The Gift
Our daughter Alina is getting married this weekend. Of course, this represents such a mixed bag of emotions! I remember one comedian who stated the definition of mixed emotions: “when your mother-in-law drives your brand-new car off a cliff…” I know, that’s horrible… But admit it, you laughed!
The mixed emotions every father of the bride goes through is that on the one hand you are wildly happy for your daughter, and on the other hand, is this guy possibly good enough for her? I think it was Chuck Swindoll who said that walking your daughter down the aisle and giving her away is like taking a violin (Stradivarius…of inestimable value) and handing it to a 400 lb. Gorilla! As one's mind mulls over this… We so easily forget that we too were raw and inexperienced husbands, who believed we had it all together, along with most of life’s answers. And the truth was, we learned as we went along… mistakes and all!
The mixed emotions every father of the bride goes through is that on the one hand you are wildly happy for your daughter, and on the other hand, is this guy possibly good enough for her? I think it was Chuck Swindoll who said that walking your daughter down the aisle and giving her away is like taking a violin (Stradivarius…of inestimable value) and handing it to a 400 lb. Gorilla! As one's mind mulls over this… We so easily forget that we too were raw and inexperienced husbands, who believed we had it all together, along with most of life’s answers. And the truth was, we learned as we went along… mistakes and all!
Our daughter and her new husband Kyle will soon be on a steep learning curve as they begin to live together. They will learn to adjust, to give and take, and Lord willing, have a lifetime of learning one another. Marriage is a wonderful reminder of grace. Grace is the gift that helps make any marriage work. Grace is the oil that helps marriage, and life, run well. Let me explain that a bit.
Grace first of all, is a gift from the Lord! Grace lets us admit when we are wrong, it keeps no record of wrongs, it doesn’t have to have its own way, it learns to compromise, laugh, forgive, and see another person’s point of view. Grace is love in action. We, I believe, are most like our Master when we show grace! We remember that it was God's grace that brought us to Christ! In Christ we are blessed, forgiven, free, and loved… salvation is a gift - the greatest ever! So, for Karen and me, the prayer for our kids is that they “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)."
As I walk Alina down the aisle, I’ll be no doubt tearing up, no doubt have a heart full of gratitude, (probably second- guessing my decision to give Kyle the green light :) but mostly thankful that I can do this and that even this day is a gift of grace from our Lord.
Pray that no one trips.
Grace…. The gift that keeps giving.
Grace first of all, is a gift from the Lord! Grace lets us admit when we are wrong, it keeps no record of wrongs, it doesn’t have to have its own way, it learns to compromise, laugh, forgive, and see another person’s point of view. Grace is love in action. We, I believe, are most like our Master when we show grace! We remember that it was God's grace that brought us to Christ! In Christ we are blessed, forgiven, free, and loved… salvation is a gift - the greatest ever! So, for Karen and me, the prayer for our kids is that they “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)."
As I walk Alina down the aisle, I’ll be no doubt tearing up, no doubt have a heart full of gratitude, (probably second- guessing my decision to give Kyle the green light :) but mostly thankful that I can do this and that even this day is a gift of grace from our Lord.
Pray that no one trips.
Grace…. The gift that keeps giving.
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