Mike is the most organized man in the world. He filed away our wedding certificate before I could see it. When I pulled it out of the file, it was strange to see my maiden name as my full name. It’s finally official; the Sacrament of Marriage is now in the books for us!

My nephew Torie said he saw a vision of my mother as Mikos walked me down the aisle. This was my mother’s desire, to see me get married in the church. I received this vision as a blessing from my mom. I believed she was smiling down on us.

On Sunday after the wedding, we were busy entertaining out-of-town guests, so I missed Mass. As much as I tried to justify my reason for missing Mass, I felt unfulfilled. Going to breakfast and shopping is not an acceptable reason to miss Mass. With this in my heart, I felt culpability and needed to go to confession. I always understood that missing Mass on Sunday was a mortal sin. Many would disagree with this statement, but I felt that in some way I let the Lord down. I googled “is missing Mass on Sunday a sin?” and the best answer came from an article written by Father Kenneth Doyle:

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that teaching clearly in No. 2181: “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants). Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”

As several of us were in line for confession, I told the young man who was in line after me that I was only going to take a minute. The visiting priest was kind and understanding; he quickly absolved me of my indiscretions.

Fifty Years

During the lockdown we decided to remodel our living room. This would be the third time to reupholster our couch and chairs. For the money we ended up spending we could have purchased new furniture. In life you keep what is good quality and if you take care of it, it will last a lifetime. Our marriage has gone through different phases and when our relationship needed to be renewed, we’d picked out the fabric together. For our marriage to last 50 years, it had to be Christ-centered. I am a strong-willed woman, and Mike is a stern man who is always looking to the future. I live for the day. When God brought us together it was because we needed balance.

We Walk Together

It took years of prayer for me to understand that I was not in control of Mike’s spiritual journey. It was painful to attend church alone, and my impatience got the best of me. Through growing in Christ, I finally understood that our relationship with God is personal, and God works with us individually. My immature attitude as a babe in Christ hindered Mike’s walk. When I finally got the wake-up call from God, I learned to step aside and allow the Holy Spirit to gently move in. That was not an easy task because I like to be in control.

The Makeover

I love antiques and when I first noticed that our dining room table with matching hutch had some type of wood eating weevil, I ignored it. For years I ignored it. Again, during the lockdown I noticed that the furniture was infested with bugs. The dormant weevils had taken over, and the damage had spread to all the chairs. We needed to make another decision: to invest in having the furniture treated or to get rid of it. This, too, is like a marriage with a serious problem. If you ignore the important matters in a marriage, the problem becomes out-of-control. Just like our antiques, it spreads to other pieces of furniture. Again, it was a big expense to have the furniture fumigated, but it was worth saving.

Save Your Marriage

If God can forgive a murdering adulterer like David, He can forgive you. If your marriage is infested with sin, God can repair it. It took an extra powerful fumigation agent to kill the weevils in our furniture because the problem was deep within the wood. Sin that is deep within the soul can be removed.

The Honeymoon

The honeymoon was postponed because of a medical procedure. Due to my severe case of COVID I developed a type of bacteria in my gut. When the Devil unleashed this pandemic on us, he wanted to be certain that if we survived it was going to be a battle. This upper GI procedure will give me and the doctors better insight (literally) as to what is causing the problem. This all comes with being a senior bride; therefore, my medical concerns preempted our honeymoon plans.

Mike has made all the arrangements for our stay in Santa Barbara. We have a deep connection to this city; both of our children were born there, and we still own a home about a block-and-a-half from Leadbetter Beach. I cried for weeks when we sold our first home in Santa Barbara and moved to Whittier. For years Mike would beg me to move back, but we made our roots in Orange County. I would never leave my family, and we have a lot of stability here. My church and my friends are here plus we are only20 minutes from the beach. Maybe we will retire to Santa Barbara some day.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, help us to trust in You for all of our relationships, especially our marriages. Even through the dark valleys, show us Your light to find a way. Make us better examples to help those who are lost or feel abandoned in their marriages. Amen.

There was only one priority for me when it came to our wedding. I wanted the Mass and the music to touch the hearts of our guest. Our parish at St. Norbert is anointed in many ways; we have one of the best music directors and some of the best cantors. I met with John, the music director to discuss the selections of songs,  and with his direction we were able to put together the most beautiful program for the ceremony. I never told Mike until the night before the wedding that I had hired a trumpeter for the service. I knew from the start that the trumpet would make all the difference, and I wanted to surprise him. It was amazing, and the cantor, Jonathan, singing opened our sense of hearing through his powerful voice. Click her for a short video IMG_7689

Father Moneypenny

We are so blessed to have Father Moneypenny as our pastor, he brings love and unity to our community. I remember once I had a meeting with him about an important matter and when it came time for me to register a complaint about something, it was meaningless and petty  because he was so kind and understanding. My problem was solved by his words of wisdom and he put my humility in check. It was an honor to have him be part of our Nuptial Mass.

