...and one of those times would be the summer you decide to plan a wedding in four months. Well, not that others haven't planned a wedding in less than four months, certainly, but then I also leave for Europe in a week, and so will lose a good three weeks of planning time. I return from vacation exactly three months before my wedding date, and in the world of modern wedding planning, that is not considered a lot of time.
But, that is okay, because planning and problem-solving is my forte. I'm a get-er-done kinda gal, and while other girls might just be coming out of their post-proposal fog and wondering what to do next, I'm already deep in the thick of the wedding to-do list. Now, this in no way means that I am not enjoying the bliss of engagement. Believe me, I am still on cloud nine, and every now and then I look down at the gorgeous ring on my finger and I say to God, "REALLY?!?" I still get comments on my glow, and my cheeks are regularly sore from smiling so much. Actually, I think it is my overwhelming happiness and joy that is spurring the frenzy of activity-I'm just so darned excited to marry this man, and I want to get on with it!
So, we have set a date in October and booked the church and the reception location. I have all 6 bridesmaids signed up and ready to go and looking at dress options. Colors are chosen, guest list is started, meeting with potential photographer is Saturday. We've talked about food and flowers and we've definitely decided that we have to have cheesecake for our wedding cake. So while wedding planning is typically stressful, especially when done in a short period of time, I am feeling pretty good about it.
But ask me at the beginning of October, and I might look more like the frazzled Martha that Jesus had to calm down! Fortunately Jer is good at that. :-)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
It's a Sparkly!
Well dear reader, the day has finally come. After years of writing about relational angst and waiting on God, I can now tell you: I'M ENGAGED!!!
Sunday afternoon I drove home from the Quest Life Together retreat, my last responsibility as ministry leader. It had been a great weekend, but the entire time I had been excited for Sunday, because Jer told me that we were going "out on the town" and I had to "dress fancy" and that we had to be on time. This limited amount of information was enough to make me and everyone else wonder if perhaps this would be the day that he proposed. (Sandy was taking bets-Blake put $20 on Jer proposing. Not sure what the odds were.) But I kept reminding all of us, especially myself, that one should not place expectations on the date, because then there will be no disappointments. You know, of course, that I wanted to be proposed to, but I was also not making any demands on the evening.
So I drove home excited and hopeful but willing for it to be just a great night with Jer. I poured myself into my little black dress, slipped on my fabulous purple heels, and waited for him to arrive. He was going to show up at 4:15; at about five after I headed upstairs to take one last look at myself in the full-length mirror, just to make sure. On my way through the living room, I looked outside and saw a limo on my street. A smile crept over my face and my heart started to race just a tad-I knew that there was no way that limo was for anyone else. I came out on the deck and there was Jer, with a huge bouquet of roses and irises (my favorite) and a big smile.
After the flowers were put in water and I had given Jer his card and gift (a picture of us for his desk at work) we got into the limo. Champagne was served, and the driver told us she would take us on a 'scenic route' to our destination. Jer said that we were going to dinner and a show, which sounded fabulous to me. And then he pulled out a box of Godiva chocolates. We have a long history with Godiva chocolates and Godiva chocolate cheesecake, so this was very apropos. There was a poem on top-he's given me a poem every month-but the lid was slightly askew, so he took a minute to "fix the chocolates". As he sat there with the box partially hidden, I started to think, oh oh oh, there's a ring in the box! There's a ring in the box! But of course, I remained calm, waited for him to finish, read the poem (which I can't remember now, it was something by Shelley about love) and then opened the box. And there in the center was the most beautiful ring! I got a big smile, and looked into his wonderful eyes, and he simply said, "marry me."
And I, of course, said yes.
We didn't cry, we were too giddy and excited. He put the ring on my finger and kissed me and I was just overwhelemed with joy and happiness. Our scenic drive ended in front of Teatro Zinzanni, the fun and wacky dinner theatre. We enjoyed the show and the meal and the wine, and the limo picked us up afterwards and took us for a drive along Alki and up to the lookout on the top of West Seattle, where we enjoyed the view of the city and the promise of a long life together there. It was a perfect evening, a wonderful proposal. He spoiled me, surprised me, and gave me a great story to tell our kids.
I am, understandably, very excited. Overwhelmingly so. I don't know if I have come down to earth quite yet. But in the midst of this ecstatic moment, I have a deep peace and confidence that this was (and is) how it was meant to be. Meeting this wonderful man out of the blue, being instantly swept up in what my mom is now referring to as "my whirlwind romance", and finding the man who will love me for the rest of my days, a man I can give my heart to with no reservations.
As I reflect on all of this, my heart and mind are full of all the verses and promises that God has given me over the past few years, and how He has been true to all of those words He gave me. The Lord has done a new thing; He has made streams of living water flow in the wilderness. He has brought me back from being rejected and broken in spirit. He has turned my mourning into dancing and my sorrows into joy. He has been faithful and has blessed me beyond anything I could have possibly imagined. And so I will sing and praise His holy and mighty name.
I'm getting married! Hallelujah!
Sunday afternoon I drove home from the Quest Life Together retreat, my last responsibility as ministry leader. It had been a great weekend, but the entire time I had been excited for Sunday, because Jer told me that we were going "out on the town" and I had to "dress fancy" and that we had to be on time. This limited amount of information was enough to make me and everyone else wonder if perhaps this would be the day that he proposed. (Sandy was taking bets-Blake put $20 on Jer proposing. Not sure what the odds were.) But I kept reminding all of us, especially myself, that one should not place expectations on the date, because then there will be no disappointments. You know, of course, that I wanted to be proposed to, but I was also not making any demands on the evening.
