Fell in love? Don't we all? There are so many things I thought I loved: the rain, the snow, the smell of my mom's lilacs each spring, the sound of rain meeting the tin of our back porch roof . . . Should I even name half of the guys who caught my eye and a grabbed a hold of my heart? I'll spare us all. But I will take you to the deepest and dearest love of my life, my Jesus. (And no, for those of you who know I frequent Mexico and teach a bunch of Hispanic students, I didn't go off the deep end and meet a guy we would all call "hey zeus").
Jesus is my first love. I'm fortunate to have met him before my husband, to know the depth and reality of an unending and all-encompassing love. I met him in a room downstairs where a bunch of teens hung out. I heard about him quite a bit in the weeks before. Always good things. He seemed like a nice guy, who wouldn't like him? But the truth is, I wouldn't. I was that girl, the one who didn't give too many the benefit of the doubt, didn't trust you until you proved I could and even then was quick to walk away. That was me, so I was fine with everyone else liking this guy.
Just not me.
But one night, I sat on a folding chair, and he told me that he knew the masks I had to wear, and he loved me with or without them. I screamed at him, (Yes, I basically yelled the first time I met him, threatened him, really.) told him I didn't need anyone else promising me things that they couldn't follow through on, and then I felt his realness.
Right there. On a metal folding chair. Everyone else outside of the room, oblivious. Just me...my tears...and my new love, Jesus. I needed real. He knew that, and he showed himself to me in such a way that I have never doubted his existence.
Just not me.
But one night, I sat on a folding chair, and he told me that he knew the masks I had to wear, and he loved me with or without them. I screamed at him, (Yes, I basically yelled the first time I met him, threatened him, really.) told him I didn't need anyone else promising me things that they couldn't follow through on, and then I felt his realness.
Right there. On a metal folding chair. Everyone else outside of the room, oblivious. Just me...my tears...and my new love, Jesus. I needed real. He knew that, and he showed himself to me in such a way that I have never doubted his existence.
Rick is my next love. We go all the way back to Berg Elementary school in Newton, Iowa. He had the complete crush. I just knew his name (at this point). Here are the highlights as my childhood memory recalls them: Second grade put his identity into the forefront of my mind when a little friend of his pinned me down so he could plant a kiss on my mouth. (Trauma mostly.) Third grade he got me in trouble because he couldn't stop talking to me, the only time I ever had my name on the board. Did I say "ever"?!? Fifth grade, he was cute. Sixth grade, he moved. Eighth grade, he came back. Who comes back in the middle of awkward braces and zits? Really! But it was short lived, just a few months later, he was gone again.
Then one November my sophomore year in college, we were in our hometown at the same time visiting family. And wouldn't you know, little Rickie Thompson wanted to know where Emily Chesshire was. (Thank goodness!) Well, I was there. We got married just nine lonnnng months later (no babies on board, naughty you!) We are now fifteen years down the road, and he is beyond the man that I ever knew he would become (but that's a later post).
Then one November my sophomore year in college, we were in our hometown at the same time visiting family. And wouldn't you know, little Rickie Thompson wanted to know where Emily Chesshire was. (Thank goodness!) Well, I was there. We got married just nine lonnnng months later (no babies on board, naughty you!) We are now fifteen years down the road, and he is beyond the man that I ever knew he would become (but that's a later post).
Now my 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th loves would take so many posts each that all I will tell you is I am a blessed mother to four amazingly fantastic, entertaining, hilarious, and captivating little boys, and our brand new addition Ivy Noelle. Yes, that was four boys, Yes, you have heard of this, and it scares you. But for those of us who don't know life any other way, we assume your house is quite like ours... and it comforts us, so don't go spoiling my sanity!
There's just nothing, nothing quite as wonderful as falling in love . . .
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