A wedding and a community....

Art: The Village Wedding by Sir Luke Fildes 1883

Our only daughter is getting married May 31st, and so, as you might imagine, we are in Full-Swing Wedding Mode. We've been in this mode for quite a while, but as the days draw closer for The Big Day, all the little details that seemed so high and far away have trickled down to fill our Bucket of Things to Do.

I just recently called a local restaurant to see about catering the afternoon wedding lunch which would consist of sandwiches, salads, fruit and Wedding Cake. Really, I didn't think it could possibly be too large a task nor too great a bill since it would be a "food only" catering. Our dear Church Ladies offered to serve the reception and handle the details as well as the clean up, so what could 200 croissant sandwiches and a couple of salads cost? $1800! My oh my, Dear Daughter was not up for that price and thought it was an April Fools joke, and I was sure we could do better. So after many phone calls here and there, we asked one of our friends who is also one of the Church Ladies who offered to serve, if she would consider making the salads. "Of course!" was the answer. Since then this friend has been calling to make sure she has the recipes exactly the way we'd like them. The Church Ladies also offered to make the sandwiches, set up the fruit trays, brew the coffee and every other little thing that would need doing before a wedding reception. What a blessing! You know, there's just nothing like a community of people who know one another and love one another and who want to serve each other. Isn't this what life's about? Giving, serving, loving, sharing? And what a more joyous time than at a wedding?

The Bride is a leader in our church's youth group and some of the young ladies have asked if they might be able to attend the wedding. Some of the girls she knows well, others, not so well, but how do you tell an admiring, sweet girl no, I have already filled my guest list? So she asked a few of her girls if they would like to be a part of her wedding by helping out with the serving. Yes, they would! So now to add to the service of the women, the girls will be there alongside the older women learning how to make sandwiches, set a buffet table, mix punch, serve coffee, sweep floors, do dishes and smile all the while....true, practical mentoring at its best!

Not my photo, but the idea is what we're shooting for.

Hubby's sister has offered to take the pictures, another friend is giving her small wedding bells with ribbons tied in the colors of the wedding to set on each table, a sister-in-law to-be is giving her wedding tulle to help with decorating, another friend is offering to set up the tables and seating arrangements as well as helping with the decorating and serving. Grandma brought us together to make wedding mints last month and the mother-in-law to-be offered her experience in chocolate-dipping pretzels for all the tables. Together, many hands, make light work and share in the blessing of giving and being a part of G&M's Wedding Day. I am so grateful to God for the community of believers he has placed us in. There's just something special about being a be a part of someone's Big Day, even if it's in washing the dishes or pouring punch into glasses. One can say, "I was there, I witnessed it, I helped, I saw the joy, I was a part of it, I gave....."

I'm so thankful.