I came across this 2010 post today and thought that I would bring it back for a while:
I wanted to write about this while it was fresh in my mind. Our son, our only child, was married today. He married a wonderful young lady who grew up in a house close enough that I could hit it from our house with a golf ball. If you knew how I played golf, you would realize how very close that must be, and if there was a golf course next to it that I could play, I probably would have hit the house many times. He's two years older than her and for many years they, and the other children of the neighborhood, played release in the evenings until, one by one, they were called home by parents. I assume that release is similar to the tag of my day but never did ask for a description of the rules. I just heard the laughter and shouts until they quieted down for the night about the same time that the chirping of the birds did.
Both are young Christian adults. I remember the day when I commented to my wife on the change in this little girl running around. She was becoming a beautiful young lady. Our son noticed too. By the high school years they were dating. He went off to a very good and a very conservative college. Two years later she went there also, and one after another they graduated. He went to law school and they set a wedding date after her graduation from college and his second year of law. I'm the type of person who likes to be in the background. I merely want to help the politician or to help the pastor, but in an odd quirk of personality, if they do not do the job, I'll tell them that. So being the father of the groom, and having attention as such, was a little bit difficult. I'm sure I would feel much better advising the father of a groom.
It was like I was on a cloud for the last two days. God has blessed our son with fine young Christian friends. To someone like me, this is more valuable than a million dollar lottery win. I watched the young folks laughing and enjoying themselves at the rehearsal dinner, and was very humbled at blessings given. Tonight I saw them dancing with abandon, all good clean fun and certainly the type of wedding celebration God designed for His children. Years ago, when we dropped him off at his freshman dormitory for the first time, I had real difficulty with emotions. When we moved him into his apartment at law school, it was even more difficult. Today was different and similar. They were no tears at his leaving us. It was pure joy to see him join to another in God's plan, but there was one moment when I almost lost it. The pastor of the church, in his accompanying sermon, looked to our son and made this comment, or one very similar to it: You requested only one thing, that I preach this sermon with a very clear definition of the gospel for all those attending to hear... Our son wanted all those who came to his wedding to hear Christ preached.
I was never more thankful! I danced two slow dances tonight. I think that makes three in my life. And I liked it! I also was probably the first and only man, ever, to attend his son's wedding with a tennis ball in his pocket. It's a long story, trust me, I make mistakes like this, and I took great joy in seeing my wife have such a wonderful day!
