Memorial Box: Pine Cone

A few weekends ago we went to a wedding at the end of the post I said "Praise God for His miracles in allowing "coincidences" to turn into a place  to stay for FREE (3 bedroom town house-together! FREE) !  Our Lord is So good!"

Well that set of coincidences is the Memorial Box story for this Monday.

We served in our church youth department for many years.  After several years my husband began a college guys bible study as many of our youth had moved on and some were no longer connected with our church. It was a way to keep them connected to the Lord and provide accountability.  It has been 3 years or so since the group no longer meets but we have stayed connected with the guys.  One is actually now our son-in-law.

Well one of the young men, Brandon, invited us to his wedding last summer.  He was marrying his long-time girlfriend whose relationship went all the way back to our youth-ministry years.  Their wedding was lovely!  It was such an honor to be witnesses as they made a convent with our Lord to be man-and-wife forever.

Well, the reception was a sit down affair where you were assigned tables.  The couple has arranged the tables with photos of all the places they had been together.  It was neat to see that God had taken this couple to Daytona Beach, Paris,  Boston, many more... well we got sat at EUPHALA table.  Euphala?  Well from the photo I could not tell where in the world Euphala was.  Was it an African village, who knew with all the places those two had been over the years?   Well, later on in the evening someone else that sat with us made the connection-that was where their family had their lake house.  OHH! We knew of the lake house and trips there but we had no idea the place was called Euphala, Alabama.

Well, fast forward and our neighbor/like-a-daughter Lauren was getting married in October I knew we would be traveling as they were getting married closer to where the couple attended college.  Not being sure of where, I called Lauren to see about plans and explain how to book a block of rooms and I asked "where" and she said they were getting married at a mansion in Alababma about 1 1/2 hours from their school a little town you have probably never heard of:, Euphala... Wait! Did you say EUPHALA?

Immediately my hubby and I  thought "do you think Brandon's dad would let us stay", I mean it is at least worth an "ask". The worst he could say is no, and we would understand.  Well, through a few conversation it was decided that we could "barter" services and get to stay at the lake house for free.  My hubby worked on their pool and we had a place to stay for the wedding. A 3 bedroom house on a lake!  Amazing!

It was SO wonderful to have the whole family under one roof all married but Hunter.  It was nice too to have a place to invite out-of-town family back to-for fellowship and catching up.  We had a full kitchen so we ate for $20 per couple and saved big time!  No hotel costs!  It was amazing.

Watching the sun rise over Lake Euphala was amazing!  Not one morning did I miss it thanks to promptings from God Spirit to "not miss it".  Not one minute Lord!

So, I will have a tiny pine cone in my box to remind me of the pine cones by that lake side. 


No, doubt God goes before us.  Sets events into motion long before you ever have any clue.  Such a beautiful tapestry HE creates.  Glory to God!

Chris, Big Zeke, and Auntie Brittny

Watching TV @the lake house

The "Brittany's"

 

Hubby & Me 

(I look like a ghost that belongs at the mansion)

Brittany (Matron of Honor) & Chris

Brittny & Clay

Big Zeke in his "tux" onesie

The Bride & Groom Praying under the Chuppah

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Coe

In front of Shorter Mansion- Euphala, AL

I'll post family pics when they come back from the photographer. 

If you don't know what a Memorial Box is Linny explains it HERE

And if you are really bored and/or like to look at old homes here is a video I found on youtube of the mansion