Post Wedding Thoughts

Its been a while since the last blog posting, but a lot has happened since then. My life changed for the better on May 13th, 2006. I married my beautiful bride Karen. For those that were there that day know how hot she was in that white getup she had on. And for those that weren't there, she was HOT!! We got married at Hockley Valley Resort and stayed the night at the hotel in the executive suite. It was pretty neat having balconies on 2 different levels. The wedding was amazing. I had a great time, and it sounds like others had a good time too. The ceremony was quick and dirty. Bryan Vaughan had the honour to marry us. He did a great job not only for the ceremony, but helping me remain calm while we waited for the bride. I'll never forget the moment Karen walked into the tent to begin her march down the isle. I won't need photos to remember it, as it is plastered in my memory. I think i managed to fight back tears as she came in. Her dress was gorgeous. I was a proud and happy man that day.
Leading up to the big day, Frank, Eric, Trevor, Alan, Dom, Joel, and myself stayed in the deluxe room at the resort. We played in the hotel's indoor pool and the hot tub. Afterwards, Alan used his wit and charm to score us a projector so we could play some X-Box in the hotel room. Saturday morning, Trevor, Alan, Eric and myself played 18 holes at the resort. The course was amazing. It was probably the longest course i've ever played. Some holes were easy 500 yards plus. Looking down the fairway, I would wonder if I'd ever get the ball to the hole. It only took 2 holes before the first bagging. Of course Alan was the perpetrator and I was the victim. The day before, my bag flew off the cart and Eric ran it over with his cart behind us. Later I found out that Alan loosened off my bag. This was of course after I complained to the club house that their golf carts were a piece of crap and that they should fix their straps to avoid this happening in the future. I ended up shooting a 99 with a couple of footwedges. A good day to start off my wedding.
I'm all over the place here. The reception was great. Joel did an awesome job in MCing the wedding. Everything went smoothly and it was quite humorous. Thanks a lot Joel!! The speeches that were made were great and I enjoyed them. Even though Eric's speech left me having to explain somethings to Karen! Thanks Eric! Oh, and thanks to Frank's childhood stories, everyone thinks i'm gullable.
The wedding dance was great. Karen and I were quite happy that many people stayed and boogied all night. The chicken dance is classic.
There is a lot more to tell, but theres things that must be done. Keep checking for updates on our honeymoon to Cuba and for pictures of the both the wedding and the honeymoon.

1 More Day of Freedom

So today is my last day of freedom in the single world. I plan to go golfing this morning. I'm waiting to see if the course is open due to the rain we have received as of late. I'd have to admit that it does look promising as I look out the window of my bedroom. I just slept the last sleep in my parents house. It was a good sleep. I will miss my mattress. So comfy and warm. I had many good sleeps on that bed. Its been a while since I had to use my alarm clock. I figured staying up last night to play Halo 2 on X-Box with Allan, Eric, Trevor, Frank, Joel, Dom, Nathanel, would keep me from waking up early for a morning tee off time. I forgot that I usually set my clock 20 minutes fast. So, now I sit here waiting for the club house to open so I can call them to see what my fate is.

Tomorrow I get married. I've been looking forward to this day for quite some time now. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Karen, the woman I adore. Everything seems to be planned from my part. Thanks must go out to Karen and the bridemaids, and Karen's mom, for making 300+ cookies yesterday. And then tying them together in a ribbon. Thats alot of cookies.

Anyway, the sun just poked its head out and my room lite up. I just looked at the thermometer and it reads 11 degrees Celsius. Not too bad.

Probably the last time I write this:
Days to the wedding: 1

Wedding Update

Before I go to bed, I thought I'd give an update on the wedding preparations. We are down to last minute things like creating programs for the ceremony, getting gifts for some people involved, songs to play at the reception, ect. Only 4 more days left until the big day. I'm hoping it will be nice on Friday and Saturday, as the guys will be playing golf both days. Also, we are praying that the weather will be nice for the wedding. Karen and I are going to Cuba for the honeymoon, so I'm getting ready to pack for that trip. It will be my first time in Cuba, and my first time at a resort. I have high expectations, but don't have anything to compare it to. Be sure to check back after the honeymoon to hear my review of the resort.

Saving Faith Means Loving God and Loving What God Loves

I heard a good sermon by Pastor Don Horban last Sunday. It was based on 1 John 2:15-17.

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, (16) because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. (MKJV)

The Message describes these passages well.

1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)
Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. (16) Practically everything that goes on in the world--wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important--has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (17) The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

Generally there are two ways Christians try to get closer to God and sense his love and presence. The first way is used most often and not that effective. When gathered together in corporate worship, usually on Sunday's, people try to dwell up feelings and try to sing or worship 'harder' to sense God. They pray harder to feel love for the Father. They may then feel God's presence but throughout the rest of the week get bogged down with life's demands and the world's ways and forget to spend time with Jesus.

The second way, and used less often, is to rid themselves of the world's ways. John clearly states all that is in the world is not of God. You can not serve two masters. If you are a slave to the world, and its ways, then you can't love the father. Going to church on Sunday and trying to stir up feelings of love for God before going back to the work week and searching for things in the world and its pleasures will not bring peace. Again John clearly defines to have love for the Father means not loving the things of the world. What does he mean then by the things of the world? The Message lists some of them as: "wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important." You can add on things like not serving others, showing favoritism, and lying. Paul talks more about things of the world, which he describes as works of the flesh in Galations.

Galations 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies, (21) envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (MKJV)

Basically, if the only thing that separates a Christian from a non-Christian is that the Christian goes to church, says grace and prays sometimes, but lives for things in the world and its ways, then both people have no love for God. This is a dangerous thing to be playing with and shouldn't be taken lightly. We all fail sometimes, and sometimes more often than we would like, but to have love for Jesus means to repent and turn from your sinful ways. The struggle that you go through, while consistently praying for help from Holy Spirit is all part of getting closer to Jesus. A mature Christian will always have struggles, but moves beyond struggles that they had when they were just a babe Christian.

If you would like to study further into this topic, please visit Horban's sermon notes:

My prayer is that God reveals to people, including myself, things in our lives that push our love for Him away.

Days to the wedding: 10