The COVID Jinx

Mike had warned me that COVID would have an impact on the number of people attending, but I did not take it too seriously. His big concern was me not being around large crowds and to stay COVID free. On Monday, the week of the wedding, I was feeling sick. I had this unusual pain in my chest and thought for sure it was Omicron. I overdosed on extra strength aspirins and chased it with  a couple of swigs of honey-flavored cough medicine, then I popped a cold medicine/cough drop in my mouth. When morning arrived I was still not well. I did not attend Mass for two days for fear of spreading the ghost virus. I kept this little battle private  and prayed over myself for a quick healing. I was experiencing an unnatural fear and was stressing over the fact that I could have COVID. Even though Mike suggested that I take a test right before the wedding, I wanted nothing to do with this. I continued with the regime of over-the-counter drugs believing that God would see me through. Finally, on Thursday it was lifted and I felt great.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

My sister Norma never rallied and was unable to travel due to a bad case of COVID (she was fully vaccinated). With all the prayers going forth for her recovery, it was not meant to be. I tried my best to occupy my mind on the good and concentrated on praying for all that had responded “yes” to attend. I knew under normal circumstances that my brother George and his wife Mary would attend but he too came down with COVID (also fully vaccinated).

I was excited to see Torie, Stacie, Rocky and his fiancé Angela, and my sister Jo. The atmosphere of the Omicron was swirling everywhere and there was an outbreak in the school where Torie and Stacie’s children attend. Then I got the call about the change of plans. They decided to bring all three of their kids. Jo, also had added two of her grandchildren and her son Nick was also attending. At this point with all the cancellations, their neighbors would have been welcomed as well. My sister Jo and I quickly bonded to an other level of sisterhood and I thank God that she was there to support us.

On the morning of the wedding, while Sarah was doing my hair, I got a call from one of my nephews about his daughter hurting her shoulder and that they were on the way to the hospital.  Then came a text for yet  another cancellation due to COVID. I wanted so badly to text back “So you woke up with COVID this morning?” There were other text messages that really upset me like, “We were exposed to COVID over the weekend, so we’re not going to make it to the wedding.” News flash! The moment you walk out your door, your exposed!! I was very upset with this news and dropped an “F” bomb, well maybe several. Sarah gently led me off the cliff by grabbing my phone. When I finally calmed down the thought came to me that I could not get married in this state of mind. I called Fr. Leonard and asked him if I could go to confession before the service. While the musicians were tuning up their instruments I was confessing for my foul mouth.

Father Leonard Mary

If you are are regular  reader of this Blog, by now you know the relationship Mike and I have with this holy man of God. Father Leonard, is not only our friend but also like a son to us. He has been through many of our trials and blessed times. He has been part of our lives for over twenty-five years. Both Mike and I wanted him to officiate our special day. Father’s part was especially important because he knows us personally. He belongs to the order of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word. You can catch him on television on a regular basis. EWTN is a global Catholic network  on Spectrum  it’s on Channel 460.

The Reception

On a clear beautiful day, over looking Orange County, the sunset outlined Catalina Island for us as we stood out to look at His glorious creation. Orange County Mining Company provided the best service, and the food was excellent,  DJ, Eddie was on target with the music. I loved watching my grandchildren dance, Wil, Lucas, and Jake were so adorable. If I were giving out awards, Maddie would have gotten it for best dancer.  And to the best dressed Torie wins hands down. What a magical night! Thank you brother Mike, Rong, Nadia, Michael and to my cousin Nellie, Danny and Maggita, it was wonderful to see you.

My prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You for all Your wonderful provisions. From the Mass to the reception all was perfect, including the weather. Thank you to all who traveled from long distances to attend our blessed event. May You continue to guide us in all that we do. Thank You, Lord, for always watching over us. Amen.

It started on Monday with a phone call from the cantor. He could not keep the commitment to sing at the wedding. I reminded him, “But we planned this three months ago, and you agreed.” When he attempted to explain the reason, it didn’t matter because he was not available, I had to move into “Plan B” and within five minutes the problem was solved. The last three months have been dedicated to prayer for our wedding. It’s not the only prayer, nevertheless it is a priority this week.

