THE DRESS

“Come here, Rachel! Look at the pretty dress I have for you! Let’s try it on, OK?” I grabbed the squirming, chubby little body of my baby girl and placed her on my lap with one hand while I tried to fluff out her new party dress with the other. “Shall we try this on, sweetheart?”

The ruffled pink dress topped with a white pinafore was the perfect dress for her to wear at her first birthday party. With a fitted bodice and flouncy skirt designed to billow out when she turned, I thought my baby would love it. “Oh, look at you! My, don’t you look pretty!” I exclaimed when the task of changing her was completed. “Do you want to go show Daddy?”

Quickly she crawled down from my lap and toddled out into the kitchen where the entire family was finishing their lunch. Standing in the middle of the floor, cute, chubby little legs peeking out from the bottom of her skirt, she giggled with delight as she twirled around and around! Sounds of laughter filled the air as everyone watched the picture of exuberance and joy she displayed. She twirled around and around and around again and, for the first time, it was obvious that Rachel loved a pretty dress. Though we were trying to save this one for special occasions, it became apparent that she didn’t want to take it off……………

Twenty–two years later…..

"I want a bridal gown that has straight lines, a simple bodice and no beading." Hours of studying Bride magazine and Internet bridal sites were yielding strong opinions in my youngest daughter, Rachel. Uncharacteristically, she seemed to know exactly what she wanted as she began the search for the perfect dress at the Wedding Shop. Years earlier, along with making a very detailed four page list of the qualities that she required the man of her dreams to exhibit; she had also clearly imagined what she would wear when she married him.

Her sister, Sarah and niece, Selma, matron of honor and junior bridesmaid respectively, and I, the mother of the bride, were along for the adventure. The salon was a mass of many shades of white as the dresses, adorned with various combinations of tulle, lace, and beads, stood at attention. Rack after rack of impressive gowns and group after group of perspectives brides( each accompanied by their own entourage) made me feel a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of finding anything in that store; much less the dress of which dreams are made. But, we continued on.

Rachel had only an hour long appointment before her attendant had another bride to attend to. She tried on about ten simple dresses but nothing seemed to be right. Rachel, at twenty three, is thin and beautiful yet not one dress looked truly becoming on her. We left feeling a bit stunned. What I thought might be an easy task might not be so easy after all.

In the following weeks, Rachel went on a hunting spree for the absolutely perfect bridal gown. With no success, she returned home and we visited “Elegance”, a small bridal shop located in our home town. It was a quiet place with many less options but since we were the only customers in the shop, Rachel was able to experiment a bit. This time, she tried on dress… after dress… after dress. Much to our amazement her taste began to evolve. She started to admire herself in a variety of styles and colors. One gown in particular drew her attention. It had only one shoulder strap, lots of beading, a long train, and was a rich champagne color that enhanced her pale skin and strawberry blond hair.


Success! Perhaps we had the completed the first big decision regarding this daunting adventure of wedding preparation. She put the dress on hold while she tried to decide if this was indeed.....the One. A few days later she came to a conclusion. Even though the champagne colored dress was beautiful, she had always envisioned herself wearing white on her special day. Besides, she didn't "love" it. So, she decided to keep looking…. and looking…. and looking.

On New Year’s Eve day, two and a half months into “the hunt” for the perfect bridal gown, Rachel and I decided to try out yet another shop. Bella Bridal was located on the other side of the city in which she lived. On the way, she prayed that she would not only find a dress but also that it would be on sale. (That’s my girl, always looking for a good deal!) As we arrived, I was not sure if this was such a good idea. We had a somewhat limited budget and this appeared to be an unlimited budget kind of place.

Amazing gowns hung in their splendor throughout the store. As we entered, a friendly attendant greeted us and answered our question regarding the average cost of the gowns in the shop. She said that their dresses started at $1000 and went up from there. Occasionally there were dresses with a sale tag on them but because we were intrigued by the sheer beauty of the place, Rachel and I decided to stay and see what we could find. We browsed through many beautiful dresses and quickly gathered some in her size. She went back to the fitting room to try them on…

The empty viewing room was peaceful and filled with comfortable couches for friends and relatives to relax upon. Podiums were strategically placed in front of the wall of mirrors so brides could stand on them and view their chosen gowns from every angle. While I knew it was a simply a store, the room had a feeling of intimacy about it that was inviting. I sank down onto one of the couches and watched as Rachel tried on lovely dress after lovely dress.

Each dress looked better than the one before. She tried on the last of the ten we had gathered and walked out, stood before the mirror and sighed, “Oh Mom”…..The silk gown was a wonderful blend of all the elements of design that she had been looking for. The bodice was fitted to the knee where it billowed out into a long train. It had a lace up back and tasteful beading. The ivory color was a shade of white and yet complimentary to her skin tone.

“I love it!” We cried at the same time.

“Are you sure, Mom? Does it really look good?” A touch of awe filled her voice as the need for reassurance crept in.

“I think it is beautiful and perfect!” I responded. “I love it, but it’s more important that you think it’s amazing.”

After spending a few more minutes gazing in the mirror, she added a veil. She stood taller and straighter and bit her lip in concentration as she turned around and around and around again before the mirror. I was tempted to ask if she was beginning to feel like a bride. Instead, I waited to see if this dress was going to survive her intense scrutiny. Slowly, a radiant smile lit her face as she cried, “I think this is it! It's so beautiful! I don't think that I ever want to take it off!!"

Upon hearing those words, the kind young attendant was quick to try and clinch the sale. “Well, this dress is already marked down, but if you decide to buy it and pay in full today, I can offer you $50 off of the sale price.

Since Rachel had tried on so many dresses with a variety of price tags, I asked, “After the discount, what would the total be?

“$150", she replied.

Rachel and I looked at each other in amazement. Her prayer was answered. Not only had she finally found a beautiful dress that she loved, but.......it was the cheapest one she had ever tried on!!! We bought the gown and went out the door rejoicing in the faithfulness of God to grant the desires of a young woman’s heart!

How good the Father in Heaven was to lead us to a place that was the ultimate of pleasant experiences for a mother and daughter. How good He was to provide the perfect dress at, by today’s standards, a ridiculously low price. And, by far most of all, how good He was to allow me to have the amazing opportunity of watching my little girl transformed into a bride before my very eyes!

Later....

Days went by as I thought about the ordeal finding a dress for the bride had been. I was reminded how we, as Christians, are the bride of a soon coming bridegroom, (Jesus Christ). We are in the continuous process of getting ready for him. Our lives are constantly being purified and refined so that we will be ever more beautiful for Him. We are always in that wedding preparation mode...

Revelation 19 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent Reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife (the church) has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Have a good day! Love, Sue