Dear Michael and Drew,
Not so long ago, I was a young girl who, like any other young girl, dreamed of the man who would meet me at the end of the aisle. I know that seems like it was back in the medieval ages, but to me it was yesterday. No matter what, a girl is a girl is a girl, regardless of when she is born.
Assuming you are going to marry (and your dad and I look forward to each of your very special days), each of you will wait at the end of the aisle to take your beautiful bride from her father, who is going to entrust her to your care.
This father has worried over her. She is probably his princess. He has an arsenal of shotguns for the first guy who breaks her heart, or uses her, or mistreats her. When she was a little one, she twirled for her daddy in her best dress. She danced with him. All this for you, believe it or not. These steps were the first ones she took in hoping for someone who will love her without condition. And if he is worth his salt as a dad, he has treasured her beyond measure. He has worried about her whereabouts, about her safety. He worries while she's out. He worries when she's in. A good dad does that.
And he knows that one day, his heart is going to be so full of pride. That will be the day when he will be one of the first to see her in her wedding dress, getting ready for you. He is going to extend his arm for her to take and walk her down that aisle to you. And his heart is going to shatter in a million pieces, because he knows that she has become a woman, and she will be yours. The pastor will ask, "Who gives this woman to be wed?" And he will answer, "Her mother and I." He will release her to you. She will join your arm, and you will, hopefully, stand before God together as you go forward with your vows. He will then take his seat, this chapter of life with his baby girl over forever.
What kind of man will you be, that he will be able to trust you with caring for her?
Meanwhile, as this little princess is twirling for her daddy and dancing on his shoes, she is looking forward to the day she weds you. As she grows, she is paging through magazine after magazine with countless images of wedding gowns, looking for the one that will flatter her most, that will make your head spin when you see her; that will make you think she is the most beautiful woman on the planet and you the luckiest man.
Right now, she is probably on Pinterest, pinning wedding bands, wedding gowns, ideas for vows, pictures of shoes, hairdos. She has written her name as a Mrs. on a doodle pad more times than you have revved your car. She is pondering how you will propose. She is misting up at her response, when she will say "yes." She has already decided on a theme for the reception and where it will be and who will be on the guest list. She is dreaming of slipping into the gown she has chosen for you, placing the veil on her head, doing her nails, giggling with her bridesmaids.
She will take her daddy's arm, wait for the doors to open, wait for the cue of the wedding music, and meet your eyes, her handsome groom all cleaned up for her. Her gaze will be fixed on you as she walks that white runner. Her daddy will kiss her, she will join you and you will not be able to take your eyes off each other. You will share the vows you will have each carefully written.
Even now, she is looking at furniture for your home, thinking of color schemes. She is looking at baby cribs, and baby quilts. She already has determined how many children you will have together; how many boys, how many girls. And she rehearses your names in her heart over, and over, and over. The Osborne family. Mr. and Mrs. Michael or Andrew Osborne.
Today you are worried about today. But think ahead about your wedding day. Think of the girl who will win your heart. Will it be 100% intact for her, or will you present it to her with the blood-stained residue of past heartbreak? Will you meet her at the end of the aisle with a suitcase of stories and baggage at your feet? Stories of times you were with girls who were not her? Will there be pieces of your heart missing, or will it be fully yours to give along with the ring you place on her finger?
I hope you marry the girl that expects 100% from you. I hope you marry a girl who is saving 100% of herself for you. Both of you are lady-killers. By the world's standards, that is good thing. But by the Lord's standards, it is not. The girl you may be attracted to now is that girl who is dreaming of all the things I just told you about. She is most likely not setting her eyes on you for a fling. She is, by design, looking for the man who will promise himself to her in marriage. Can you look at any girl in her eyes and tell her you want her hand in marriage? If not, think. Think of the heartbreak. Think of the lies you would telling her by wooing her with no intent to take her as your own. She is not merchandise on the shelf of the supermarket. She is a human being fashioned in the image of God - like you. And you would be wise not to break her heart any more than you would want God to break yours. He wouldn't. He wants the same of you.
If you blow it, we are not ashamed of you. We are not disappointed in you. If we are anything, we are determined to help you get to where you should be with all the love we have for you. We want God's best for you, for your future wife, for your kids.
And no matter what, we love you so much. You can take that to the bank.
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