WHEN A SON GETS MARRIED

By Noel Serrano

There are no words that can best interpret the feelings that a father has when he witnesses the wedding of his only son. A father usually has trouble seeing their son to be all grown and rise to the level of adulthood. We always see them as the little boy that held our hand and looked up at us as if we were the entire world for them. I cannot help but reflect on the growing toddler that went through several stages to become the God-fearing man that he is today. It is amazing to me, how time flies so rapidly. I remember when he was born and the sheer excitement that came over me when I first held him in my arms. He seemed to be peeking at me. I realized that he could not yet see me, but it seemed as if he was shyly glancing at his father for the very first time. I recall the many nights, gazing at him and quietly praying for him as he slept in peaceful bliss in the dark mahogany crib that glistened in the moonlight. As I spent hours, gazing at this beautiful little boy, the awesome responsibility of caring for him and mentoring him, became a major priority for me.

The years went rolling by with increasing velocity. He learned to walk and began to communicate with a very unique linguistic gibberish that quickly became to sound more like regular English. He began to play with toys and demonstrated a systematic approach to his playing routine. He had a habit of placing all his little cars and trucks in one single column. This always brought a smile to me, to witness that my son, even at one year of age, was demonstrating a capacity for orderliness and a love of math. He became so intense, at an early age. He was so hyper in grade school that I had to spend a whole semester, sitting in his first grade class so that he would sit in class and begin to learn the basics. Sometimes this did not work, either. He was described by many to be a bundle of high energy. As the years went by, the boy grew to love sports, much more than I ever did. He would spend most Saturdays watching football, basketball and thoroughly enjoying the games. I took him to many games, I vacationed with him in Puerto Rico and took him to New York and Washington DC.

I raised him , pretty much, as I was raised, to love God, Family and Country. He quickly demonstrated a talent for singing and I formed a Children's Choir and he became the soloist, doing extremely well. He was quickly learning that life was not only, all about secular living. He was learning to have a relationship with God. When my son entered the teen years, he went through some of the classic stages that we all go through in life. The life of my son was full of great change, consistent movement balanced with reverent stability. At an early age, he began to work in a job that was designed for college kids. My son showed the tenacity and courage to work and graduate from College, obtain his first and second car and meet the love of his life in high School. There was something missing in his life. I knew that I could not force him to love the Lord. This was something that needed to come from him. I quietly began to pray for him and this petition. I wanted so much for God to guide his steps and watch over his every plan for his life. As he grew, I noticed that I no longer had the ability to see him as often as I would have wanted to . I would release him to the Lord and I felt at ease in knowing that God would protect him. Several years ago, He called me up, one morning and told me, with great excitement: "Dad, Guess what! I gave my heart to the Lord! I now have a relationship with God! He is in my heart, now!" I cannot adequately describe the awesome feeling that I had and still have to this very day. It was the best answered prayer in my life. I realized that only God could place that priority and that desire in his heart. A year ago, I witnessed his engagement to a beautiful girl that he met in high School. they have been inseparable, ever since. Now I will witness, this Sunday, the wedding of my only son. A son that I am so very proud of. I pray God's Blessings on the new voyage that he and his Bride will now embark in and I pray for smooth sailing. what more can one ask for a beloved son.