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!)
Comments
God Bless your day
GZ