"Dearly Beloved . . . "

It won't be long now! In just a little over 9 hours I will be walking my daughter down the aisle. And shortly after reaching the front of the sanctuary ... the question will be asked, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Wait a minute!! "Woman??!!" My little girl Kate is no longer a little girl but a "WOMAN??!!" It is true. Somewhere along life's journey - I looked away ... and when I looked back my little brown-eyed girl was no longer a girl - but a beautiful young woman. A college graduate. A successful high-school teacher. And soon - a wife! I can scarcely believe it! But I am so very glad for her and her soon-to-be husband!

As I look ahead to the wedding ceremony, I can't express how privileged I feel. Not only do I get to do what every dad gets to do (walk his daughter down aisle) - but I also get to officiate the ceremony, guiding Ryan and Kate through their vows in the process! I consider that a huge honor!!!

I am excited for Kate and Ryan for I know that when a husband and wife seek to live together as God intended (with the husband CHERISHING and not controlling his wife and the wife RESPECTING and not restructuring her husband) God will indeed bless, granting to the husband and wife a "taste of heaven" on earth.

I know - that's been my experience with my bride of some 30 years now! I am praying that Kate and Ryan will experience the joy we have had (and continue to have!).



Thanks for praying for us today!!!

And thanks for stopping by . . .

The Father of the Bride (a.k.a. "pj")

One More Day - But Who's Counting?

Yesterday I had a great day celebrating with the groom in Washington, DC (in the photo the groom, Ryan is in the blue shirt). We took in, among other things, the National Archives (to view the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States), the WW II Memorial and a Washington Nationals vs. the Baltimore Orioles baseball game. Needless to say, by the time I got home (about 1:15 AM) I was one worn out Father of the Bride!

After a very short night, I was up and at it this morning ... running a few errands and then spending a few minutes with my daughter. At one point she made mention that tonight would be her last night at home ... for some bizarre reason, those words plucked my heart strings which in turn flipped on the switch to my tear ducts. We had a good cry together (but better here in the privacy of my living room than while walking her down the aisle before the watching gaze of 556 eyes (or 278 people)!

I am hoping to post tomorrow morning with some thoughts ... but I must run now as I have more things to do before the rehearsal at 4:30 this afternoon.

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Only Two More Days!

In less than two hours I will be heading south with a bunch of guys who are going to celebrate my-future-son-in-law's impending marriage. Our day will include some sight seeing in Washington, DC, dinner and then a baseball game featuring the Washington Nationals vs. the Baltimore Orioles (now those who know my future-son-in-law will not be suprised about the day's itinerary. Baseball and U.S. history are at the top of his interests - but below his interest in my daughter!!!) . BUT before I leave on our excursion, I have to deliver all the reception favors to the resort (they need them no later than noon today). I will be glad to do so ... after all, I placed each and every one of the 556 truffles into their little white boxes (two per box and wearing these little plastic gloves while I did so). I sure hope the guests at the reception really (I mean REALLY) enjoy them! I spent several hours yesterday helping my daughter, wife and a few others putting the favors together. (I also made a "plum" run to pick up about three dozen more of the fruit - and if you are wondering what the plums are for - see my previous posting).

In a little less than 56 hours the wedding ceremony will begin. Hmm. I am still trying to figure out just how as Father of the Bride I am going to be feeling at the moment when I walk my baby down the aisle. More on that tomorrow. Now I have to run ... got some truffles to deliver!

Thanks for stopping by. . .

pj

Reflections of the Father of the Bride (part 2)

At the beginning of this week, I had big plans to write a brief posting each day leading up to my daughter's wedding. Well as you can see, I missed doing so yesterday. Let's just say my day included some unanticipated "errands."

First we made a mid-morning stop at Willow Valley Resort (reception site). There we discussed all the last minute "make-sure-all -the-ducks-are-in-line" type of details for the reception. This meeting concluded with the final payment ("ouch!"). From there, my wife took our daughter out to lunch - a relaxed, reflective and very enjoyable dad, mom and daughter time (most likely the last before the big day!). From there we drove to Costco to pick up plums for the wedding reception (I think they are being used in conjunction with informing reception guests as to their seating assignment - and, Oh by the way, I NEVER dreamed how difficult it would be to decide who is sitting with whom at a reception!!!). After cleaning Costco out of their plums - we then drove to some candy store to pick up truffles --- 550 truffles --- to be used as reception favors!! So it took a while for the store staff to get the order together ... so instead of getting home right after lunch (as I had been expecting) - we didn't pull into the driveway until close to 4:00! Then somehow, I found myself folding these little boxes that were going to be used to "house" the truffles.

After supper (which included hamburgers that I cooked up on the grill), I finally thought I was going to get some "time off." Nope - my wife had to run out to pick up ribbon and tissue paper for the plums and the favors -- and since I had been informed that my tux was in -- we made yet another run. So all that to say -- I had no time to post to my blog yesterday. So I thought before more "stuff" comes shouting to be done today -- I had better get a posting done.

Two years ago my son got married. After going through that experience as "Father of the Groom" - I remember thinking to myself, "That was not all that bad. I can easily do this again!" What I did not take into account that when I would have to do it again - it would be with two daughters, not sons! And let me tell you - there is a world of difference between being the "Father of the Groom" and the "Father of the Bride!" So if you are reading this and you have all daughters -- guys get ready! But I do want to say this -- It's worth it all!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

Reflections of the Father of the Bride (part 1)

In just five days (God willing!), I will be walking my youngest daughter down the aisle to give her away to her soon-to-be husband. It seems like just yesterday that Kate was just taking her first steps! Where has the time gone?

Earlier this morning, I showed Kate my copy of the wedding ceremony (what a great privilege to be able to officiate the ceremony and walk Kate and Ryan through their vows to one another!). Her response was to jump up and down with excitement as she exclaimed, "Only five more days!" My response? Sweaty eyes! But I guess I'll experience more than that by the time this week is over!

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

A Big Event's Coming!

In just six days, our youngest daughter, Kate will be marrying her wonderful fiance, Ryan. It is hard for me to believe that all of our months of planning is almost over! Yea! So beginning tomorrow (Tuesday, June 24th), I will be out of the office so I can be available for any last minute "stuff" that has got to be done. My plan is to post a brief blog posting each day as I reflect on what's happening from my perspective as the Father of the Bride.

As I think of Kate's and Ryan's wedding day, my thoughts are drawn to another wedding day that the Bible talks about. Listen to the Apostle John's description:

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." (Revelation 19:6-9)

What a glorious day that will be - when the Church, the Bride of Christ is married to the Eternal Bridegroom - Jesus Christ, Lord of lords and King of kings! Will you be a part of the ceremony! If you are not sure, I encourage you to go to the following link and find out just how you can be sure: http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/index.asp

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

The Beef of the Bible!

Yesterday I asked the question, "Where's the beef?" The sad situation within the Church today is that the average Christian has "dumbed down" his or her knowledge of the Bible. This is tragic for one cannot obey and apply what one does not know to begin with! For your weekend "fodder" I have included below some insightful comments about the Bible and our interaction with it. Take a moment and read through these ... and then examine your own practice of Bible intake.


"The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual growth. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian." --AW. Tozer




"The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed." --Patrick Henry




"Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand." --Mark Twain



"For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a mighty tree and every word a little branch, I have shaken every one of these branches because I wanted to know what it was and what it meant." --Martin Luther



"When you read God's Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, "It is talking to me, and about me." --Soren Kierkegaard


"Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy." --R. C. Sproul


Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj