SURPRISE WEDDING
The last Thursday of January was unforgettable. I attended a wedding so unlike others. I have written about my d-group (bible study/ couples group) several times, and remember our d-group leaders, D and DM? To refresh you a bit, D used to be a womanizer. He cheated on his wife several times, with his wife's friends, kumare, cousin even! He also got involved in various crimes and was once charged with attempted murder (charges have been dropped). Anyway, his wife, DM, didn't lose hope, instead she was a godly wife to D. Until one day, God finally heard her prayer. D started going to church with the family; he started praying, reading the bible, attending small groups, etc. This is the shortened version of how it all happened. But let me tell you, it was a journey. Eventually, after years of getting to know God, D made a commitment to be a youth pastor (note: he is now full-time pastor for a church in Taytay).
So anyway, fast forward to last November (2005)... D came up to some of the women in our D-group and said he wanted to surprise DM on their wedding anniversary. His idea was to stage a surprise wedding. Their anniversary was on the 27th of January. The surprise wedding happened on the 26th.
DM had no idea that D actually had something up his sleeve. As far as she knew, they were gonna watch a concert at The Penn. A friend of theirs supposedly had two dinner tickets and couldn't use them so she decided to give these to the couple as a gift. She also warned DM that she should wear something formal, because it was a dinner concert at a hotel.
So because it was their anniv, DM's mom also gave them overnight accomodations at an Ortigas Hotel. DM was clueless on the preps. Everyone was actually working on it.
Thursday night at 7pm, the sanctuary at CCF St. Francis was filled with wedding guests. Everyone was anticipating her arrival. At half past 7, D and DM arrived at St. Francis. D asked DM to wait for him at the ground floor while he goes up to the 4th Floor office to get the tickets. 10 minutes later, someone goes down to get DM because D's supposedly still talking to someone in the office. As the elevator door opens, DM is shocked to see her mom (a devout Catholic who once vowed never to set foot in CCF). When it dawns on her that there was actually a wedding and it was actually HER wedding (they were once wed, so this is a renewal of sorts after all the painful years), DM cries.
Anyway, I won't go into other details. I just wanted all you women to put yourself in her shoes. Imagine 10 years of pain. 10 years of trying to obey God's will. 10 years of tears. 10 years of thinking that your husband could possibly leave you for good, worse, even kill you (because D almost did). 10 years of NOT GIVING UP. Then imagine God rewarding you for your labor. A wedding. A surprise wedding, planned in detail by the person who hurt you the most for 10 whole years. Sigh. A great and worthwhile reward, don't you think?
Truly, one does not labor in vain, especially if you labor for God's glory!
but it should not have been the case if we were able to choose according to god's plan. the 10-year effort could have been devoted to reaching out and teaching people how they can be saved, not labor in our own personal misery. we prevailed yes (by god's grace), but how much time and effort did we lose... time and effort that should have been devoted to god's plan and instructions. so ultimately, we pay the price for the choices we made, and we have to answer to god come judgement day how and why our course ran askew. it is not an occurence to be joyful (because eventually if D is gonna be saved, he will be saved in whatever means, with or without the circumstances that led him to that - that is god's plan realized), it is actually a point where we evaluate where did we go wrong. still, it is a blessing and an oppurtune time to bring glory to god. that inspite of the wrong choices, he made everything all right. :-)
ReplyDeleteDM wasn't a christian when she met D. They were childhood friends, originally, and grew up in the same neighborhood. D got DM pregnant when they were still in their teens.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, if we wait for God's best and do everything according to His plan, then we won't have to suffer first.
"But yes, if we wait for God's best and do everything according to His plan, then we won't have to suffer first."
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree. Yes, there is joy in waiting for God's best and doing things according to His plan, but that doesn't mean there will not be difficulty or suffering. I believe the Lord deals with us in the way He sees fit, that is why ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him.
I waited for God's choice for me, and there were major issues I had to deal with, but in retrospect I thank the Lord for bringing me through it--He really knows what we need (so much more than we think).
Yes, Kaye, you are not laboring in vain.
MRL
^of course. I meant suffering as in consequences to sin. :) But yes, all things work for the good of those who love Him.
ReplyDeleteOhh, Kaye... couldn't help but cry! Sana my husband could read this and realized ganito din ang gusto ko. I've been wanting also to have a renewal of vows with my husband and even asked him if he have no plan. Why pa daw we have to renew our marriage vow, hindi naman DAW nagbabago ang vow namin...(?) Kainis!!!
ReplyDelete