a poem written by Dr. Jack Hyles
Who giveth this woman in marriage
To be his wedded bride?
Who giveth this woman in marriage
To e’er with him abide?
Her mother and I will give her
To be betrothed to thee;
Yet other gifts accompany
Dear son-in-law to be.
We give thee tears and laughter,
Dreams and hopes and plans.
We give thee prayers and pleading
That she would find God’s man.
Who giveth this woman in marriage,
In sickness and in health,
To love and cherish and obey
In poverty and wealth?
Her mother and I now give her
For better and for worse,
To have and hold forever,
To always put you first.
We give you nights of watching
A reddened fevered brow
And days of toil and labor,
To thee we now endow.
We give to you a lifetime
Of sacrifice and care;
We give to thee the memories
Her mom and I now share.
We give to you a labor room,
A nursery and a crib,
A “Now I lay me down to sleep,”
A high chair and a bib.
We give to thee a diaper bag,
The first step that she took;
We give you dolls and toys and games,
And a blue-back speller book.
We give to thee a little bike
A skinned and bleeding knee;
We give to you a little tooth
A fairy came to see.
We give to you a weary back,
And heavy, calloused hands;
We give two shoulders somewhat drooped
That led her to God’s plan.
We give a little sacred spot,
Our church’s empty pew,
A junior church, a Christmas play,
A trip to Brookfield Zoo.
We give you boots and dresses,
And coats and rubber shoes,
Hats and scarves and stockings,
Tuition, fees and dues.
We give you hugs and lovin’
And slobb’ry kisses too,
A runny nose, the chicken pox,
A child’s “I wuv oo.”
We give to you our greatest work,
The biggest task we’ve done
Our greatest earthly treasure
We give to you, our son.
“Who gives this woman in marriage?”
Now witnessed from above,
From now till only death doth part,
To have and hold and love.
Her mother and I now give her,
Our precious Heav’n-sent child
And in return, we only ask,
Please make our gift worthwhile.
