If you are just entering this story, you may find it beneficial for your comprehension to read the first 3 parts.
I will try to finish this for all you who just can’t wait for the end of the story when you already know the outcome! :-) I warn you it’s long!
I broke out in a cold sweat!!
“Ah, this is Japheth Stauffer from Blackduck MN, and I would like to talk to you about what has been happening this past week. You see, ………”
(laughing)”I told Aimee that she should give me a list of those guys that are acceptable and who isn’t before she leaves. That’s why I almost said, ‘Let me see if your on the list!’” (I had known prior to the call that I was not the first to ask for Aimee’s friendship!)
We talked for about 15 minutes and I shared my heart and its desire to be a support to Aimee and the love that I had for her. I also shared that if he gave his blessing and I won her heart, I would marry her and not defraud her by leading her on and then dropping her. I asked if he could give his blessing on us starting a courtship relationship to which he replied, “I recon’ if your good enough for her, your good enough for me.”
(YESSSS!!!!) “Do you have any recommendations as to when I should ask?”
“I guess it’s up to you, its fine with me.”
HALLELUIAH!! I hung up the phone and prayed a prayer of thanksgiving. But I still had one hurdle to cross. You see, Aimee had grown very close to Marvin & Sylvia in Michigan during her time of teaching school there and I knew she valued their input very much. I thus had resolved that I would ask them as well. Aimee had been in communication with them all week and was planning on stopping in there on the way home to visit and see her cancer doctor.
I called their phone over and over again but nobody answered it!! What’s the good of having a phone if you don’t answer it!! :-) Finally I left a message and waited on pins and needles as the afternoon just DRAGGED on forever! Aimee couldn’t sleep so she came upstairs to see if any one else was awake. We sat down and played a game of Rummikube and a little later my father joined us.
Finally we had to leave for church where Leroy & Clara Mae Yoder were having their 50th wedding anniversary before we had Singspiration. I stayed at the celebration for as long as I could stand and then told my Mom that I was going home to see if Marvin had called back yet. I mean, think about it!! Why should I be celebrating someone else’s wedding when I could be working on my own! :-)
I got home and he had called! I prayed before I dialed the phone and he picked up right away. He was so easy to talk to that we ended up talking for over 2 ½ hours. Marvin asked some questions that I knew I had reason to be ashamed of my answers but I had committed in my heart that if this was going to be of the Lord, it would have to be done on His principles and that meant complete honesty. I opened up my heart to him and shared of some of the struggles I had faced and some that I had failed in. I also shared how that God had given me so much victory over a lot of them though the fight was still intense. Finally he said that he felt he could give his blessing to my pursuit of Aimee! I asked if he had any suggestions as to when since they knew of her weak health. He felt that since Aimee despised people coming on like something that they weren’t, he would suggest as soon as possible! (AWRIGHT!)
I asked if we could pray before we broke up and he readily agreed. As soon as we got done praying,
Marvin said, “Japheth, as we were praying, I felt that I need to ask my wife first what she thinks about this. Could you wait till I talk this over with her?”
(I KNEW we shouldn’t have prayed!....No, that’s not right. God knows what He’s doing) “Ok, when do you think you will get back to me?”
“Oh, maybe later tonight or early tomorrow morning.”
I went back to church, not sure how to feel. I was elated that he felt confident with me but would he be able to convince his wife? Singspiration had already started when I got there and the church was packed. In the foyer sat a guy I hadn’t seen for a while and I sat down next to him. After a few minutes he turned to me and said, “So, I hear you have a girlfriend.” What was I supposed to say!!! “Not that I know of. Do you want to introduce me to her?” He just kinda shrugged his shoulders and looked at me like he didn’t believe me.
After we got home that evening, I sat around the phone waiting for their call. Finaly I went to bed at 11:00pm and I think slept between 2-5:00.
Monday - Marvin called first thing in the morning and said that they felt it might be best to wait till Aimee came thru there on the way home and they could talk face to face. (they also knew about her talking with her eyes!!) I asked Marvin to pray for me. My heart was so much involved already that I wasn’t sure I would be able to hide it from her for 3 more days. We prayed and then hung up the phone.
I went to work that morning and I don’t think that I got one machine fixed all morning! Finally around lunch I called my mother who was at the chiropractor and asked if we could meet for lunch. I still remember sitting in the car and weeping to my mother the tears of fear and hurt that I “knew” would be coming. It felt that I had laid my heart out on a butchers block and it was just waiting to be pounded on by a meat tenderizer. Mother asked my two very pointed questions.
“Do you believe that God can still work this out?”
“Yes, but it feels like it won’t work out this way!”
“If it is not God’s will for you to get together, do you still want it to work out?”
(pause) “No, but you and Daddy BOTH agree that this is what God is leading us to do!!!”
“Then you need to let it in God’s hands to finish working it out”
I went back to work and about and hour or so later I put on some music to help take my mind off of the situation, (fat chance!) and turned on a song that went like this.
When my way seems dark and drear and the future I don’t know,
When my feels so empty, as the tears unending flow.
When My heart breaks with sorrow and a tempest fills my soul,
This on thing I know for sure,
My God is in control!
His way is perfect,
His way is perfect.
Though I don’t understand His wise and loving plan.
His way is perfect,
His way is perfect.
Take my life and make a vessel purified,
God makes no mistakes
His way is BEST!
