked like a peaked tent that Ringling Brothers would have been proud of.  “Under the Big Top,” as they say.  They still had a long way to go, and we even pitched in at one point to help separate the strands.  They were headed back there after the rehearsal dinner to finish it up. 

Because of the streamers all over the floor we weren’t able to do the rehearsal in exactly the same spot as the wedding will be.  That shouldn’t be a problem for the adults, but there are three kids involved, so I hope they can make the adjustments.  Oh, and speaking of adjustments, we went through the whole ceremony, from entry to exit, with the men and women on the flip side of where they were supposed to be.  I guess I got so used to either having a wedding coordinator or to the bride deciding she wants to buck convention that I didn’t even notice.  We got it straightened out with the wedding party, though, before we left for dinner.  And in my usual final bit of encouragement, I assured the bride that whatever happens will be fine.

The rehearsal dinner was at La Brisa, a Mexican food place in League City.  They served (buffet style) beef and chicken fajitas.  Very tender beef.  The chicken wasn’t bad, either.  The only problem was, they had served a bowl of queso as an appetizer, and it was good.  Really good.  See, Chris and I had been sitting at a table by ourselves before we were called over to join the groom’s family.  We had already been served that bowl of queso, so I took it with us.  Between the two of us, we finished it off handily.  That didn’t leave room for more than one of those fajitas.  We were full when we left and ready to face the next key task of our day … bedtime. 

Ephesians 3:6 says, “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

Father, thank you for all the help the bride and groom were getting to decorate their venue.  Give them some rest before the ceremony tonight.  Amen.