So I drove home excited and hopeful but willing for it to be just a great night with Jer. I poured myself into my little black dress, slipped on my fabulous purple heels, and waited for him to arrive. He was going to show up at 4:15; at about five after I headed upstairs to take one last look at myself in the full-length mirror, just to make sure. On my way through the living room, I looked outside and saw a limo on my street. A smile crept over my face and my heart started to race just a tad-I knew that there was no way that limo was for anyone else. I came out on the deck and there was Jer, with a huge bouquet of roses and irises (my favorite) and a big smile.
After the flowers were put in water and I had given Jer his card and gift (a picture of us for his desk at work) we got into the limo. Champagne was served, and the driver told us she would take us on a 'scenic route' to our destination. Jer said that we were going to dinner and a show, which sounded fabulous to me. And then he pulled out a box of Godiva chocolates. We have a long history with Godiva chocolates and Godiva chocolate cheesecake, so this was very apropos. There was a poem on top-he's given me a poem every month-but the lid was slightly askew, so he took a minute to "fix the chocolates". As he sat there with the box partially hidden, I started to think, oh oh oh, there's a ring in the box! There's a ring in the box! But of course, I remained calm, waited for him to finish, read the poem (which I can't remember now, it was something by Shelley about love) and then opened the box. And there in the center was the most beautiful ring! I got a big smile, and looked into his wonderful eyes, and he simply said, "marry me."
And I, of course, said yes.
We didn't cry, we were too giddy and excited. He put the ring on my finger and kissed me and I was just overwhelemed with joy and happiness. Our scenic drive ended in front of Teatro Zinzanni, the fun and wacky dinner theatre. We enjoyed the show and the meal and the wine, and the limo picked us up afterwards and took us for a drive along Alki and up to the lookout on the top of West Seattle, where we enjoyed the view of the city and the promise of a long life together there. It was a perfect evening, a wonderful proposal. He spoiled me, surprised me, and gave me a great story to tell our kids.
I am, understandably, very excited. Overwhelmingly so. I don't know if I have come down to earth quite yet. But in the midst of this ecstatic moment, I have a deep peace and confidence that this was (and is) how it was meant to be. Meeting this wonderful man out of the blue, being instantly swept up in what my mom is now referring to as "my whirlwind romance", and finding the man who will love me for the rest of my days, a man I can give my heart to with no reservations.
As I reflect on all of this, my heart and mind are full of all the verses and promises that God has given me over the past few years, and how He has been true to all of those words He gave me. The Lord has done a new thing; He has made streams of living water flow in the wilderness. He has brought me back from being rejected and broken in spirit. He has turned my mourning into dancing and my sorrows into joy. He has been faithful and has blessed me beyond anything I could have possibly imagined. And so I will sing and praise His holy and mighty name.
I'm getting married! Hallelujah!
Monday, June 01, 2009
Prayer for Pentecost
I was going to post my prayer from Pentecost service last night, but it seems all the more applicable after reading about the murder of Dr. George Tiller at his church yesterday.
Dr. Tiller ran an abortion clinic, where he specialized in late-term abortions. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am passionately pro-life. I believe abortion is wrong, that it is the taking of an innocent life, and that it can only be considered in cases where carrying the baby to term will kill both mother and child. I will not vote for a pro-choice candidate. I would love to volunteer or work for a crisis pregnancy center sometime in the future, and I would love to see the church provide more love and care for unwed mothers who feel trapped without any other option.
However, I am sickened to read this story of a man murdered as he performed his duties as an usher at his church on Sunday. Perhaps the murderer thought he was saving lives, perhaps he thought he was enacting justice. But the way I read it, vengeance is the Lord's, and we cannot judge a man's heart. George Tiller will stand before Jesus in judgement for all his sins-just as you and I will-and the Lord will be the one who determines his guilt.
Sadly, by taking matters into his own hands, the murderer not only makes himself no better than this doctor (perhaps worse) but ruins the witness of pro-life advocates everywhere. Leading pro-life advocates are speaking out against the crime, but the damage is done.
I am anti-abortion, but I am also anti-murder. I am pro-life, not just for innocent babies, but for broken, fallen, guilty men and women like you and me, who need Jesus, not a bullet. And so I pray, today, as I did yesterday:
Dr. Tiller ran an abortion clinic, where he specialized in late-term abortions. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am passionately pro-life. I believe abortion is wrong, that it is the taking of an innocent life, and that it can only be considered in cases where carrying the baby to term will kill both mother and child. I will not vote for a pro-choice candidate. I would love to volunteer or work for a crisis pregnancy center sometime in the future, and I would love to see the church provide more love and care for unwed mothers who feel trapped without any other option.
However, I am sickened to read this story of a man murdered as he performed his duties as an usher at his church on Sunday. Perhaps the murderer thought he was saving lives, perhaps he thought he was enacting justice. But the way I read it, vengeance is the Lord's, and we cannot judge a man's heart. George Tiller will stand before Jesus in judgement for all his sins-just as you and I will-and the Lord will be the one who determines his guilt.
Sadly, by taking matters into his own hands, the murderer not only makes himself no better than this doctor (perhaps worse) but ruins the witness of pro-life advocates everywhere. Leading pro-life advocates are speaking out against the crime, but the damage is done.
I am anti-abortion, but I am also anti-murder. I am pro-life, not just for innocent babies, but for broken, fallen, guilty men and women like you and me, who need Jesus, not a bullet. And so I pray, today, as I did yesterday:
God,
Your faithfulness is beyond measure
Your mercies
new every morning
Your lovingkindness
knows no bounds
Give us Your faithfulness,
Your mercy
Your love
That we could be Your Body
in a broken world.
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