I bowed my head there at my desk and just sobbed. “Lord I put this whole thing in your hands. I know that you want the best for both Aimee and my so I turn it over to you and trust that what ever you do will be your best. And Lord, If Aimee is better off without me, please help me to be able to bear it.” I can’t say that there was an immediate sense of peace but there was a resignation to the fact that it was out of my hands and into God’s.
About an hour later the phone rings. “Hello, Vac & Sew.”
“Japheth, this is Daddy. Are you sitting down?”
“Yes.” ?!
“Where would you like to take Aimee for supper tonight?”
“WHAT!!”
When my mother had arrived home, she told my father about our talk. Daddy also had some concerns but hadn’t voiced them to me to avoid more fretting on my part. What if Aimee calls home before she leaves? Their going to be asking her if she’s dating and if she likes the guy and all those other questions and Aimee isn’t going to know what is going on. Daddy decided to call Marvin and talk things over. Marvin heard Daddy out and then said, “Bob let us call Aimee and talk to her on the phone. There are some things we know and maybe we should talk a little more.” Now let me back up a little
That Monday morning, Aimee was alone for the first time in our house, so she called Sylvia. “Sylvia, I need you to pray for me in a way that I never really asked before. You see, there’s this guy up here and I just want you to pray with me that God would guard my heart.” They talked for a while and then hung up. Sylvia was giddy with curiosity to know if it was the same guy that they talked to last night!
Back to the afternoon; Marvin called and told Aimee that a guy had asked for permission to court her and wondered if she felt up to entertaining the idea. She stated that it depended on who was!! Marvin kind of hedged around and finally told her that he wasn’t in the house there but was probably still at work.
Aimee: “You mean HE ASKED?!!”
They stated that “he had” and that they had asked him to wait till Aimee came thru MI to they all could talk about it.
Aimee: “I’m not sure I want him to wait.”
Marvin said that he did not know what would happen but they wanted to talk with her first. They immediately called my dad back and stated that Japheth had their full blessing to pursue Aimee. Thus the call to me.
After I hung up from Daddy’s bombshell, I bowed my head and wept again, not tears of frustration this time but tears of peace and thankfulness in the knowledge that God would not violate the trust I placed in Him.
Monday Evening: as I came in the door, Aimee was pitting cherries next to the table and she immediately looked into my eyes to see what might be showing there! I quickly hurried upstairs and pretended to look in the mirror and make it look like I had come up there for a purpose. Finally I worked up the nerve to come down and sit by the table, across from Aimee with a bouquet between for a buffer. :-) My dad was grinning like a cat! After trying to chat with him and he almost laughing in my face I turned to Aimee and asked, “ Would you mind gracing me with your presence at supper tonight?”
(nod)
“What was that?” (peering past the “buffer” to “see” what she was saying)
(eye contact and a nod) “Yes”
She went and got changed and Daddy and Mommy prayed with us before we left. After opening her door and then getting in my side, I asked “Are you nervous?”
“Yeah”
“Me to!”
Neither of us had ever been on a date and were both walking on new ground. Being as we both wanted to talk and neither wanted to eat, we got a little ice cream and sat by the lake and talked for 3 hours. It was so rewarding to talk about all that God had been showing us the week before and how our hearts had been separately pulled towards each other. We talked about our goals in life, mostly spiritually but a few other things like missions and such. I bought her a dozen roses and we went home to arrange them in a vase.
We decided that since I wanted to meet Marvin & Sylvia as well as hear what the doctor had to say, I would take Aimee over to Michigan and her ride would meet us there.
Wednesday: We had spent quite a bit of Tuesday together, getting her CAT films for the doc to look at, picking up her prescription, taking a canoe ride, going to a youth church service, and such. By this morning I sensed that her heart was rapidly coming my way. I was gladly seeing this yet I knew that I needed to tell her some of the things I told Marvin if I was to be totally open and forthright with her. As we traveled, we prayed together, sang together, laughed together, and yes, cried together. (We each did enough of that the past week we should at least do a little together, eh?) I shared the things I felt I needed to and Aimee graciously forgave me and said she wouldn’t dump me.
By the evening, I knew her heart was firmly in my camp, but what to do now?
When we arrived at Marvin’s, we were greeted very warmly and had an enjoyable evening together and much to soon for the children, they were sent of to bed so the adults could talk. I proceeded to share with them all that you have been reading the last few days, and about the time that I got to the song I filled in above, Marvin got up and took a photo from the wall and handed it to me. It was a picture that Aimee had taken of Lake Michigan and it is partly overcast and you don’t know if it is clouding over or clearing up. On the back was a verse from Isaiah and a note thanking them for shepherding her heart. I got tears in my eyes because it showed once again the tender spirit that my wife had and her gratefulness for those who blessed her.
Marvin told me he wanted me to keep it. Whoa!! Wait a Minute!! She gave it to them as a token of her heart! Maybe she doesn’t want me to have it yet? I finally turned to Aimee and asked if she wanted me to keep it and she said yes.
Remember what I had told Marvin and her father? Did I have her heart?
“Aimee, when I asked your father and Marvin for permission to court you. I stated that if I won your heart that I would marry you. Have I won your heart?”
(nod)
“Will you marry me?”
(NOD, NOD)
We were all crying then!! As we all prayed together, we realized what we were facing. The next day would be the visit to the doctor and he would tell us if the cancer was coming back. We also could likely be sterile and never bear children. I distinctly remember Marvin praying that God would bless this vow with children someday.
