10th Anniversary

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my first date with Stephen!  Ten years ago today we went out on our very first date…..and can you guess where we went?  Yep…church!

I’ve always liked keeping a journal…..and back in my college days my journal was actually pen and paper!!  So I thought in honor of this special day I would share some of my journal entries.

Place:  Pensacola Florida
Time:  Last semester Stephen’s senior year, first semester of my senior year (college)
Year:  1999
Subjects: 

Monday 3-08-99
Steve – Yes there is a new guy in my life [like I had a boat load of boyfriends….ha!].  I hope he’s my friend, but I don’t know how I feel about him.  He sits in front of me in my Production class and beside me in Systems [Systems and Operations a computer class].  He’s really a nice guy.  Very friendly and helpful to everyone. 

Sunday 3-26-99
Steve called me the Friday of Bible Conference (that would have been 3-19-99) and asked me to go with him to the Praise Service.  I had a really good time with him even though he did not walk back with me to my dorm. 

On Friday, this past Friday, right after Systems, Steve walks out of class with me and we started talking.  He said he had to work Friday and Saturday night and then said, “Sarah would you like to go to church with me on Sunday morning?”  I said sure.  Then he said that he wanted to do something with me this weekend but since he was working, Sunday was the only time possible.  I was really happy the whole day and excited about my date to church.

Well I went to church this morning with Steve.  I don’t know how I feel about him.  I’m so confused.  I like him as a friend, but nothing more than that, I don’t think.  I don’t know.  Steve is just too good for me [too good for me as in kinda stiff and starchy…which I’m totally not.  And Stephen’s totally not, but I thought he was].  We are both just too serious [ok that’s super funny that I thought Stephen was too serious].  I don’t know why I don’t like him, he does not talk bad, he brings his Bible to church and even sings…..actually he has a nice voice [I had previously gone on a few church dates with boys that did not bring their Bible and did not sing….I thought that was pathetic].  I think his’ the type of person who does not just date around for fun.  He means business.  That scares me.

I want to like Steve for who he is as a person and not just because he has asked me out.  I want to have perfect love that casts out fear.  I just could never see Steve approving of me wearing jeans or dancing.  But that is a part of me.

Sunday 4-4-99
Steve asked me to church on Wednesday night.  It was one of the best times I’ve had with him so far.  I told him that I played basketball for my collegian.  He said that he just could not imagine me playing basketball.  I’m afraid that there are a great many things I do that will shock the pants off him.

[Just in case you think that he only took me on dates to church…..]

Wednesday 4-21-99
I went bowling last night with Steve and our friends Chris and Nancy.  He told me that his sister said hello.  I guess that means that his family know about me.  He told me on Sunday that his brother Mark asked if I had a southern accent.  I found that hilarious.

Sunday 4-25-99
Yesterday I went canoeing with Steve.  The canoeing part was a blast!  It was so quiet and peaceful.  [Stephen promised that he would not tip me out….and he kept his promise…we never tipped and I stayed high and dry].

Tuesday 4-27-99
Steve call this afternoon and asked if I wanted to go play racquetball.  We played for about half-an-hour and then sat and talking about what we wanted to do in the future.  Then he asked me if I wanted to play pool.  Steve taught me how because I had never played before [I had such fun playing pool….I stink at pool, but it was really fun].

We sat down and played a game of tic-tac-toe and while we were playing Steve asked me….well he said, “Sarah, Can I ask you something?”  I got this weird feeling, kinda scared anticipation.  Steve said, “Will you go to Fine Arts with me?”  Ah, that’s a question that I can say yes to, so I did.  After a few games of tic-tac-toe Steve said, “Sarah, I have another question for you. Would you like to go out with my parents on the night after graduation?”  Me, “Ah, I would love to.”  After a little while Steve said, “Sarah, I feel inquisitive tonight, Do you believe that long-distance relationships work?”  Well what could I say, I thought I knew where this conversation was leading.  So I answered that it really just depended on the people involved.  Steve, “the reason I’m asking is….will you be my girlfriend?” I just kinda looked at him and did not say anything….and then I said the first thought that popped into my head, “well you’ll have to ask my dad!”

So how do I feel?  I feel almost at peace.  I don’t know if I like Steve.  I do enjoy being with him and every time I go out with him I like it more and more and I like him more and more [Hey I didn’t  say that my journal always made a lot of sense!!].

[So this was the start of the real drama.  After a few conversations Stephen realized that I was not really feeling….ah…..very keen on being his girlfriend.  Which was really true.   We only had a few weeks of school left….he was graduating…and I did not know if I would even see him again after we left campus.  So he very graciously gave me back my dad’s phone number and said that we could be just friends.  The last few weeks of school we still dated, talked and had some fun times together.  After school was over, he went to Texas and I went to Virginia.]

Sunday 5-09-99
Steve, the ever present concern.  God has not given me an answer about Steve yet.  Wait.  Truly I hate waiting.  What Lord are you trying to teach me in this? 

God is my future, not another person or another job, but God….Numbers 23:19 God never changes and does not lie.  Isaiah 40.

Wednesday 5-26-99
Ephesians 3:14-21 – God is able to do more than we could ask or think.

I did not think that I would miss Steve, I mean really miss him, but I do.  I  got an email from him tonight and I was so excited!!

Monday 5-31-99
I really do miss Steve a lot!  I check my email three times, but he did not send me another note.  I don’t know if it is good that I miss him or bad.  I want what God has planned and yet I know what my own hearts desire is and I fight that longing to be loved in an intimate close relationship with someone.

Sunday 6-14-99
I had been getting email from Steve about every other day and I really look forward to his notes.  Some are much more than notes.  We’ve emailed about several issues and the more I talk to him on-line the more….. I can’t way that I love him, but I really respect him even more now than ever before.  Steve is truly hungry for God’s Truth.  He encourages me in some many ways.

A few weeks later Stephen moved to my town and the rest….like they say….is history!  Well it was’nt exactly that easy, but here we are 10 years and 4 kids later  

And Stephen this is for you