Monday, September 23, 2013

The Story


This is a repost from a couple of years ago last March... in celebration of our first date eleven years ago September 21... and because frankly, it's my favorite love story.  Either way, here you go.  To all you singles out there, especially the still-in-school set, we're the exception rather than the rule.  

But to all rules, at some point, God reserves the right to make an exception.  

A Practical-ish Fairy Tale (of sorts)
Once upon a time, there was a lonely young lady (well, she tried to be a lady) who loved to teach band but wanted to live her first dream... to be a wife and a mommy.  Since you can't go to school or work toward that dream, she enjoyed her job, hung out with her friends, and did her best to be a godly young woman... okay, maybe she didn't do exactly her best all the time... *ahem*... but you get the point.
One weekend, the lonely young lady went to judge in the stead of a retired fellow band director whom she respected greatly so that he could be with his daughter as she tried out for TMEA all-region (most of our kids tried out for ATSSB.  If this alphabet soup means nothing, just go with it).  All the way to the tryouts, the retired band director joked about how the lonely young lady was going to meet her husband on this panel.  With a "haha, yeah right" the lonely young lady laughed off this notion politely, while secretly hoping he was right.  


At the tryouts, the lonely young lady found her room and got settled in a seat next to the panel chair.  Now, on these panels there are five band directors who listen to the kids one by one behind a partition.  Let's just say it's a long day. In breaks between auditionees, the other judges laughed and joked and visited with the lonely young lady (who, at that moment, wasn't feeling very lonely at all).  Well, three of the judges visited and laughed and cut-up... one didn't.  He sat at the end of the short line of desks lined up against a brick wall, immersed in a book until it was time to start listening again.  Surely the retired band director was wrong, thought the lonely young lady.  She noticed that the panel chair was very married, and kinda short.  Yeek.  The person to her right was another lady, one she knew, but double yeek... she was a lady too.  the next was another married man.  The man on the end of the line of chairs was not married, but... *sigh*... he just didn't seem interested in anything other than his book.  "Definitely not my type," thought the lonely young lady, "he doesn't laugh or joke or seem very nice at all."  Hmph. 


And so, the lonely young lady continued her search for Mr. God's Best.  She came across one who was too shy, then one who was too tall, then one who just didn't work out at all.  "I GIVE UP!" said the lonely young lady at last, and followed a job offer to another town. 



During a staff meeting at the new job, the lonely young lady enjoyed meeting the rest of the staff of five.  She knew she'd surely miss the sweet family she worked for before and all the wonderful students, but she felt God's call to this town and was sure although it was hard to tell through the heartbreak of losing those people.  In a restaurant that day, she met the head director, the assistant high school director, and the junior high director (who would turn out to be one of the best friends a girl could ever get into mischief with I MEAN have).  But where was the fifth guy?  Just as the head director said his name, in walks mr. head in his book. 

"OH NO!" said the lonely young lady.  "Not him!  Anyone but him!" 


Little did the lonely young lady know that mr. head in his book was her knight in invisible armor... Mr. God's Best. 


Within two months, the lonely young lady began to date Mr. God's Best.  A week and a half after they began dating, the lonely young lady became The Future Mrs. God's Best.  


As I'm sure you've figured out, Mr. God's Best is my Eric.  


I've asked him over and over what in the world posessed him to ask me to marry him after just a week and a half of dating.  Over and over, he's said he just knew.  And on occasion, he asks me why I said yes... to which I have to smile and admit that I guess I just knew, too.  I also have to admit that agreeing to marry him may just be the best decision I ever made... I'm sure it's the best snap decision I ever made!  


So since September of 2002 (when we started to date), Eric and I have been through our share of better and worse, but it all started with that decision.  I still marvel at the ease with which we agreed to enter into such a huge commitment.  But when you know what we know about God's providence, timing, and plan, it's not nearly as crazy.  See, God not only knew what we'd been through, who we were, and how much we needed each other... He knew exactly how to time things to make it all happen.  
Really, this fairy tale began forty years ago tomorrow on March 21, when the world first laid eyes on Eric Senzig. We've been through tons together and will go through tons more, and I can't imagine going through daily struggles of parenting, living, teaching, and just breathing with anyone else.  I certainly can't imagine celebrating, laughing, and sharing life with anyone else, nor would I want to!     

So tonight on the last day of my dear Eric's thirties, I would like to wish him a blessed birthday tomorrow, and many, many more years of love, tears, laughter, hugs, and joy to follow.  I'd also like to congratulate his dear parents on their fortieth anniversary of parenthood!  I'm so thankful for my amazing husband and so grateful for the Lord's providence in everything about our lives.  He who has promised us is FAITHFUL!  He has a plan for our lives, and it is to prosper and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future!  


So happy birthday, sweetheart.  You truly are Mr. God's Best. 



Yes, I was incredibly wrong about who Eric was at the beginning.  He is wonderful, sweet, caring, funny, loving, patient, and an amazing father.  Yes, he does love to read and his love of reading can at times make him tune things out.  But he had prayed for his wife, and even before that his parents had prayed for his wife.  I was prayed for before my parents were married!  Yes, a full seven years before I was born!  What a wonderful wedding present to give to your future son or daughter-in-law. 


1 comment:

  1. lovely. I remember your inlaws telling us about their kids...and here you are all these years later. God's best to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete

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