July 2002

“Her Mother and I”

That was my line. I had worked on it, memorized it, and practiced saying it, so it would be loud and clear. I had accepted the part willingly. It was really the only speaking part in the script for me. The part I auditioned for, the Father who could never let go, was somehow written out of the final draft. I was now the father of the bride; the father with pride.

I won't boast that I fit into the new role naturally, because in truth, there were many moments of wonder. How could a man so young be the father of the bride? Am I mature enough, wise enough, well-heeled enough to be an official father of the bride? Shouldn't I wait a few more years? It was my decision, wasn't it?

With the moments of the wedding and the wonders in the past, I can now report that I remembered all my lines, read my scripture and prayed my prayer. This wonderful time of celebration filled every cup of expectation that I had brought. And it reminded me of the gift that God had given Sue and I in our daughters. The gift that sometimes I take for granted.

Marriage and leaving seemed so far away when we brought Shannon back to our seminary apartment in Arden Hills. There would be plenty of time to share life's adventures. Well, that kind of time is no longer measured in years, it is now measured in the words, "Welcome home" and "I love you, it was great that you could stop by." As Shannon and Trevor walked through their wedding weekend, I, the father of the bride, took some quiet moments to reflect on important truths that may encourage you in your family and life.

In Christ's Love,

Pastor Craig