Wedding Planning and God's nudging...

I had already planned to blog today about my eventful day yesterday. Danielle and I got up at the crack of dawn and headed out "wedding shopping / planning". We started out at a store in Alma that is called A to Z. It has tons of flowers, favors , etc... Danielle picked up some BLUE ribbon for decorating. The store itself is a little overwhelming. We shopped and shopped. I picked up a few things myself for the eclectic area out the back door I am fixing up for if/ when I ever return home. I got a sign that said " garden of weedin'" . Cute huh? I also got a glass bird feeder to match my bottle tree. If you haven't seen my bottle tree , it is worth your trip. We got it in the Delta to commemorate our upbringing. We did put it in the back yard so we wouldn't offend our neighbors. So, now I have to make it feel at home by making the back area funky and all.

Back to Wedding planning-

We had appts at Ricks Bakery to test cake. Now, I don't remember doing this at my wedding. I don't think it was as important what it tasted like as to what it looked like. Danielle wants to go simple. Simple sounds good to my checkbook. She picked out a simple three layer cake with a blue ribbon. Blue... remember that. The cake testing was fun. I was a little hungry still after lunch. We had greek food. We had about 15 minutes to woof it down . I wondered if it is appropriate to eat the WHOLE piece of cake she bought us.. or even all three. I didn't. I figured if I am attending an official " cake testing" I should resist the urge to be red neck. So, I left Ricks feeling like we had accomplished something and.. a little hungry.

We had an appt at the Fayetteville Town Center also. This will be a beautiful venue at Christmas. It turned out not to be as expensive as I had suspected and the folks there were so nice. We haven't completely decided yet but it looks like it will be there . This will be a small wedding for 100 family and close friends. While taking pictures guest will get to take in the breathtaking downtown lights and maybe even get a little romantic themselves and take a carriage ride. We will set up hot chocolate and coffee stands to warm them up before tackling the cold. Another nice stop.

Zu Zu's flowers was our next stop. Danielle wants mainly candlelight. The lady wasn't informed she had appt and wasn't ready for us. ( IE no pictures of their work ) and I could still smell Ricks bakery next door. We talked about Calla Lillis and BLUE ribbon. All in All, not a great stop.

We went to Hobby Lobby and they had all their wedding stuff on sale for 1/2 off. By this time we were too tired and overwhelmed to think. Surely in the next 5 months this sale will happen again....

We went to Davids Bridal. Of course nothing compared to Danielle's designed gown she tried on to a tune of $3500. End of story.

On the way home we drove by one more venue. I had forgotten when Danielle gets tired or overwhelmed she gets cranky. I was reminded of this quite quickly. I am driving thinking .. I . emphasize I, should be the cranky one. I have stayed in yucky hotels for two weeks that don't even have Internet so I can update this blog and SHE is tired and overwhelmed from a day of shopping ( with my money ) to create the wedding of her dreams. Give me a break. In the middle of that thought the groom to be calls. He took a closer look at his service dress uniform and it is black... not navy BLUE. Hmm..... I just THOUGHT she was cranky before. The funny part is, I was calm and almost enjoying the moment as I realized how many more of these moments their lifetime will bring them and how ... well... it wont be my problem anymore. I bet he wishes that uniform was blue..

Then - fast forward to today. Dennis Jernigan was the worship leader at our church today. His voice is amazing and you can tell the Lord leads him in every way. After the service started a lady came in and sat at the end of my row. Now, I need to set the scene. People in my church are just now beginning to raise their hands and worship and then it is usually still bent at the elbows. So, why when the church is packed - does the one very charismatic lady sit by me. I looked over and she was dancing. Yes, dancing. I thought at first she was doing sign language but I didn't want to stare. Now, before you start praying for my judgemental heart let me tell you. I am ok with her doing this. Her conversations with God just don't look like mine and I am uncomfortable. I know... not her job to make me comfortable. So, the service goes on and my mind flicks back to one Sunday I visited my dads mothers Pentecostal church. I am thinking this lady is going to start speaking in tongues any minute. I cant interpret. And what if she starts rolling around... ( I know, go ahead and stone me. ) But I was so uncomfortable. If that wasn't enough, Dennis asked us to get outside our box again. He asked you to stand up if you are mourning the loses of a loved one. Yeah.. I get to sit . She stood up. Then he asks a couple more questions and none apply to me. I am a happy camper. I can be Baptist and sit in my pew quietly. THEN... he said if you are around someone standing , please go to them and lay your hands on them. I am thinking seriously? What if she starts shouting or whips out a prayer cloth. ( My grandma had one that scared me to death. ) But, I was the only one around her, so I go. Immediately I am reminded that God will meet you where you are, uncomfortable or not and remind you that he is sovereign. As I put my hand on her back and felt her sob and prayed for her, I had to say a prayer for myself that maybe , just maybe one day, I could get outside this conservative box that I live in and proclaim my love for God as boldly as she did. Thanks God for putting my in my place today by placing the dancing lady next to me.