The story is not quite over yet but I want to interject this here. What you have just read was until now only know to probably 30-50 close friends. Why have I shared it? Not because I think that other young people should pattern their courtship after ours! In fact I would discourage it! It is dangerous to make lifelong decisions very quickly. Having said that, I cannot argue the fact the God worked something special in our lives. If you want to copy something, copy this, the principle of being under authority. If our parents had not been involved as heavily as they were, this would have been the most stupid thing that we could have done. As it was, God chose to honor because we made the decision to stay under His authorities for our lives. And THAT, is where the peace and joy lies!
The next day the doctor told us that we need to get cancer out of our heads! Aimee was in good health and the CAT scan showed that we would likely be able to have children. He didn’t know what was causing the sleeplessness and that has puzzled us to this day though the symptoms disappeared after the birth of our first child.
We have four precious children and next years model will be here sometime in April. We also look forward to meeting our set of twins, David and Daisy, and our other child Jewel, at the great white throne. God needs children in Heaven too!
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
A Face from Red Lake.
Most of you folks remember the school shootings at Red Lake High School here in Minnesota. That is only about 45 minutes away from where we live and I had been in that school several times before the shooting.
One of the boys that was seriously wounded in that shooting had to go through a bunch of serious surgeries. All the time his mother was at his side. Then about a month after the shootings, she had a stroke and has been and invalid ever since. She is currently staying in a Rehab place and is very lonely. A Native Christian who has befriended her, asked for some people to sing for her. She is not a Christian but has been very open to the things of the Lord every since her stroke. Please pray for us as we try to share some light and His love with her this afternoon.
One of the boys that was seriously wounded in that shooting had to go through a bunch of serious surgeries. All the time his mother was at his side. Then about a month after the shootings, she had a stroke and has been and invalid ever since. She is currently staying in a Rehab place and is very lonely. A Native Christian who has befriended her, asked for some people to sing for her. She is not a Christian but has been very open to the things of the Lord every since her stroke. Please pray for us as we try to share some light and His love with her this afternoon.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Love Story, Part 3
If you are just joining in the story, please read Parts 1 & 2 first for the context.
Over these last few days, I had been talking with my parents about Aimee and what I was feeling in my heart for her. They also thought that she was a Godly young lady and a very eligible candidate for marriage. In fact, Wednesday evening, Aimee wore a white dress with a small white print on it and after she headed downstairs for bed that night, Daddy turns to me and says “She sure looks good in white, eh?” ARGHHHH!! “Yes.”
I think it was about Thursday morning that I asked my parents if I could ask her out, after her father of course! My parents felt that maybe she was too worn out right now and that might affect my chances and make her worse with the added strain of no sleep. Yet at the same time, they like I saw that Aimee communicated with her eyes as much as with her words and understood that I wanted to be able to “see” what she was saying.
My sisters also had to put their two cents worth in, “Don’t you DARE ask her while she’s still here!!! She will feel very awkward if she says no and she may never want to come back again. PLUS, she is very emotionally drained and not able to even think about a boyfriend! We think that she is a great girl but at least WAIT TILL SHE LEAVES!!” As fast as my sisters can talk, this is only a summary of the earfuls I got that week.
That week will forever be etched in my memory and heart. I was losing my sleep now! I would not be able to get to sleep until about 2 in the morning and then wake up at 5 again. I was taking my lunch box to work and bringing it back with nothing touched. Of course I was stupid and had to state at the supper table how “I just wasn’t hungry anymore. That earned me a couple glares from the sister portion of the table and a couple thrashings later; “She’s got to be absolutely stupid to not catch on to all the hints you’re dropping! You’ve GOT to keep a better rein on your emotions or you’re going to lay it all out in front of her!” They were right and I knew it. I did catch wind that she liked pizza and so I brought some home for the family as a “celebration of getting my final electrical inspection passed on my house!”
July 16 Sunday
Over the last few days, I had been praying for a rehma from the Lord for what I should do. As I was reading in Proverbs that morning, the verse that stood out to me was; “In the multitude of councilors, there is safety.” I didn’t know what to make of it though. I had asked all the “councilors” I wanted to. I wasn’t about to take a church poll!!
I went to church that morning and my sisters and Aimee sat in front of us and as we sang the song, “I Love You, Lord Jesus” I saw tears rolling down her cheeks. I also cried. I so longed to be able to offer her some word of comfort or at least be there for her so she did not need to face this alone. I realized that she may be dying but I remember praying that even if we only had a year together, I would gladly help bear her grief and count it an honor.
After church, Val Yoder came up to me and laid a hand on my chest, kept it there for a few seconds and then stated, “Yep, your hearts still there!” All of a sudden I remembered! I had talked to Val just before Aimee came and expressed my confusion over what God might be saying. He at that time had told me just treat her like a sister and wait for God to make His move. I said “Val, I am in deep dutch,” and explained to him all that had been happening the last week.
He smiled really big and then asked, “Do you all agree that you should ask her?”
“Yes, the only thing we disagree on is, when.”
“Then maybe you should take the first step. Ask her father. If he says “No,” you have your answer. If he says “Yes,” maybe he will have some advice as to when.”
HALLELUIAH!! Why hadn’t I thought of that!
As soon as our family was all in the car, (Aimee had left part way thru the service due to extreme weakness) I quickly told them what Val had said. They all agreed and gave their blessing to call her father that afternoon.
After lunch, of which I ate little, I went out to the shop to make that fateful call to Virginia. Now put yourself in my shoes, I had never met this girl until 10 days ago and now I was calling to ask her father for permission to court his daughter. Not date, but court, with the full intention that if I won her heart, I would marry her! To top it off, the only picture I had seen of this guy was him all puckered up to play a harmonica!
