Undegreed
You're unique...just like everyone else
This Saturday, August 18, daughter number 2 will be getting married. For those of you who've "given" away a daughter in marriage you know the bitter-sweetness of the event. With that in mind I asked the soon to be married couple if I could say more than "Her mother and I" during the ceremony. They agreed to allow it. Below is what I plan on saying. For the record, her future husband is awesome.
Generally, at this time in the ceremony we all see a proud, yet dazed, father standing with a rigid spine. This father monotonelly, but strongly proclaims “Her Mother and I.” Then he sits back down and watches as his daughter, his baby, starts a new chapter in life with a new last name. Well this time I have a little more to say than “Her Mother and I.”
I have two quotes I’d like to share. These are quotes I’ve read over the course of the years of raising daughters. The quotes stuck but the authors didn’t. The 1[sup]st[/sup] quote is, “Giving your daughter away in marriage is like handing a Stradivarius (expensive violin) to a gorilla. The 2[sup]nd[/sup] quote is a father talking to a would be suitor, “How dare you think you can trample on my dreams for my little girl.” Before you start to think that this ceremony has been hijacked, let me get to my point.
When Stephanie was born and in the years following I prayed for her future husband. I prayed that he would be a man of integrity, honor and more importantly a man after God’s own heart. I pictured how this man would treat Stephanie, with love tenderness and respect. Shane is the epitome of the man that I have been praying for for Stephanie. To take a common phrase and change the meaning for theses circumstances, “Shane is the man of my dreams.” In regards to the Stradivarius and gorilla I can only point out that Shane treats her with more gentleness than I ever did.
As a young father, I heard on numerous occasions that “your daughter will grow up and marry someone just like their father.” I set out to make it difficult for any young man to meet the standard. Of course, I failed a lot. But if Shane is half the man I know him to be then I am twice the man I had hoped to be.
It is with great honor that my wife and I Present Stephanie to Shane in marriage and speak this blessing you.
May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortunes
and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.
Generally, at this time in the ceremony we all see a proud, yet dazed, father standing with a rigid spine. This father monotonelly, but strongly proclaims “Her Mother and I.” Then he sits back down and watches as his daughter, his baby, starts a new chapter in life with a new last name. Well this time I have a little more to say than “Her Mother and I.”
I have two quotes I’d like to share. These are quotes I’ve read over the course of the years of raising daughters. The quotes stuck but the authors didn’t. The 1[sup]st[/sup] quote is, “Giving your daughter away in marriage is like handing a Stradivarius (expensive violin) to a gorilla. The 2[sup]nd[/sup] quote is a father talking to a would be suitor, “How dare you think you can trample on my dreams for my little girl.” Before you start to think that this ceremony has been hijacked, let me get to my point.
When Stephanie was born and in the years following I prayed for her future husband. I prayed that he would be a man of integrity, honor and more importantly a man after God’s own heart. I pictured how this man would treat Stephanie, with love tenderness and respect. Shane is the epitome of the man that I have been praying for for Stephanie. To take a common phrase and change the meaning for theses circumstances, “Shane is the man of my dreams.” In regards to the Stradivarius and gorilla I can only point out that Shane treats her with more gentleness than I ever did.
As a young father, I heard on numerous occasions that “your daughter will grow up and marry someone just like their father.” I set out to make it difficult for any young man to meet the standard. Of course, I failed a lot. But if Shane is half the man I know him to be then I am twice the man I had hoped to be.
It is with great honor that my wife and I Present Stephanie to Shane in marriage and speak this blessing you.
May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortunes
and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.
. Wish her all of the best and I hope she's less nervous than I am!!!
