Weather By Dad

The plan was to make it a wedding weekend. All the people come, we have a big party every day, check out the weather and suddenly decide that today the weather looks good, let’s do it! It sounded like a perfect plan! It was on!

The day Stuart asked my dad if he could marry me, they both came rushing home to where I was sitting quite nervously, why I don’t know. I knew he would say yes. But not having done things like getting engaged before, I was nervous anyway. My dad came over with the good news and there were happy tears everywhere! We grabbed champagne, made toasts, took pictures and then grabbed the calendar!

Since I wanted to get married on a very specific piece of beach, we had to take a good look at when the weather would be suitable. My dad, knowing everything about weather at the sea, said April will work fine, since the wind stops blowing in February. There was a long weekend coming up, outside school holidays, ensuring as little people on the beach as possible, and so it was decided! 24 – 27 April!

As I started to round up all the service providers I would need to come I realized that this, not knowing when the wedding would be, made things too difficult. And besides, if I was going to trust the Lord for a good day, I didn’t want to have any back doors or back-up plans “for in case He didn’t deliver”! Where’s the trust in that? So I decided to pick a day.

I announced my decision to Stuart, my family and friends. Some where all for it and others heard me, but didn’t get it. Throughout the five and a half month long engagement, many people were very skeptical and I got regular big eyes and no comments (i.e. you are crazy!) When anyone asked Stu what happens if it rains, he said, then we’ll get married in the rain! How cool!  If they asked me, I said, it will be beautiful. We didn’t worry.

The days flew by. The countdown started at 30! The seasons changed and people prayed. As each day passed a handful of people trusted with me and prayed faithfully that the Lord will give me a perfect day. As the time drew closer for us to fly down to Cape Town, my dad one day asked, did you look at the weather? I said no, I don’t need to look at the weather!

The next day I had to quickly pack my things and was forced to look at the weather prediction. I checked two different websites which said more or less the same thing. It is cold, the wind is blowing, but it will be alright on Sunday. I said whatever and packed three bikinis and summers clothes.

When we arrived in Struisbaai on Thursday late afternoon, it was chilly, and the wind was very present, but I was super excited and enjoyed the meeting with Nikki, who would be coordinating the wedding on Sunday. We decided on 14:00 to have good sunlight for pictures, not too bright though, and enough to last until after the reception.

Friday was a day with many points on the checklist. Coral and I went through them all and I showed her the sights. The wind was still there, but the sun was shining and that was cool! We went to Lizbe, who helped me with the accommodation, and she said, did you look at the weather? I said no, I don’t look at weather, but while I was still talking she turned around and typed something on the computer. Apparently there is a weather station close by and it’s 99 % accurate  Before I could say anything more, she made me a print-out of the next four days’ weather forecast. It gave 3-hourly temperatures, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, cloud cover, rain, etc, in the finest detail…

Saturday was a happy day, because Stu was coming! The wind was going for it and in the afternoon when we met with Nikki on the beach, I had to put one foot back a bit to support myself against the wind. It was just raging! Hair blowing everywhere and arms folded tightly across chests to try and keep warm. I said to Coral, it will be fine.

That evening all the guests met at my parents’ house. We ate mussel soup and boerewors rolls and tried to keep warm. It was freezing cold outside and I could see on people’s faces they were seriously worried. Of course no one said anything to me. I just ignored those looks and tried to get to bed early. That night Coral and I prayed about the weather for the last time...

On Sunday morning I woke up before my alarm clock. I lay really still and listened… nothing. I jumped up, opened our double door and looked straight into a big blueness! It was quiet! There was absolutely no wind. There was not one little spot of cloud. And the sun was shining! I practically pulled Coral out of bed, she was still sleeping, and said come, we’re going to the beach!

We walked to the beach in our pajamas and slippers, it was too early for most people, so it was still quiet. When we got to the beach I jumped off the last step of the walkway and danced on the perfectly smooth and flat beach I love so much! I was totally overwhelmed! I said come sit, we’re going to pray!

We thanked the Lord for His faithfulness. We thanked Him for giving me the most perfect day! We gave him the day and everything in it. We really rejoiced in the day the Lord had made, and we were glad! We drew a big heart in the sand and wrote, Stu and Anne’ are getting married today, 25 April 2010, Thank You Lord for this miraculous day!

Because we had a busy day ahead, we quickly went home for breakfast, then to Bredasdorp to do hair and make-up. I drove back very fast, but don’t tell anyone! I had to get to my wedding! :P When we got back to Struisbaai, we had 30 minutes to get dressed. We jumped straight into our dresses and was ready to leave when we discovered our flowers for the bouquets had been taken with the rest of the flowers! My dad called and they brought back our flowers, which we tied together and off we went!

I don’t know if the adrenaline helped, but the sun was just warm enough for me not to be cold and to create a warm atmosphere. The wind was a good wind and went somewhere else. The beach looked so pretty where the guys and some of the girls set the stage earlier that morning. The ceremony was beautiful!

After some pictures, we returned, the weather still perfect! When the sun finally went to bed, we ate seafood on the beach, a few lanterns and an almost full moon giving some light. It was the coolest wedding ever!

The weather report said Sunday would be fine in the morning and the wind would pick up towards the evening… How cool is it that at 14:00 on Sunday afternoon it was the warmest it had been the whole week and the wind was nowhere to be found and it never significantly surfaced again that day! Now THAT is a God of detail! He even changed the 99 % accurate weather report for me… I guess that 1 % they can’t guarantee must be my Dad 

My dad called it unwavering faith... Hebrews 10:23 (New King James Version) - "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful!"

Say ‘Hi’