With a quick prayer;
(ring)
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Elizabeth?” (Aimee’s mom, except nobody but nobody called her Elizabeth, she was Betty!)
“Ah, yeah, sure.”
“This is Japheth Stauffer from Blackduck, MN and I was wondering if I could speak to Frank?”
“Uh, sure, hold on.” (in the background amidst the sound of the phone being passed) “Frank, it’s some guy from out where Aimee’s at!”
“Heylow?” (it was a deep sounding voice that would take no nonsense from any body and was bored and not sure what kind of a bother this was going to be!)
Over these last few days, I had been talking with my parents about Aimee and what I was feeling in my heart for her. They also thought that she was a Godly young lady and a very eligible candidate for marriage. In fact, Wednesday evening, Aimee wore a white dress with a small white print on it and after she headed downstairs for bed that night, Daddy turns to me and says “She sure looks good in white, eh?” ARGHHHH!! “Yes.”
I think it was about Thursday morning that I asked my parents if I could ask her out, after her father of course! My parents felt that maybe she was too worn out right now and that might affect my chances and make her worse with the added strain of no sleep. Yet at the same time, they like I saw that Aimee communicated with her eyes as much as with her words and understood that I wanted to be able to “see” what she was saying.
My sisters also had to put their two cents worth in, “Don’t you DARE ask her while she’s still here!!! She will feel very awkward if she says no and she may never want to come back again. PLUS, she is very emotionally drained and not able to even think about a boyfriend! We think that she is a great girl but at least WAIT TILL SHE LEAVES!!” As fast as my sisters can talk, this is only a summary of the earfuls I got that week.
That week will forever be etched in my memory and heart. I was losing my sleep now! I would not be able to get to sleep until about 2 in the morning and then wake up at 5 again. I was taking my lunch box to work and bringing it back with nothing touched. Of course I was stupid and had to state at the supper table how “I just wasn’t hungry anymore. That earned me a couple glares from the sister portion of the table and a couple thrashings later; “She’s got to be absolutely stupid to not catch on to all the hints you’re dropping! You’ve GOT to keep a better rein on your emotions or you’re going to lay it all out in front of her!” They were right and I knew it. I did catch wind that she liked pizza and so I brought some home for the family as a “celebration of getting my final electrical inspection passed on my house!”
July 16 Sunday
Over the last few days, I had been praying for a rehma from the Lord for what I should do. As I was reading in Proverbs that morning, the verse that stood out to me was; “In the multitude of councilors, there is safety.” I didn’t know what to make of it though. I had asked all the “councilors” I wanted to. I wasn’t about to take a church poll!!
I went to church that morning and my sisters and Aimee sat in front of us and as we sang the song, “I Love You, Lord Jesus” I saw tears rolling down her cheeks. I also cried. I so longed to be able to offer her some word of comfort or at least be there for her so she did not need to face this alone. I realized that she may be dying but I remember praying that even if we only had a year together, I would gladly help bear her grief and count it an honor.
After church, Val Yoder came up to me and laid a hand on my chest, kept it there for a few seconds and then stated, “Yep, your hearts still there!” All of a sudden I remembered! I had talked to Val just before Aimee came and expressed my confusion over what God might be saying. He at that time had told me just treat her like a sister and wait for God to make His move. I said “Val, I am in deep dutch,” and explained to him all that had been happening the last week.
He smiled really big and then asked, “Do you all agree that you should ask her?”
“Yes, the only thing we disagree on is, when.”
“Then maybe you should take the first step. Ask her father. If he says “No,” you have your answer. If he says “Yes,” maybe he will have some advice as to when.”
HALLELUIAH!! Why hadn’t I thought of that!
As soon as our family was all in the car, (Aimee had left part way thru the service due to extreme weakness) I quickly told them what Val had said. They all agreed and gave their blessing to call her father that afternoon.
After lunch, of which I ate little, I went out to the shop to make that fateful call to Virginia. Now put yourself in my shoes, I had never met this girl until 10 days ago and now I was calling to ask her father for permission to court his daughter. Not date, but court, with the full intention that if I won her heart, I would marry her! To top it off, the only picture I had seen of this guy was him all puckered up to play a harmonica!
With a quick prayer;
(ring)
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Elizabeth?” (Aimee’s mom, except nobody but nobody called her Elizabeth, she was Betty!)
“Ah, yeah, sure.”
“This is Japheth Stauffer from Blackduck, MN and I was wondering if I could speak to Frank?”
“Uh, sure, hold on.” (in the background amidst the sound of the phone being passed) “Frank, it’s some guy from out where Aimee’s at!”
“Heylow?” (it was a deep sounding voice that would take no nonsense from any body and was bored and not sure what kind of a bother this was going to be!)
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Love Story, Part 2
If you are just checking in, please read Part 1 first to get the context.
I turned and started walking back the path to my house and I prayed “Lord, What is this? Some kind of practical joke?!” I went to prayer meeting that night very much confused and nervous about what the next few days might bring.
July 6, 2000 I arrived home from work to find that “she” would not be arriving until after supper time. I was as nervous as a June bug on a hot skillet! My sisters went downstairs to sew while I prepared for our young men’s accountability meeting that night.
