WEDDING BELLS
“Have you seen McKenzie?” My wife asked.
“No – She looks good, huh? I answered.
Within a few minutes there she was… I already knew she looked good, it’s hard for her not to, God made her look a lot like her mother. All three girls actually.
“You look great,” I offered the oldest.
“Thanks,” she said.
I asked her about the cartoon sized ring necklace she was wearing.
“Ali got it for me,” she informed me. That would be McKenzie’s maid of honor and daughter number two.
“That’s pretty cool,” I chuckled.
My study was instantly on the back burner as I reached instinctively for my phone.
“Let me get a picture,” I asked her. It’s the one you see here in the post.
It was a special day for the soon to be bride. The entire bridal shower started the day with a two mile race for charity. The race included a paint storm as the runners crossed the finish line. When they all came back to the house for brunch the whole lot of them looked like victims of a Disney channel episode.
After brunch, they got cleaned off and up to go out for a late lunch and celebration of McKenzie’s upcoming wedding. Once they’d all left I pulled my phone back out… “My, how time has flown by,” I thought to myself as I studied the picture.
I’ve come to consider nothing in this life as coincidence. If I hadn’t planned a full blown stroll down memory lane, the picture of Kenz sealed my fate.
“Man, her hair has gotten long,” I mused in silence. I’ve always admired her beautiful smile… as well as the determination written all over her face at times when she’s not smiling. I soon spotted the pictures inside my newest one, my shelves are loaded with all the lacrosse pictures in the background.
I smiled inside when I think about her and all those pretty girls that no one would suspect are tougher than nails. In the middle shelf, the highest one, is the a picture of McKenzie’s grandparents, my wife’s parents. She only knows them from stories and pictures… She never got to meet them before God called them home.
The next shelf down I spotted the framed newspaper article of my little league baseball team. I was a whopping nine or ten then. The pictures remind me that we don’t have any idea for sure about what the future holds… They also remind me of my blessings from God. I couldn’t have scripted a better life than the one He gave me.
That picture that looks like it’s sitting on Kenz’s shoulder is a newspaper article about her, she’s taking a shot on goal in the picture inside of my picture. One shelf up from that one, eye level with Kenz and the second one from her, is she and I. Her mom took that one of us after her team won a state championship… I love that picture…
The curtain has closed on the days of me protecting and providing for her… the prayers never will…
May God bless the union of Dean and McKenzie. 12/12/14
Hazel Moon
Sunday, December 7, 2014 @ 7:11 pm
For the Bride and Groom, December is a great month to have a wedding. Ours was Dec 1 many years ago. Sorry about you loosing a tax deduction when you file your income tax for 2014, but that is life. May Dean and McKenzie enjoy many years of happiness as they begin their new life together. Thank you for allowing this on “Tell me a True Story.”
Nancy
Sunday, December 7, 2014 @ 10:54 pm
Excellent! Beautiful daughter, beautiful memories. I am so glad you were a father who invested in his kids! I just returned from our youngest daughter’s house. Neil needed Randy’s help repairing his car and Randy got some help from Neil upgrading a processor and giving his laltest PC a tuneup so he could get on with studying his CCNA book for networking. I helped cook, clean and with the new baby. Hard to believe. We used to daughter Racher, “Sweet Face” – Now she has an itty-bitty “Sweet Face” of her own. I know…it doesn’t seem possible that they should already be grown up , does it? I am making some photo-memory books for everyone this Christmas. Now, everybody can have a keepsake of some of those memories I have…
Bill (cycelguy)
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 3:16 am
Congrats my friend! One of my proudest moments as a father was when my daughter asked me to be her dad and not the pastor at her wedding. Praying for love and grace for Dean & McKenzie to last a lifetime and for mom and dad not to bawl too much. 🙂
Betty Draper
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 9:40 am
Our daughter got married a couple days after Christmas. It was a beautiful wedding with the church still decorated with all the Christmas lights. I will forever be grateful to those who helped us with her wedding for we were serving in Bolivia and could not come home till a week before the wedding, that was tough since Mom’s love being involved in the details. Grateful to a daughter who was willing to work with our limited budget with out complaining. Prayer is the best we can do for our children, especially after they are married. And prayer is what I can offer as you and Diane hand over you daughter care to her husband. Congratulations.
TC Avey
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 10:57 am
It such a joyous time for your family…and one for reflection as we realize how fast our lives are being lived. Each moment is precious gift from our heavenly Father.
