Wedding Day

I came across this today and thought I'd share it. This is the speech I gave when I performed my son's wedding a couple of years ago:

I will always remember October 25, 1986. It was a day we had been planning for for months, the day that we would finally meet Geoffrey Michael Surratt for the first time. We began setting up a nursery in our little rental house in Houston. We painted the walls, yellow if I remember right, we set up a crib and filled it with stuffed animals, including one ginormous bear named Baby. We went to classes to learn how have a baby, and to showers to get all the things we would need to take care of a baby, and we planned everything out down to exactly how long it would take to drive down Kuykendahl to FM1960 to Northwest Memorial Hospital. And then the day finally arrived.

Your mother woke me up early on a Saturday morning saying that today is the day. While I frantically rushed around trying to find my keys, and to grab her suitcase, and to remember where the hospital was (Kuykendahl to 1960 to the hospital, Kuykendahl to 1960 to the hospital) your mother calmly took a shower and applied her makeup. While I tried to move the process along she informed that she would not be giving birth to her first born son looking like she just rolled out of bed. While I waited for her to apply mascara between contractions I was glad we had taken the La Maze classes because I found the breathing exercises very helpful.

Finally we arrived at the hospital and, after what seemed like an eternity, the nurse handed you to me and pronounced that I was now the father of a healthy baby boy. I was happy, excited, and mostly scared to death. Everything we had done for the past nine months had pointed to this moment; now I realized that we were on our own as parents and we didn't have clue.

In many ways, Mike, we grew up together. As a father I made a lot of mistakes along the way; we were both very fortunate to have your mother to keep us pointed in the right direction. Along the way you picked up all the right values; You love the Cardinals and the Astros, you hate the Yankees and the Mets. You know that "sweet sixteen" and "the big dance" are more about basketball than romance and, most importantly, you love God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength.

We have watched you grow from a little boy who loved Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Legos to a teenager who loved basketball, pizza, and Legos to a young man who loves Middle School students, ESPN and a girl who who has agreed to go to Legoland on your honeymoon.

I remember the night a couple of years ago when you called and said you were bringing a new friend to the house. We suspected that you might be bringing more than just a friend, and that was the night we met Hilary Blair Singleton. From that first night, Hilary, you brought sunshine to our house. Your laugh, your enthusiasm and your love for life has been infectious. You quickly became a part of our family; the older sister that Brittainy had always wanted and a co-conspirator for the girls when they gang up on me.

From the day Mike was born we knew that someday he would meet the love of his life and would start a family of his own. We prayed that she would be a godly woman with a strong commitment to God and a heart to serve people. As we got to know you and saw your love for God and for others we soon began to hope that you would be the one. Last fall when Mike showed us the ring we were thrilled that you would soon become an official member of the Surratt family. Hilary, you are more than we asked or imagined. Your mom and dad can be extremely proud because they raised an extraordinary young woman. There is one challenge, however, and we've talked about this. We have to do something about you and your love for the Dallas Cowboys.

And now we come to a date that YOU will remember forever, August 3^rd, 2008. You have been planning this day for at least the last year, choosing a dress, inviting everyone you've ever met, planning the decorations. And now it's here and it's perfect. But just like the day you were born, nothing can prepare you for what is next. Being married and starting a family will be wonderful, it will be fun and it will be romantic. You get to spend the rest of your life with your best friend, and it doesn't get much better than that. It will also be confusing and scary and difficult. You will face situations you never imagined and there will be days when you may wonder who this person is who shares your life. Before we get to the "I dos" and the "I wills" and the "kiss your bride", I want to give you two instructions that I want you to remember for the rest of your lives. These instructions are 2000 years old and are just as applicable as today as they were when Paul wrote them in a letter to some Christians in Ephesus:

Ephesians 5:33 (NIV) "…each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."

Mike: Love your wife. It begins with telling her every day that you love her, but it goes beyond just that. You love your wife by being her spiritual covering. Pray over Hilary every day. Lead Hilary to a deeper relationship with Jesus by pursuing a deeper relationship yourself. You love your wife by protecting her. You are her knight in shining armor. That includes physically protecting her, but it also means protecting her from the verbal arrows that will come her way. No one can speak ill of Hilary in your presence and you will always praise her to anyone who will listen. Finally, Mike, you love your wife by laying down your life for her. Today you are laying your life down for Hilary. You are no longer pursuing what is best for you or what you want in life. From today forward you are thinking first of Hilary and your children, if God blesses you with my grandchildren. Love your wife.

Hilary: Respect your husband. You have chosen to join Mike in a life of ministry, which means that Mike may face doubt and discouragement many days. Parents will complain, students will disappoint and friends may not understand what it means to pour your life out for the Gospel. Mike needs to know that you are in his corner. That you believe in him and that you are his biggest fan. More than anything Mike needs to know that you are proud of him. Hilary, respect your husband.

Mike, if you do your best every day to love your wife and, Hilary, if you strive every day to let Mike know you respect him there is nothing Satan can do to tear you apart. And God will bless your marriage abundantly beyond what you could ask or imagine.

Let's pray…

Comments

[Josh Walters]

That really incredible. It's a blessing for me as a dad to watch ya'lls relationship. I feel like the part about the two of you "growing up together" has been very true for me. Anyway, thanks for sharing- that's great.

[Hilary Surratt]

Thanks for posting this, of course I cried... I've been meaning to ask you about getting a copy of this from you since we never got it on film. Our wedding day was so special, especially because you married us!

[Penny Guertin]

Thanks for sharing this again, I will always treasure the Surratt family for loving Hilary as much as we do! Also what a great reminder of God's expectations of every marriage. With tears of joy, I will never get tired of reading this.

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