About 7:00 I heard the dogs putting up an awful ruckus and since the girls were downstairs sewing, I figured I would be the gentleman and “call them off.” I went outside about the same time as Aimee got out of the car. I know that this sounds like fiction but something flipped inside!! I quick went back in the house just as my sisters came barreling out the door, squealing and hugging as only girls do. I was so shook up that I stood inside for awhile watching thru the sheer curtains. Finally I worked up enough nerve to step back outside. My sisters graciously introduced us and then I had to hurry off to our guys meeting. At that meeting, the Lord was really there!! We four guys had an awesome time of sharing, confessing, and praying for each other. I told the guys that I was really struggling with what God wanted me to do with my future. (Though I didn’t breathe a word about the girl who just came!!) I asked them to pray with me that He would reveal His plan quickly, as I had some “decisions” to make.
I came back to my folk’s house all pumped up and thrilled with what had happened and couldn’t help but share the joy with my sisters, who also had their “company” with them.
July 7 I got up that morning and heard that Aimee had not slept well during the night. She was still getting over the effects of ovarian cancer that she had dealt with the fall before. It caused her to struggle with insomnia, getting only 3-5 hours of sleep a night in spite of being completely exhausted. My heart went out to her and I wished there was something I could do but knew there was not and so left it alone.
That evening went I got home from work, I walk in the house and quickly saw that the girls had been “scrap booking.” Aimee had been resting on the sofa and I made some sort of comment about having another “sofa cushion.” I quickly went on to say that if she was going to live with us for 2 long, terrible weeks, I would have to treat her like I treated my sisters, teasing and all!! She stated that it was fine with her, and then came over to me and handed me a picture.
“Here, I’d like to show you something.”
I looked at the photo and saw what looked like a dark room with a lot of surgical drapes and in the middle of them were two pairs of gloved hands holding a bloody organ.
“Is this of your surgery?”
(nod)
“Interesting.”
What was I supposed to say now?
When supper was over I asked if I could look thru her photo album which was sitting at the end of the table. She agreed and stayed at the table to explain the scenery and family pictures to me as I had questions. As I looked thru her photo album, I saw all the little writings that make scrapbooks fun to look thru, and I quickly saw that she was not angry with God for making her go thru this trying ordeal of cancer. It really hit me when I read,
I went to bed that night and prayed for God to show me His will concerning this special girl that He had brought into our home. I also prayed that I would not show her my heart or the struggle that I was facing concerning her.
July 8-12
Over the next few days, I struggled hard with my heart! I did not in any way want to defraud her heart by leading her into thinking that I was interested unless I KNEW that she was the one for me! She continued to struggle to sleep and was often found lying on the sofa for most of the day and barely able to hold her head up. My parents wondered if the cancer might be coming back and arranged for her to get a CAT scan done on Wednesday. That was my day off and since I had promised to make a crib quilt for one of my best friends who had had their first child, I decided to get that started. I so distinctly remember being in the basement and hearing Aimee weeping out of exhaustion and frustration of not being able to sleep. I sat down there and wept along; praying God would comfort this precious girl who had been thru so much. About mid morning, she came down to see how I was coming along. I asked her, “How’s your heart?” To which she responded, “Fine.” (Dumb!! What was I asking her THAT for?!!!)
She went in about lunch time for her CAT scan and I was a praying, anxious boy!! When she got home I heard the garage door going up and quickly ran upstairs to hear how it went. When she came in the door and saw me “looking” at her, with as little concern as I could muster, SHE WHIPPED A PILLOW IN MY FACE!
They found out that there was a cist on her remaining ovary and it could be the start of the cancer coming back. She would have to take the films to Michigan were her cancer doctor was to verify and make sure that’s what it was.
I turned and started walking back the path to my house and I prayed “Lord, What is this? Some kind of practical joke?!” I went to prayer meeting that night very much confused and nervous about what the next few days might bring.
July 6, 2000 I arrived home from work to find that “she” would not be arriving until after supper time. I was as nervous as a June bug on a hot skillet! My sisters went downstairs to sew while I prepared for our young men’s accountability meeting that night.
About 7:00 I heard the dogs putting up an awful ruckus and since the girls were downstairs sewing, I figured I would be the gentleman and “call them off.” I went outside about the same time as Aimee got out of the car. I know that this sounds like fiction but something flipped inside!! I quick went back in the house just as my sisters came barreling out the door, squealing and hugging as only girls do. I was so shook up that I stood inside for awhile watching thru the sheer curtains. Finally I worked up enough nerve to step back outside. My sisters graciously introduced us and then I had to hurry off to our guys meeting. At that meeting, the Lord was really there!! We four guys had an awesome time of sharing, confessing, and praying for each other. I told the guys that I was really struggling with what God wanted me to do with my future. (Though I didn’t breathe a word about the girl who just came!!) I asked them to pray with me that He would reveal His plan quickly, as I had some “decisions” to make.
I came back to my folk’s house all pumped up and thrilled with what had happened and couldn’t help but share the joy with my sisters, who also had their “company” with them.
July 7 I got up that morning and heard that Aimee had not slept well during the night. She was still getting over the effects of ovarian cancer that she had dealt with the fall before. It caused her to struggle with insomnia, getting only 3-5 hours of sleep a night in spite of being completely exhausted. My heart went out to her and I wished there was something I could do but knew there was not and so left it alone.
That evening went I got home from work, I walk in the house and quickly saw that the girls had been “scrap booking.” Aimee had been resting on the sofa and I made some sort of comment about having another “sofa cushion.” I quickly went on to say that if she was going to live with us for 2 long, terrible weeks, I would have to treat her like I treated my sisters, teasing and all!! She stated that it was fine with her, and then came over to me and handed me a picture.
