ONCE UPON A TIME

Santa Clara, California

When school is rapidly drawing to a close, and the summer months are almost upon us, everyone is looking forward to summer—particularly those couples who are getting married! Brides-to-be are frantically planning and preparing for their dream wedding while dads are asking, “How much is this going to cost me?!” Young grooms have fear in their eyes as they price housing and consider just how much their new bride is going to need each week for groceries! Every girl dreams of being a bride! We plan, prepare and wish we could go on being a bride forever.

I thoroughly enjoyed planning for the weddings in the Trieber household. For each of our girls, choosing the wedding gown of their dreams was absolutely one of my favorite memories. When I saw Tiffany and Tabitha in their wedding dresses, my eyes welled up with tears; and I couldn’t help but think back to their first day of school and the cute little dresses we had picked out for kindergarten. Time passes quickly! Now each wedding dress has been professionally packed away somewhere in both of their homes. I also enjoyed the wedding of our son, Tim. Catching a glimpse of him dressed in his white tuxedo just moments prior to his wedding is something I will keep in my mind’s eye forever.

One wedding that received a lot of news coverage in the last couple of months was “The Royal Wedding!” I was able to watch it with a group of girls from our church, and we had such fun! We all brought our wedding albums and enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane as we looked at each other’s pictures. It was a night each of us will carry in our “memory bank” for a long time. We enjoyed English tea and sweets brought by each guest. The time of fellowship was exceptionally precious–something we will talk about for years to come. However, it doesn’t take long after a wedding is over and the gown is packed away for schedules to become busy, the house to get messy, children to come along, and problems to enter into our lives. Maybe it’s time for each of us to go back to the attic, or wherever that wedding dress is stored, and remember some of those promises we made but perhaps have slowly forgotten in our busyness as wives and mothers.

1. The Gown of Commitment
   Be committed to being your husband’s helpmeet. God gave Eve to Adam to be suitable for him; to complete him; to be his companion, sweetheart and friend; and to bring him joy and delight.
2. The Gown of Patience
   This is a creation of tribulations, trials and testings. It is the pain that teaches us peace, the trials that teach us tenderness, and the pressures that teach us to have patience.
3. The Gown of Kindness
   Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be ye kind one to another.” This gown is soft in texture and is woven together with the threads of gentleness, thoughtfulness, consideration and politeness. The gown of kindness comes in all sizes and features almost unnoticeable details which add character and beauty.
4. The Gown of Joy
   This gown is comfortable and leaves a happy touch whenever it is worn. It is a mood setter. It brings friendly laughter and conversation and leaves out criticisms and harsh words.
5. The Gown of Trust
   This gown is to be worn in place of worry and anxiety. It has a relaxing and calming effect. It is decorated with appliqués of peace and respect and acceptance. It is good to wear when you are not sure where the money is going to come from or when things are not going so well between you and that teenager you love so much.
6. The Gown of Endurance
   This gown is designed for rugged wear. It will take us through the toughest circumstances. It has features such as faithfulness, tolerance, helpfulness and steadfastness. I Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
7. The Gown of Hope
   One must never forget to wear the gown of hope. Some of you sweet ladies are clinging to it pretty heavily right now. Hope is manufactured by optimism. It can turn dark, rainy days into sunny ones; and, when worn on days of despair and defeat, you will find that it brings you encouragement.
8. The Gown of Love
   Last but not least is the gown of love—and this gown is to be worn all the time. This gown will never fail to heal a wounded marriage or to soothe an aching heart. This gown will never fail to repair the lines of communication and remedy a critical spirit. This gown will bring hope to the hopeless and life to those who are outside of Christ.

So, go ahead…take another look at your wedding gown or at least get out your wedding pictures and remember some really valuable promises you made “once upon a time”!

‘Til next month,
Mrs. Trieber

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindie Trieber

Cindie Trieber has served the people of North Valley Baptist Church for more than three decades as the Pastor’s Wife. She teaches in the college and is a godly mother and “Nana." She recently completed her first book entitled With All My Heart.