The One I Love

When I was praying for a husband, I had a list.

The top three things were:

I want a husband who loves the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul and strength.
I want a husband with the same beliefs as I.
I want a husband with a servant's heart.

On Christmas Day in 2000, I turned on my computer and logged on to a Christian chat room. There were approximately 15 people chatting about everything from what they ate for their holiday dinner to what Aunt Martha bought them for a gift. I was beginning to think it was a big waste of time for me to be there. So, I typed, "Well, since none of you are ready to prophesy that you are my future husband, I'm outta here. Merry Christmas everyone."

Just before I clicked the "sign out" button, someone typed, "Wait, don't go."
My very first thought was, "Who is this bozo?"
He invited me to go into a 'private' room and chat.
I did.
And five hours later, I knew that this was the man that I was going to marry.

He had shared with me that he was a Christian --shared his testimony about the time he received the baptism in the Holy Spirit (aha --someone with my same beliefs). He talked about how he would lie prostrate on the church altar praying for his daughters. He shared his heart --and I knew that he loved the Lord with all of his heart, mind, soul and strength. Then he said that he was on the staff of an Assembly of God church (the denomination in which I was raised.) Hmmm? perhaps a pastor? No --he was the Chief Operations Manager --with a staff of six or seven --in charge of maintenance, setup and upkeep for Wekiva Assembly of God - a church of over 1000 members. He was also in charge of their Christian school. ....there --was my 'servant's heart' that I had on my list.

There were a whole BUNCH of other things on my list --way too numerous to list here. But suffice to say that while we were courting, I checked off EVERY single item on my list. Brillo Man didn't even know about the list --until I had checked everything off --because I didn't want him to "cheat" and tell me (for example) that he loves to go to auctions and yard sales just to win my heart!

Two months later, in February, he flew up from Florida to Pennsylvania to meet me. He stayed a week. He met my Mom. Just before he was to fly back home, we went to a state park nearby (McConnell's Mill State Park). It was an unusually warm day in February - in the mid 60s. After hiking a while, we stopped to rest on some boulders. Brillo Man pointed out that behind us, carved in the rock, was a cross. Just then, a breeze blew some seeds from a nearby tree. One landed on his shoulder - it was in the shape of a dove. (I'm not kidding). At that point, he turned, got down on one knee, pulled a beautiful ring from his pocket and asked me to be his wife.

Tomorrow is our sixth anniversary. I love him more today than I did six years ago. And can't wait to grow old with him --as the best is yet to come.

Happy Anniversary Honey.
I love you!
With all that's within me....



...a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
-Ecclesiates 4:12