The memories you will make as you walk your daughter down the isle will last a life time…so will the numerous pics that will be taken that day.
Barb Raveling
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 1:41 pm
Wow, four more days and you’ll have a new son-in-law! Don’t you have three daughters? It will be nice to have a son for a change! That’s so exciting. Hope you guys have a wonderful week celebrating.
Pam
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 4:14 pm
Congratulations! Such a bittersweet day that will be for you, Floyd. But you know you have taught her well and that God goes with her. Have a beautiful celebration!
Lisa notes
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 6:04 pm
She’s so beautiful! So you’re brushed up on father-in-law skills? 🙂 Congrats to the whole family!
June
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 7:32 pm
Congratulations, Floyd! Wishing your daughter all the JOY that life can hold. The real stuff, not the fake joy the world tries to sell. She’s beautiful, you are very blessed. Thank you for sharing!
Dolly@Soulstops
Monday, December 8, 2014 @ 8:49 pm
Floyd,
She’s gorgeous…Congrats on the upcoming wedding…Praying for her and Dean to have a very joyful and blessed wedding and marriage…many blessings 🙂
David Rupert
Tuesday, December 9, 2014 @ 11:02 am
It’s the wonder of generations that you have captured her for us. One generation training another and then giving their gentle approval from afar. Happy marriage you two!
Sharon
Tuesday, December 9, 2014 @ 11:24 am
Floyd, your daughter is beautiful. And I can tell that her heart is just as beautiful as her lovely face. You must be so proud of her!
Weddings are a funny thing. They stir up lots of emotions. And never more so than the wedding of one of our children. My oldest son just got married last year. My best word to sum up what I felt was bittersweet. I love my daughter-in-law, and I loved their wedding. I couldn’t be happier for their marriage and their love. But, I’ll admit it, there was a corner of this mom’s heart that cried. For I knew that an era was ending. My love and my relationship with my son was evolving, and that was going to involve more letting go. Some part of me will always miss having him under my roof.
I gotta tell you, though, a year later and I’ve learned this. My son will always be my son, and instead of “losing” him, I really and truly found out that another corner of my heart grew to love someone new. And the way that I will continue to protect and provide for both of them now, is to pray for them, to be available for counsel (when asked!!), and to support them with my love.
Always a parent, we will continue to yield our kids to the Lord, and bring them before His throne.
GOD BLESS!
(And my sincerest congratulations and best wishes. Oh, one more thing. On that day, take lots of Kleenex!)
Caleb Suko
Tuesday, December 9, 2014 @ 11:27 am
Congrats on the upcoming wedding! I’m reading this post and thinking about my oldest girl who’s already 15, it won’t be long! I might need to call you for advice on how to give your daughter away pretty soon.
Jennifer Dougan
Tuesday, December 9, 2014 @ 6:45 pm
Congratulations to Mackenzie and her groom in just a few days! I imagine you and your wife are busy too. Mark gets to officiate for a wedding on Dec. 28th of some of our former youth group kids, years later now. We’re honored too.
Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Bernard
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 @ 7:46 am
Congrats to your daughter. I wish her a long and blessed marriage. You
Dan Black
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 @ 5:20 pm
What a great post Floyd! Blessings to the new couple!
Joanne Norton
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 @ 9:12 pm
As usual, you have much on you fathery plate, and you are focusing on the right stuff, which is not a surprise to me. You shared very well and it was a heart-grabber for me, too. And, my former marriage was on Christmas Eve in Tacoma in ’68. Hope you are filled with joy and security as you are moving into another portion of your family world. You are a blessing, so expect you and your wife will be filled with blessings. Thank you for sharing, dear Bro.
Loren Pinilis
Thursday, December 11, 2014 @ 9:51 am
Oh wow, 12/12/14 – as in Tomorrow! Wow, congrats!
If this picture gets you sentimental, I can only imagine how you’ll be tomorrow. Enjoy it!
child of God
Thursday, December 11, 2014 @ 8:22 pm
She’s beautiful!!! Congratulations! Your family is expanding, how exciting!
Blessings to the bride and groom and all of you.
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Audra Krell
Monday, December 15, 2014 @ 7:31 pm
You seem like just about the luckiest guy alive, surrounded by all that beauty! Congratulations to your whole family! Cannot wait to hear your recap and what you learned that day….if we know you, a great story will come out of it. Turns out we have a mutual friend on FB, I got to see a little of the wedding…just a smidge, but you can tell it was gorgeous!