The Wedding of August and Erma
I believe the joy and happiness experienced by those who attended a wedding, including that of the bride and the groom, is dependent on The Lord’s blessing the occasion.
August Karunungan is in charge of our company’s customer service. His job is to service our kitchen cabinet’s customers with ten years warrantee within 48 hours after he received the request. He is 42 years old. His wife Erma is 40. She is a sewer in one of the factory in Taytay, Rizal. They are both single, without children, before the wedding. The wedding was last March 9, in the beautiful church of St. John the Baptist in Taytay. The church was located on a hill.
I asked Dado, our driver, what time are we to leave Paranaque if we are to be on time for the 11 o’clock wedding. He said 9 am. But then on the last minute we decided to buy my gift at the SM city Taytay, so he said, 8:45. It was a leisurely and pleasant trip at C-6, surprised to see also the new promenading place at lower Bicutan, Taguig with Laguna the Bay in the background. It is a long stretch of elevated pavement, around four meters wide, ideal for jogging. Dado deposited me at the entrance of SM Taytay at 10:06. I proceeded to the glassware section and have the gift wrapped, free of charge. The young salesman who attended to me said,”Ah, St John the Baptist church, malapit lang sir.” As we ascend the driveway towards the church, I looked at the car clock, it registered 10:59. Sometimes I am amazed at the wisdom of this good man.
At 11:15, the ceremony started. August was wearing a barong where you can see-through his white undershirt, and a khaki colored pant. There were five Ninongs and Ninangs, five of them from our company. Roel, our project quality inspector was the official photographer. The organist in the balcony at the back, is also at the same time the soloist and guitarist. It was I think in the middle of the mass that The Lord started to touch the hearts of those who attended. With my eyes moist, I thought to myself, how beautiful it is that The Lord has created the institution of marriage. How beautiful it is to have a family gathering like this, with children wearing happy faces.
The reception was just a stone’s throw away, down from the church. So the newlywed just walk together with all the rest. Food were delicious. No dessert. Someone said, it was Erma’s sister who cooked it. I ate a bit too much I thought. The tables were round tables of eight, so it was easy to converse with one another. Most of our staff were seated in just one table. The weather was particularly pleasant that noon time.
The Lord is the great equalizer or to be more accurate, The Lord has the control. Irregardless of whether it’s a best effort budget or multi million peso wedding budget, The Lord can choose to tilt the balance and determine whom he will favor with a joyful and happy occasion.
I suggest to always ask for the Lord’s blessing on any occasion, be it a birthday party or a visit to an old friend. His favor is our most important budget component. My, even the weather cooperates !