The Engagement

Photo: InkedFingers.com

Big news, the precious girl is engaged to be married.  How can this be, her mom pondered.  Wasn't she just born yesterday?  How can she be all grown up and ready to marry?  But oh, what joy the mother felt when she saw the sheer delight on the daughter's face.  The utter joy in her eyes was unmatched as daughter and mom shared the moment of 'he asked me'!  It is a privilege to have heart-to-heart moments of sheer delight with another person.  It is a privilege of motherhood to be heart-to-heart with your own offspring as they experience the joy of a life time.  And, it is a privilege of fatherhood to see family wholly celebrating together, in love together with each celebrating the other.

The mom reflected that this journey of engagement took a path of curves, turns, downhills and uphills:

The first meeting at 13

The years that neither forgot the other

The re-meeting

The days spent getting to know one another

The laughter

The tears

The shared journeys

The solo excursions

The dark times

The reconciliation

The words of apology and forgiveness

The continuing journey

The knowledge of YES

The anticipation

The planning

The timing

The record of the event

The acceptance

The love

The joy

The celebration

The complete family moment
The heart of the Father

As I read this mother's account of a daughter's engagement, it thrills my soul to celebrate the love of this couple.  But I also notice something else in this listing.  It seems familiar to me as it could be my own love story and in fact, it is.....the ultimate love story.  It's how the holy Father has pursued me.  And, I dare say it's the same way the holy One has pursued you.  It defines for me the joy of the Father in our final acceptance of Him.  What a beautiful picture of ultimate love.  As I read back over the steps recorded above I see God's pursuit of me.  I realize His patient waiting, I remember His overt attempts to get my attention and accept His love.  Notice that the mom's writing concludes with two phrases:
The complete family moment
The heart of the Father

The complete family moment: our families live all of life together which means a lot of curves, and ups and downs if they're the normal family.  And as families do, I bet this family grew, forgave, and changed over the years.  And finally, in one night of celebration the circle of family love seemed whole and healed which in my little mind leads to the heart of the Father.  I'm completely sure that the family above was bursting with joy and I sense this same Joy in the Father.  I can sense how He might feel as we all come together and finally accept Love, commit to Love and just simply relish in Love.

I sure hope I can see my life as engaged as the couple above.  I sure hope I can sense the great love, the great joy, the great celebration that my Groom has for me.

 ...and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.  Isaiah 62:6