“Here, I’d like to show you something.”
I looked at the photo and saw what looked like a dark room with a lot of surgical drapes and in the middle of them were two pairs of gloved hands holding a bloody organ.
“Is this of your surgery?”
(nod)
“Interesting.”
What was I supposed to say now?
When supper was over I asked if I could look thru her photo album which was sitting at the end of the table. She agreed and stayed at the table to explain the scenery and family pictures to me as I had questions. As I looked thru her photo album, I saw all the little writings that make scrapbooks fun to look thru, and I quickly saw that she was not angry with God for making her go thru this trying ordeal of cancer. It really hit me when I read,
It’s worth the pain,
It’s worth the joy.
In my heart I knew that this girl was one who had made her peace with God and was holding out open hands for whatever He saw fit to give her.It’s worth the joy.
I went to bed that night and prayed for God to show me His will concerning this special girl that He had brought into our home. I also prayed that I would not show her my heart or the struggle that I was facing concerning her.
July 8-12
Over the next few days, I struggled hard with my heart! I did not in any way want to defraud her heart by leading her into thinking that I was interested unless I KNEW that she was the one for me! She continued to struggle to sleep and was often found lying on the sofa for most of the day and barely able to hold her head up. My parents wondered if the cancer might be coming back and arranged for her to get a CAT scan done on Wednesday. That was my day off and since I had promised to make a crib quilt for one of my best friends who had had their first child, I decided to get that started. I so distinctly remember being in the basement and hearing Aimee weeping out of exhaustion and frustration of not being able to sleep. I sat down there and wept along; praying God would comfort this precious girl who had been thru so much. About mid morning, she came down to see how I was coming along. I asked her, “How’s your heart?” To which she responded, “Fine.” (Dumb!! What was I asking her THAT for?!!!)
She went in about lunch time for her CAT scan and I was a praying, anxious boy!! When she got home I heard the garage door going up and quickly ran upstairs to hear how it went. When she came in the door and saw me “looking” at her, with as little concern as I could muster, SHE WHIPPED A PILLOW IN MY FACE!
They found out that there was a cist on her remaining ovary and it could be the start of the cancer coming back. She would have to take the films to Michigan were her cancer doctor was to verify and make sure that’s what it was.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Our Love Story, Part 1
Well I’ve decided to take the time to put our love story into words. WRITTEN! A friend, Glen, over at Random Pitches, told me to that I am allowed to do it in installments and since I have his permission, and not 2-3 hours to type it out in one shot, you get the first one now and the next, well… when it’s published! J
To start with, I am one of those weird guys that thinks it is right and proper to ask a girls father first before making any intentions known to her. After all, he is her protector and God ordained, legal guardian. I believe very much in being under your God given authority so if in this story you wonder why I do some of these things, this is the reason.
June, Second Week, 2000
For the last two years I had been building my house as the funds came in and as it neared completion, I began to get antsy about who was to live in it with me. Living in a small church with a youth group you could count on one hand, minus a few fingers, the number of gals close to my age, I didn’t have a lot of picking choices. I thought of going to the “shoe factory,” more commonly known as SMBI, where they take an old heel, mend his soul, and send them away in pairs! J But with my job, that was out of the question! I had tried asking two Godly young ladies fathers and they both after prayer turned me down.
This weekend was our church’s campout. After it was over Sunday afternoon, we sat around as a family and were discussing things of heart issues and areas that had been touched that weekend. It was a special time since my two siblings had returned from their places of service for a few weeks and it was nice to be a family again! I had often talked to my father about a wife and the two young ladies he had also felt good about were the ones that had turned me down! I, being very shy and withdrawn, decided to ask the family for advice in finding a life partner. We talked for a while and then my brother suggested a girl from up in Canada that I also knew but hadn’t had a lot of contact for the last five years. My sister suggested a girl by the name of Aimee Beery whom she had met the year before at Family Camp and had been in correspondence with since. In fact when she had gotten back from FOCIS, she had told me of a girl she had met there who would make a good wife for me. My older sister said, “ehh… Japheth would run right over her, she’s so soft spoken.”
I knew the girl in Canada, I had never met this girl in Michigan/Virginia. She taught school in MI. but lived in VA. I told my younger sister that though this Aimee might be a very Godly young lady, how was I to get to know her? Just show up on her doorstep and say that I hear she is a nice young lady an I’d like to get to know her? Hmmm!!??
I decided to let it rest for a while.
July 4, 2000
Havign the day off of work, I spent it painting the newly finished walls in my house. I also decided to spend the day in fasting and prayer concerning the girl in Canada. All that day, as I worked and prayed I felt DEAD. I don’t think that those bare sheetrock walls even echoed. I read my Bible during “meal times” and even that did not hold any “life” for me. Finally at the end of the day, I bowed my head in tears of frustration and said, “Lord, I do not know why you have me in the waiting room. But I do not feel right in moving forward until you give me the peace and direction. I am tired of being in the waiting room, the seats are uncomfortable, and the magazines are boring, I want out! Yet, I will wait here till you show me how to move forward.”
I was resigned to the fact that God knew I was there and would lead me when He was ready.
July 5, 2000
I got home from work mentally exhausted from dealing with grumpy women and their sewing machines all day. As I came in the door, my younger sister met me and with a huge grin on her face said, “Guess who’s coming to stay for two weeks?” My first thought was “Two Weeks!! That means it’s probably a family and I will have to move out of my room to allow them to stay in the house.” Argh!!
