(by Lorie Codispoti)
Our daughter’s wedding was in July, so they have an anniversary coming up.
Thoughts about that day & our do-it-yourself wedding are filling my mind with all kinds of memories.
According to the locals, it was the hottest July they remembered experiencing in that part of Colorado. We weren’t having an outdoor wedding, so the heat should not have been a problem, right?
To our surprise, we learned that many of the older buildings (& homes) were not designed or built with air conditioners in mind. And the church where they were married was no exception.
The solution was to bring in these portable cooling units called “swamp coolers” to help cool the air inside the building. Every local knows what a swamp cooler is, but I had never heard or seen one. (Apparently they use humidity to help cool the air, & are especially useful in dry climates.)
First problem solved.
Next we learned that the dough my husband planned to use to make flippers for the reception didn't rise well in higher elevations.
Denver, we have a problem!
Thankfully, after tapping into the knowledge & resources of a local bakery, that problem was also solved.
(FYI: Flippers are a Portuguese fried bread dough, & part of my husband’s family heritage. Along with the sentimental connection, it was the featured food our daughter wanted for her wedding reception.)
By the time it was all said and done we were exhausted, but also blessed with a great and memorable wedding.
Chuck Swindoll said, "We are faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as impossible situations."
I share this story because I want to encourage you to press on in your walk.
Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you & teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
As the heat index rises here in the Southeast, bringing many challenges along with it, we must remember that there is nothing that is too difficult for our Father - who stands ready to intervene in every situation we turn over to Him.
Whenever we find ourselves commissioned by God to embrace a new challenge - be it a new location, a new assignment, or a seemingly monumental task - we should remind ourselves that we have the greatest Resource available. When we call out to Him He promises to be with us as we walk our way down the aisle to the altar.
If God has given us His word, His Spirit, & one another, then we have everything we need to accomplish the task.
Scripture doesn’t promise that preparing for our wedding day will be easy. In fact, we can count on the fact that there will be many obstacles to overcome along the way. We may even have to endure unbearable heat and find new ways to enjoy flat flippers.
But one thing is for sure. When we hear that wedding bell ring and call us to a higher elevation, all we’ll care about is the Bridegroom we’ve been preparing to meet face-to-face. His presence alone will dwarf everything we’ve endured on this side of the wedding feast.
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