Wedding Day

Saturday morning, June 4, 2011. Today my daughter Rachael marries Brandon Beckemeyer. We have been planning the wedding for a couple years now, so the plans are all done. I say "we" when I really mean that Penny and Rachael have been planning the wedding and I only jumped in on occasions as needed. They had some definite plans they wanted and they have seen them come together.

I have been asked if I am getting the "dad jitters." The answer would be "no." What jitters are there to have? Do I not want my daughter to get married? Of course I do. She has found the man that God intends for her to marry. It is a great event and a wonderful day. You raise your children so that they can start their own families. God intends for that to happen. He plans for moms and dads to raise their children, teach them right from wrong, help them to mature and grow and then to fly from the nest. As nice as it is to have them at home, it is also nice to see them able to go off and begin life on their own. A wedding is the opportunity for parents to rejoice in the fact that their child has grown into adulthood and is able to stand on his/her own two feet. When you approach a marriage with the aspect that it is part of God's plan, then it opens up new doors to you to know that since it is God's plan, there is good in it and it should be part of your plan.

Penny and I are going to enjoy this day. We are proud parents of Rachael. We are proud that she is getting married. We are happy that she is marrying Brandon. It is great to see this new chapter in her life begin.

We support her fully in this new life. We will give our support and advice (when it is asked for not when we feel it is what we want, for what we want in her marriage is for her and Brandon to grow together, mature together and make their way in life together).

Nervous? No. Anxious? No. Excited? Yes. It is an exciting day! And boy are we looking forward to it. Bring on the ceremony. Bring on the family. Bring on the friends. Let's enjoy the day together. When it is over, let's be able to say, "That was really a great event. God has truly blessed us today!"

Civil Unions

I find myself on edge over civil unions. Let me start by saying that they are against the will of God. He has ordained that a man and a woman should be joined together as husband and wife. he did not give the OK for two people of the same sex to be joined together. I know that is not a popular thought in today's world. It isn't my feeling or opinion. It is what God says in His Word. If you have problems with it, take it up with God. And know this, He will tell you that to do something else is a sin, wrong, an act of the flesh (see Galatians 5).

What gets me is how is forced upon me. I pick up the paper yesterday and there is two women (reverends nonetheless - which made me think, what God do they worship and teach? It sure isn't the God of the Bible. Then I see they are from nondenominational churches and I realize - nothing against nondenominational churches - they are able to do what they want, teach what they want, and call it God's will. Ugh. What a world we live in today!) getting their license for a civil union. Then this morning, two men on the front page, kissing. Here it is! Like it or not. Even it offends you personally and spiritually, the world doesn't care. Take it. Accept it. And don't speak against it because then you will be labeled a homophobic person and a sick-o that cannot love others.

Baloney! It is an abomination to God and His will. It offends me because it is wrong. Does that mean I do not love those who are in a same-sex relationship? No it doesn't. I love them just the same. Their sin is still a sin. So is the sin of the heterosexual who is living together without marriage. It is a sin and abomination to God also. I love them. I cannot abide the way we are trying to make a sin acceptable. I can't stand the living together thing and I can't stand the civil union. The statement is made that opposite sex couples could get a civil union as well if they don't desire marriage. That, my friends, is wrong too. If you cannot be married, then don't live together.

I know, this is a harsh blog. It rubs me the wrong way the way that society is trying to dictate to God what is right and wrong. We have it backwards. God dictates to us. And we don't like it because it means that we cannot do what our sinful hearts desire. So what? That is why He is God and we are the creature. He made us. We can't tell Him what is right and wrong. He tells us. Plain and simple.

I pray for our nation. I pray for all who are living in sin. I pray for myself - for I face temptation and sin every day. I am not perfect. I cannot cast the first stone. Yet I can say what God has already said - sin is still a sin, no matter what the state of Illinois says.

A Summer Morning

Sitting on the porch, the sun shining brightly, the sky a beautiful blue, marveling at creation. What a wonderful day that the Lord has made. All I can do is sit in awe at how His finger paints creation in the beautiful patches of green, blue, and the abundance of colors of flowers, birds and animals. How amazing it is to see the beauty of creation - God has made it all. I sit and wonder, "How can anyone imagine that this happened by accident?" How can anyone imagine that there is no God who created the world?

Then I remember that we live in a fallen world. Sin blocks our vision. It corrupts our thoughts. We imagine that we are gods, people in control of our own destiny. We envision that we are the center of the universe and that everything has to go as we desire and wish. We push God to the background because to acknowledge Him would mean that there is One that we are responsible to, that we must listen to, that we must give answer to - and we don't like that. We want to be gods! We want to control this world! We are invincible! (Think the James Bond film "Goldeneye" right before the computer geek dies from the nitrogen coming over him.) And then we all die. Morbid - yes. True - yes. And at that moment we realize one important truth - God is God and we are not. No matter how much we argue, refuse to accept, etc. God will still be God and we will still be the creatures. We can put forward evolution until we are blue in the face and then, when we die and stand before the Almighty, we will know that evolution was wrong and creation was correct. Until then, so many people will fall for the lie and deny the truth. Sad, so very sad. How I pray that the Holy Spirit would change people's minds and hearts to follow the truth of God's Word.

Sitting on the porch, soaking up the warm sun, enjoying the birds flying here and there, rejoicing in the wonders of creation, these thoughts run through my mind. Lord, please open people to the truth today. Don't let anyone die in their unbelief. That would be the worst kind of death - for it brings eternal damnation. I don't want that. Make me a vessel to take to the message of life and hope to others, that they too might rejoice in the wonders of Your Son and know the peace it brings.

Summer begins. I look forward to my mornings on the porch. Lord, keep them coming!