9/26/12

Water Into Wine Version 1.1



Let’s go with the “Getting Ready” dreams as our theme for this post.  The significance is what moves me to preach today.

Emotions rolled around in my heart like a ship at sea from the moment I woke on wedding day.  I didn’t cry when she slipped into the beautiful dress. I didn’t cry as I spoke words of comfort and peace when she became overwhelmed with the magnitude of the day just before walking down the aisle. I didn’t cry when her dad placed her hand in Spencer's. I didn’t cry as she and her groom spoke their vows and read the words they had lovingly labored over.  (I will post vows after permission) Who could cry as the happy couple came prancing back down the aisle to Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered?  

Sitting real close to the spot where, on another September day long ago, I was tragically burned in a farm accident, and the maid of honor stood to toast her sister, then did the tears flowed unashamed.

A terrible, horrible, accident that did NOT scar me for life.  Oh, there are physical scars and a crooked little finger, there’s my love/hate relationship with sleeveless dresses and make-up.  But there are no emotional scars. No bitterness, no anger, no strife,  In a way, that accident molded and shaped me into the woman God intended me to be. (Not saying He caused it)

As I passed the marriage/wife baton on to one daughter today as I did 5 years ago to the other, the tragedy and it’s ramifications were passed along to them, as well.

I know I’m a little off my  “Getting Ready” theme, but bear with me, I can post as long as I want cuz I’m the mother of the bride for the last time.

So yeah … getting ready. When 2012 rolled onto the calendar we were sure Melissa and Spencer would say, “I do”. 
Somewhere.  

If I coulda done the choosing we’d have rented The Michillinda Lodge just north of Muskegon and had a hometown bash with a simple centerpiece on each table and guests could have actually rented their very own guest room.  If I said it once, I said it a 1000 times, "Melissa I’d like to just pull into the venue driveway. I don’t want to worry about where the forks, knives, salt shakers, and bathrooms came from."

But she can be a little bit stubborn (another trait I’ve passed along) and frugal and sentimental and so they chose grandpa and grandma’s family farm for their wedding venue.

And then the “getting ready” started. Getting ready to marry the bridegroom. Preparing a feast for the bride, bridegroom and their guests. Doing the work necessary to host an intimate dinner party to celebrate the covenant God ordained from the beginning of time.

I can NOT minimize the cloud of witnesses, which came alongside us towards the end of this feat, and they will for sure get their own blog post.
And I definitely will not ignore the hard work Melissa and Spencer put in to making their relationship and marriage start out strong and God honoring. Of course, they will get their own post.

But for now, and then I’ll try to not speak of it again, I (we) gathered every fork, knife, salt shaker, and restroom. Some planted and some watered. Some cleaned out the hayloft and some sewed the aprons. Some hung the lights and some hauled the horse wagon through the poison ivy. Some prayed and some prayed some more. Some helped pick out the dress and some helped pick-up the dress. Some hosted showers and batchelorrette bowling parties. Some babysat and some fixed food. Some shared their chandeliers, gators, chicken coop cardholders and videography equipment. 

We worked hard to prepare, and so sitting right in the middle of the deep end, in what used to be her grandma and grandpa's swimming pool, was the only spot for her and her groom to say their solemn vows.  The shed where I was burned, was the only place sacred enough to host the dinner, dancing, and celebrating. A bride preparing to meet her bridegroom. Through it all, I firmly believe  my "getting ready" dreams are more significant than just hosting a wedding.

From the book of Revelation as written by John the Baptist from his dreams and visions.
Then a voice came from the throne, saying: 
 "Praise our God, all you who serve him 
 and all you who honor him, both small and great! Then I heard what sounded like a great many people, like the noise of flooding water, and like the noise of loud thunder. The people were saying: 
    "Hallelujah! 
  Our Lord God, the Almighty, rules. 
 Let us rejoice and be happy 
 and give God glory, 
 because the wedding of the Lamb has come, 
 and the Lamb's bride has made herself ready. 
  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear." 
(The fine linen means the good things done by God's holy people.)
 And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding meal of the Lamb!" And the angel said, "These are the true words of God."
Then I bowed down at the angel's feet to worship him.



One day the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) will come to meet his bride (believers). There will be a grand celebration and a marriage feast the likes of which no one has ever seen or imagined.

So live this earthly life. Be happy. Fall in love. Believe. Make and keep families. Have faith. Trust. Show grace. Forgive. Be kind. But first and foremost, get ready to meet The Bridegroom.



Now including reception slideshow:


Spencer & Melissa from Julee Ann on Vimeo.

2 comments:

Mary Leist said...

Whoosh! You KNOW this got me this morning! No tears (surprisingly) but goosebumps and praise for our Heavenly Father and the Heavenly Weekend! LOVE YOU!!!!!

Ps. "I can post as long as I want cuz I’m the mother of the bride for the last time." You know this made me laugh out loud

Pps. Melissa's marching band picture as the picture on the video... too good!

savvycityfarmer said...

and the mother you were ...
gracious, kind, longsuffering ( putting up with all of us who invaded your "moments" the night before)
and so on an so forth ....

what a day that will be ... that feast with the bridegroom
no more sickness, no more scars.
I remember like it was yesterday

I love you