Restoring Kingdom Builders

Tomorrow will be one of the most joyous and blessed days of my life.

My son Ryan is getting married to a fantastic Christian girl named Vanessa.

Ryan and Vanessa on the Day of Their Engagement

My wife and I have been praying for this day for years – but for a long time, it didn’t look like it was going to happen.

Ryan was born in Orange, California, on Labor Day.  Although we did not know the gender of our first child before birth, I was giddy as I was putting on my gown before he greeted the world.  The California Angels were playing at nearby Anaheim Stadium that day and Nolan Ryan, my favorite player, pitched and won against the White Sox.  Many people assume that I named Ryan after Nolan Ryan, but I actually saw the name Ryan Andrew in the sports section of the LA Times, and we chose to go with it.

When Ryan was growing up, he loved to collect baseball cards (he would talk to the players directly), build forts in our living room out of blankets and pillows, and lead neighborhood kids in endeavors like Spy Camp.  He played Little League and went with me to spring training in Arizona and countless Giants games at Candlestick Park.

But his whole world changed the Christmas we bought a family computer – a Mac IIsi, to be exact.  That was 20 years ago.  I can still see his eyeballs bulging out of their sockets when he saw it.

One summer, Ryan worked hard to earn enough money to buy his own computer.  I was very proud of him for doing that.

When he turned 16, I took Ryan to the East Coast for a 10-day trip.  We had a marvelous time seeing the sights, but most of all, we understood each other a lot more after that excursion.

While I taught Ryan how to play sports and drive, he taught me about The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Hootie and the Blowfish.  Seems like a good deal to me.

Ryan eventually learned how to run the sound board at our church and later become a drummer.  Many nights, he assembled a band that played outside in the church parking lot very late at night – with the approval of security.

After graduating with a computer science degree from UC Irvine, Ryan chose to live in southern Orange County, where he has worked for several companies.

Somewhere along the line, he started attending a wonderful church in Irvine.  We thank God for Pastor Terry’s leadership and teaching and for the many friends Ryan has made there.

Ryan has also been mountain biking for years, training diligently and competing in races all over Southern California.

Ryan Mountain Biking

Even though he led a full life, something (or someone) was missing.  After dating numerous young women, Ryan finally met Vanessa via eharmony in the summer of 2010.  (Thank you, Neil Clark Warren!)  My wife and I have prayed for many years that Ryan would marry a mature Christian woman from a healthy Christian family and that they would serve the Lord together.  Vanessa is the answer to our prayers – and those of our son as well.

Tomorrow they become man and wife.  I’m privileged to be conducting their ceremony.

Tonight I’ll think back to the joy I felt the day he was born, the times we played catch together, three vacations where it was just the two of us – and a time two years ago when he wasn’t sure he would ever meet the right woman.

At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

It’s now the right time.  Vanessa is the right woman.  And, as usual, God orchestrated the whole thing.

May the Lord be high and lifted up!

And may the Lord bless Ryan and Vanessa with a few little Meyers – eventually!

With Sarah and Kim Overlooking The Forum in Rome