A few notes from Carl - One of the best things about our wedding was that Julie's dad did our ceremony. Julie and I had written our vows but otherwise knew nothing about what her dad would say. He began by saying that 23 years ago, God gave them a beautiful little girl...she grew up dating many boys, but one day Carl showed up in our lives. Carl eventually asked me to marry my daughter. I looked for a sign, and that sign was my son, Gabriel. Gabe did not like any of the boys that dated Julie. I asked Gabe what he thought of Carl, and he said, "I like him". That's when I knew that Carl was the one that God chose for my daughter.

Isn't that a great illustration of what marriage is? It is the blending of two people to become one - for better or for worse - also taking on identities from two separate families. From a parent's perspective, I can only imagine that it must be very difficult to trust an outsider to your family with the most cherished "things" we have - our children. Steve Martin's character in "Father of the Bride" is basically my future when this time comes in our lives. For the parent that encourages their child to leave the home to bond with another for life, it is the demonstrated belief in God's Word that it is not good for man to be alone. Julie's dad seemed both happy and sad at our wedding. Sad, I'm sure, to realize how quickly children grow up. Happy, I hope, in his belief in his daughter's future. I am thankful that my father-in-law married me to his only daughter, and I am thankful that Julie's brother was the sign to his father that I belonged in their family.

I am already praying for the wife and husbands that God is preparing for our children. Lord, help me enjoy them now and look toward to the future.