The COVID Wedding

Who plans a wedding in the midst of a pandemic? We did. On Tuesday our grandson Lucas came home from school and went straight to bed, complaining about a severe headache. He did not surface until 6:00 p.m. The following morning our daughter Sonja called to tell me that Russ gave Lucas a COVID test, and that he was positive. My heart sank. I went into prayer mode and begged God to help us. Mike came into the kitchen and asked, “Can we talk?” Again my heart sank. He cut right to the chase,  “This is really bad, we need to postpone the wedding. My reply, “Can we please give it a few more days? Please?” Mike walked out without saying a word, which I interpreted to mean “the wedding is on!” Everyone was agitated with me. Sonja was upset with me because I said, “Well, it’s only Tuesday, he’ll have time to recover before the wedding.” I did not mean to come off as insensitive  but Lucas is part of the wedding party.

I did a further investigation about the COVID home testing kit. Sonja said that when Russ, (her husband) opened the kit the cotton swab flew across the room and landed on the floor. Russ decided to use a regular Q-tip to administer the test. So the entire time I was suspicious about Lucas’ positive results. They decided to keep both boys from school because the entire world is going Pentecostal if they hear that someone is infected.  Sonja took Lucas to get a PCR test; this test is almost 100 percent  accurate. No one knows how to prepare for a pandemic, and it’s crystal clear that we are all in the dark about this mysterious virus. Lucas’ real test results were not going to be available for a few days. Finally, on Friday, he tested negative; he had the flu.

On Wednesday my sister Norma came down with COVID symptoms. Norma and I are very close so her absence from my wedding would be devastating. Norma’s daughter and granddaughter are now sick. My brother George tested positive despite being fully vaccinated and boostered. I’m praying for them to have a full recovery.

Adoration

When I found out that all of  my sister’s family members  were sick and my brother tested positive, I had to go to Adoration. I drove to St. Martin De Porres Church in Yorba Linda, where they have perpetual adoration. There I poured out my heart for all the needs of others. I am praying for four women who are suffering with cancer and who need a miracle, I’m praying for someone who needs weekly dialysis, I’m  praying for all those who are suffering with COVID and for those who are suffering from emotional distress. I ended my prayer by reciting the rosary.

Do Not Fear

With all these obstacles, I never feared because I trust in God. I was stressed out but quickly came to my senses. Mike and I are one, but with the Sacrament of Marriage we will be fully bonded in Christ. I thank God for bringing us together. Mike is a gift to our family, and the love that we share for one another will continue to grow as we get older. The most important part of our wedding will be the Mass. Through prayer the Lord brings me back to the full circle of priorities; besides there are so many other matters that are much more critical than our wedding.

The Wedding in Cana

When Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine, it was through the urging of His Mother. The Church in Cana is beautiful. This small village is mostly Muslim, so they do not share the reverence we do, but whenever I visit, I pray for marriages, especially mine. We Catholics are misunderstood when it comes to the Mother of Christ. We ask for her intercession and for her to invoke her Son to help us in our needs. In her words: “Do whatever he tells you.” This is an indication that Jesus responds to her request. So I’m asking Mother Mary to help me remain focused and for all details to work out for the glory of her Son Jesus.

The Seating Chart

My dear friend Jane came over a couple of weeks ago to work on the seating chart. We were so prepared with making sure all the guests were accounted for, and we did our best by seating them where they would feel comfortable. Then slowly the regrets came in. Before the beautiful chart was delivered, there were ten revisions. The only thing that did not change were the table numbers; they look great. Our godson, Marcus, is making us seating cards to avoid the confusion of the custom chart.

The Bride

I’m almost 70-years-old and my hair always needs to be colored. For some reason my husband likes my hair long and insists that I keep it at this length. I had it professionally colored by my friend Sarah, but she suggested that I have my eyelashes professionally done. At first I thought it was a ridiculous idea, but since it’s been years since using mascara, my eyes did needed  a little enhancing. When the lash tech was finished, I looked in the mirror all I could think of was those cows with really long eyelashes, and thought, “Dear Lord, do I look like that?” When I got home I hid from Mike for a few minutes but then we had to attend our grandson’s basketball game, Mike liked the change. When we got to the game, I tried not to have eye contact with Jenny (our daughter-in-law) but that was never going to happen, Jenny is always up in my business. “Oh my God! did you get eyelashes?” She asked. Now I have to go through the scrutiny from our daughter Sonja. Thank the good Lord that’s she’s out of town.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I cannot do anything without You in my life. I pray for all those suffering from physical pain. Lord, receive their pain as an offering for healing; let their prayers reach Your Holy throne. Lord, we look to You for everything, and trust that You will manifest in our lives and continue to guide our every path. Amen.