funny not so funny

Someone asked about a funny moment in my life.  This wasn't funny at the time, but I can laugh about it now.  Here goes.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.  It's 1994 and I live in Princeton, but I know I am moving to Woods Chapel so I start studying the church directory to learn the names and faces of the people at the new church.  I work hard at this and get them imprinted pretty well in my brain.

Along comes the first big church wedding.  The entire congregation is present for Susan's second marriage.  In the church directory she was married to Robert, but the directory is several years old and now she is marrying Paul.  Do you see where this is going?

The music starts.  It is big and dramatic wedding music.  The bridesmaids all come in.  Here comes the bride.  The bridal party is all lined up across the front.  There is a prayer, the people are seated, and now comes the moment.  The new pastor is about to open his mouth.

"Friends, we are gathered together here today in the sight of God and the presence of these witnesses to join together Robert and Susan in holy matrimony."

The moment that I said this, the closest bridesmaid bent over and made a noise like she was sick to her stomach.  I stepped toward her and asked her if she was alright.  She said, "You said Robert!"

Oh my.  The embarrassment of that moment.  Everyone knew that I had just made a terrible mistake.  I wanted to shrink down to a tiny size and crawl out of the church.  But, since I couldn't do that,  I stepped out to the bride and I said, "I am so very very sorry."  Then I took a deep breath, looked across the entire audience and said, "let's start over again from the beginning." 

The wedding went on after that without a hitch.  Susan actually got married to Paul that day, and to this day, I write the names of the bride and groom in very big letters in several places in the program. 

May you be spared such moments of trauma in your life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.