My Son is Getting Married!

My son is getting married on Saturday. That one statement carries a host of emotions.

First of all, I’m thrilled he will have someone to grow old with … someone to laugh with during the good times, and someone to hold his hand and prop him up when he needs encouragement during the hard times.  I’m also thankful for the young woman he’s marrying, Erin. She is perfect for him in every way. She’s a Christian, which would be my first requirement, (if I was allowed to pick his future mate) and she has a sweet, kind, and caring spirit. I’m looking forward to welcoming her into our family.

On the flip side, I have to admit there is a little bit of sadness in my heart. Sadness because he is my “baby” … the last of my three children to be born and the last to get married.  Sadness because we will miss seeing him every day since he will now live in Virginia. And sadness because I would love to claim my future daughter-in-law as a new “daughter” and learn more about her … which will be hard when they live seven hours away.

Yes, thoughts of the wedding bring tears to my eyes, but they are a mixture of sad tears and happy tears. His marriage is a culmination of years spent in prayer for him … that he would grow up to be a man of God, a man of integrity, and reliable and trustworthy. The happy tears are because he is a man we can be proud of. A man who, I think, will make a good husband … a good spiritual leader and hopefully, one day, a good father.

So most of my tears are ones of gratitude. God has blessed us now with three additions to our family. Two new “sons” we love and are so proud of, and now a new “daughter” whom we can love as well. After our children were born and were growing day by day, we prayed for their character and for the character of their future mates. I can honestly say God has answered those prayers. He has given us perfect mates for our children, and for that I will always be grateful.

So this marriage will finally kick our last little bird out of the nest, and start another new family for us to love. Three children, three news members of the family, and a whole world of blessings … more than we deserve and more than we every hoped for. Thank you, Lord!