(outwardly) “Who”
“Aimee Beery”
“You mean THE Aimee Beery?”
“Yes, THE Aimee Beery!”
“When?”
“Tommorrow….”
To start with, I am one of those weird guys that thinks it is right and proper to ask a girls father first before making any intentions known to her. After all, he is her protector and God ordained, legal guardian. I believe very much in being under your God given authority so if in this story you wonder why I do some of these things, this is the reason.
June, Second Week, 2000
For the last two years I had been building my house as the funds came in and as it neared completion, I began to get antsy about who was to live in it with me. Living in a small church with a youth group you could count on one hand, minus a few fingers, the number of gals close to my age, I didn’t have a lot of picking choices. I thought of going to the “shoe factory,” more commonly known as SMBI, where they take an old heel, mend his soul, and send them away in pairs! J But with my job, that was out of the question! I had tried asking two Godly young ladies fathers and they both after prayer turned me down.
This weekend was our church’s campout. After it was over Sunday afternoon, we sat around as a family and were discussing things of heart issues and areas that had been touched that weekend. It was a special time since my two siblings had returned from their places of service for a few weeks and it was nice to be a family again! I had often talked to my father about a wife and the two young ladies he had also felt good about were the ones that had turned me down! I, being very shy and withdrawn, decided to ask the family for advice in finding a life partner. We talked for a while and then my brother suggested a girl from up in Canada that I also knew but hadn’t had a lot of contact for the last five years. My sister suggested a girl by the name of Aimee Beery whom she had met the year before at Family Camp and had been in correspondence with since. In fact when she had gotten back from FOCIS, she had told me of a girl she had met there who would make a good wife for me. My older sister said, “ehh… Japheth would run right over her, she’s so soft spoken.”
I knew the girl in Canada, I had never met this girl in Michigan/Virginia. She taught school in MI. but lived in VA. I told my younger sister that though this Aimee might be a very Godly young lady, how was I to get to know her? Just show up on her doorstep and say that I hear she is a nice young lady an I’d like to get to know her? Hmmm!!??
I decided to let it rest for a while.
July 4, 2000
Havign the day off of work, I spent it painting the newly finished walls in my house. I also decided to spend the day in fasting and prayer concerning the girl in Canada. All that day, as I worked and prayed I felt DEAD. I don’t think that those bare sheetrock walls even echoed. I read my Bible during “meal times” and even that did not hold any “life” for me. Finally at the end of the day, I bowed my head in tears of frustration and said, “Lord, I do not know why you have me in the waiting room. But I do not feel right in moving forward until you give me the peace and direction. I am tired of being in the waiting room, the seats are uncomfortable, and the magazines are boring, I want out! Yet, I will wait here till you show me how to move forward.”
I was resigned to the fact that God knew I was there and would lead me when He was ready.
July 5, 2000
I got home from work mentally exhausted from dealing with grumpy women and their sewing machines all day. As I came in the door, my younger sister met me and with a huge grin on her face said, “Guess who’s coming to stay for two weeks?” My first thought was “Two Weeks!! That means it’s probably a family and I will have to move out of my room to allow them to stay in the house.” Argh!!
(outwardly) “Who”
“Aimee Beery”
“You mean THE Aimee Beery?”
“Yes, THE Aimee Beery!”
“When?”
“Tommorrow….”
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Redeeming the Time
This morning we had a sermon by my best friend, Keith, who’s also the husband of Destination Glory land. Once again I am impressed that you need not be ordained to hear God’s voice and then share a sermon.
What he spoke on was TIME. (Not the magazine either!) We all are different in so many ways. Some are wealthy, some are not, some have had tough childhoods, and others have had glorious ones. We cannot choose what nation we were born in, who are parents are, how we look, what we inherit, the times we live in, all of these were chosen by God for us. The only thing that we ALL have in common is this; we all have the same amount of time in a day.
What am I going to do with it?
Do I spend my time pursuing those things and really matter? Or do I more often, get so caught up in the “cares of life,” that I forget whose time I’m using. We so often think that if we do a few “big things” for God, we are the same as those doing a lot of little things. I don’t know. God wants us to be open to giving ALL of our time to Him if He asks for it! Yet I for one, have so often “done my part” and felt that I was free to go. Like when quitting time comes at the end of the day, I have done my duty to my boss and now it’s my time to do with as I see fit! I am ashamed to say that I think this way often and it’s sobering to be reminded of how far my heart can stray form being continually on the alter.
The thought that keeps running thru my head is this, when I get to the great white throne of God, what will he judge me on? I am beginning to wonder if it will not be in relation to how I have responded to the Lordship of Christ and how have I used my time for Him. If I waste my time on myself, then I am just like the unfaithful servant who buried his master’s talent in the ground and waited for Him to come back and claim it. He didn’t want to spend his time on his master’s work when his master had many other, more important people working for him.
Am I redeeming the time, or are the days not yet evil?
What he spoke on was TIME. (Not the magazine either!) We all are different in so many ways. Some are wealthy, some are not, some have had tough childhoods, and others have had glorious ones. We cannot choose what nation we were born in, who are parents are, how we look, what we inherit, the times we live in, all of these were chosen by God for us. The only thing that we ALL have in common is this; we all have the same amount of time in a day.
What am I going to do with it?
