Wedding
I was supposed to get married today: April 25, 2009.
In the summer of 1994, I was a sentimental nine year old. My favorite Barbie was Wedding Day Midge. This stunning, auburn-haired, freckle-faced bride-to-be was so much more realistic than a blonde bride. And she had her own wedding cake, silk pink rose bouquet, and tiny pearlized heels. I dreamed of one day wearing this same sort of ensemble. So I decided to make it happen.
My family had just gotten our first computer the year before and, in addition to becoming a rockstar pioneer on the Oregon Trail, I had discovered that you could in fact see the future. This new computer had calendars on it up into the 2000's. I was in awe that I could see what day of the week my birthday would fall on in the year 2031.
I sat in front of the screen clicking away the months and calmly I strategized when was the best time to get married.
1. I must be out of college. My parents had already informed me this was a non-negotiable. Therefore it must be after I was 21.
2. But I didn't want to get married right out of college, I should see the world for a couple of years. That put me at age 23-24. The year would be 2009.
3. I carefully deduced the month of April after spacing out all possible gift-receiving holidays. Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Birthday, Christmas...An anniversary in April seemed to be a sufficient scattering of the presents. This little tactic I had learned from my mother.
4. And of course it would need to be a Saturday, so the 25th fit quite nicely.
I made a diagram of the cake. Blush and bashful were chosen as appropriate wedding colors. (I may have been only nine, but I was already a bona fide Steel Magnolia.) I would replicate Wedding Day Midge's dress. Quite pleased with myself, I presented my wedding plans to my grandmother who happened to be watching me at the time. "That sounds nice," was all she said.
Fast forward 14 years. At the end of 2008, I vaguely remembered having to be somewhere in 2009. For a while I couldn't remember what the appointment was. Then suddenly it hit me around Christmas: "I'm supposed to get married in 2009."
Considering that I had not thought about my wedding plans in over a decade, and had no prospective groom, I could only laugh at my psychic child powers. There would be no wedding on April 25, 2009. Secretly I hoped that something supernatural would happen on this day, April 25, 2009. It didn't.
In honor of my imaginary wedding, I got a manicure and pedicure. It seemed only fitting. And then I went to the Cultural Celebration that a refugee ministry was presenting. It's a ministry very close to my heart and several of my refugee friends were performing their traditional songs and dances.
As I sat in the audience and watched this people from the far ends of the earth share their native culture, I was reminded of another time when every nation and tongue will gather together. Then too there will be a wedding feast. Revelation 19 reads:
6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
This makes my heart rush with anticipation. I want to be more eager for this wedding feast than that reminiscent of Wedding Day Midge. The day after my "wedding day," I was with a couple of dear friends who knew about my childhood plans. They had prepared a little cake for me and a sort of bridal luncheon. Their kindness and playfulness warmed my heart. I was so grateful for these sweet women and their friendship. Together we enjoyed a simple, quiet wedding feast...and prayed for our hearts to be captured by the rider whose name is Faithful and True.
“The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"
And let him who hears say, "Come!"
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes,
let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
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