Do I spend my time pursuing those things and really matter? Or do I more often, get so caught up in the “cares of life,” that I forget whose time I’m using. We so often think that if we do a few “big things” for God, we are the same as those doing a lot of little things. I don’t know. God wants us to be open to giving ALL of our time to Him if He asks for it! Yet I for one, have so often “done my part” and felt that I was free to go. Like when quitting time comes at the end of the day, I have done my duty to my boss and now it’s my time to do with as I see fit! I am ashamed to say that I think this way often and it’s sobering to be reminded of how far my heart can stray form being continually on the alter.
The thought that keeps running thru my head is this, when I get to the great white throne of God, what will he judge me on? I am beginning to wonder if it will not be in relation to how I have responded to the Lordship of Christ and how have I used my time for Him. If I waste my time on myself, then I am just like the unfaithful servant who buried his master’s talent in the ground and waited for Him to come back and claim it. He didn’t want to spend his time on his master’s work when his master had many other, more important people working for him.
Am I redeeming the time, or are the days not yet evil?
Friday, September 16, 2005
He heareth our Cry
We just got word from our son’s eye surgeon that after conferring with his college, he thinks it is ok for us to wait for six months or so to do the surgery. Praise the Lord!! This has been an answer to prayer because I hope in that amount of time to be able to pay for it!
I know it was something little but to me, it was a “God” thing!!
I know it was something little but to me, it was a “God” thing!!
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Ho & Hum of Life
Ok, so I told you I wouldn’t be here for a while! Now I have returned but don’t know what to say or more like it, where to start.
Last month we went to a family camp for a week and what a blessing it was to not have to think about anything other than being together as a family and listening to some very inspired speakers, giving insight in how better to train our children and work together as husband and wife. Sadly, I realized that I have woefully failed at both many times. But it was good to here from God in that quiet setting and start to make some of the changes that were long overdue.
We arrived home to a mess of sewing parts in the basement, between 150-200 ears of sweet corn waiting for the freezer, and about 10 sewing machines waiting to be picked up. My new business venture has started out well though it has had its bumps that I still ponder at. But God has been gracious!! I was granted the contract to service two schools sewing machines but they both needed to be done before Labor day and had to be done on site! So, in the space of 3 days, I ended up servicing around 30 machines and putting in about 250 miles! But what a blessing that will be for some of our outstanding debts!
The hardest part of the last month has been the realization that our youngest child will have to face surgery for his eyes. He has always been a little cross eyed since birth but we kept waiting and hoping he would grow out of it. He hasn’t so this past week, we took him to see the eye surgeon who confirmed our fears, he would need to have a muscle detached from the one side of his eye and reattached back 3.5mm from where it had been. The problem comes though when we talked about costs. Do we go ahead with the surgery when we do not have the money or insurance to pay for it? Or do we wait for God to supply the funds before we make plans for surgery?
It is here that I so often fail in my faith towards God. I can trust Him if there is nothing I can do in a situation, but is that really trust??!!! We believe that God has called us to live debt free and though we failed in that this past spring, it is still our aim. When God says that He will supply some of our needs….NO! ALL OF OUR NEEDS, do I take that literally or think of it abstractly concerning others?
Then this morning sermon hit me so hard between the eyes that my teeth hurt! If someone tells us they will come over and help with a project, do we believe them? How do they feel if we don’t? Then it was brought out that so often we believe what others tell us but we so often doubt what God tells us. Let me ask again, when we doubt what God said, how does it make Him feel? Where am I REALLY putting my trust?
God Help me to rest in your care and provision and not in my own short sightedness!
Ok, so I found something to write about, sorry to take up so much of your time with my ramblings!
Last month we went to a family camp for a week and what a blessing it was to not have to think about anything other than being together as a family and listening to some very inspired speakers, giving insight in how better to train our children and work together as husband and wife. Sadly, I realized that I have woefully failed at both many times. But it was good to here from God in that quiet setting and start to make some of the changes that were long overdue.
We arrived home to a mess of sewing parts in the basement, between 150-200 ears of sweet corn waiting for the freezer, and about 10 sewing machines waiting to be picked up. My new business venture has started out well though it has had its bumps that I still ponder at. But God has been gracious!! I was granted the contract to service two schools sewing machines but they both needed to be done before Labor day and had to be done on site! So, in the space of 3 days, I ended up servicing around 30 machines and putting in about 250 miles! But what a blessing that will be for some of our outstanding debts!
The hardest part of the last month has been the realization that our youngest child will have to face surgery for his eyes. He has always been a little cross eyed since birth but we kept waiting and hoping he would grow out of it. He hasn’t so this past week, we took him to see the eye surgeon who confirmed our fears, he would need to have a muscle detached from the one side of his eye and reattached back 3.5mm from where it had been. The problem comes though when we talked about costs. Do we go ahead with the surgery when we do not have the money or insurance to pay for it? Or do we wait for God to supply the funds before we make plans for surgery?
It is here that I so often fail in my faith towards God. I can trust Him if there is nothing I can do in a situation, but is that really trust??!!! We believe that God has called us to live debt free and though we failed in that this past spring, it is still our aim. When God says that He will supply some of our needs….NO! ALL OF OUR NEEDS, do I take that literally or think of it abstractly concerning others?
Then this morning sermon hit me so hard between the eyes that my teeth hurt! If someone tells us they will come over and help with a project, do we believe them? How do they feel if we don’t? Then it was brought out that so often we believe what others tell us but we so often doubt what God tells us. Let me ask again, when we doubt what God said, how does it make Him feel? Where am I REALLY putting my trust?
God Help me to rest in your care and provision and not in my own short sightedness!
Ok, so I found something to write about, sorry to take up so much of your time with my ramblings!
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