Oh, my, what a wonderful story...

This post is undoubtedly WAY overdue, but here it is. A little blip (I'll TRY to limit the mush- no promises!) on the wonderful love in my life, and how we're getting married in t-minus 137 days! I love seeing that number get smaller and smaller. :)

Tyler and I have been dating for just a smidgen over two years now. He's my best friend, my favorite companion, my most trusted confidante, and my hero when bugs crawl on the walls in my dinky southern apartment. I would claim to be the most blessed girl in the world, but I happen to have several friends who are equally happily engaged/engaged to be engaged/married. We'll just say I've joined the ranks of undeservedly happy women.

I pray that every single one of my friends gets to experience this- whether it comes from God alone (pure and unadulterated), or is additionally funneled through another human being, to be so loved, so aware of it, so able to rest and rejoice in it, is the greatest joy in the world.

I will say, (having been single, too) I know it can be hard not to have that romantic human love- but in my loneliest times, it was my God who was my friend, who loved me and held me and took care of me. In the midst of all this romantic ecstasy and mush, don't think I'm undervaluing the love of my Heavenly Father. It's only because He loves me and gives me strength and grace that Tyler and I can be together. Our relationship would never have begun, much less survived, without our God.

One thing I've discovered as I've fallen more in love with Tyler, is that romantic cliches and songs are popular because they are true. I wish I'd written a big hit love song- just so I could say I tried to put these feelings into words with some marginal success. As it is, I'd like to share one of my favorite love songs. It was written by a young woman named Mandy Mapes, about the love story between Ruth and Boaz in the Bible. I identify with it so strongly.

LOVE STORY

"I see your smile,
And it's so much sweeter,
After all that I've been through.
And when you laugh,
I get a glimpse of forever,
And I praise God that I found you.

"And anytime someone asks me,
How it all unfolded
I tell them,
Such incredible chances
Make for marvelous love.

"And just like the sun
Lights up the moon,
This love is a reflection
Of more than just me and you-
Our lives
Were less than ordinary
But when I couldn't see past tomorrow,
God was makin' history
Oh, my, what a beautiful story
Of love.

"Unexpected mercy
Is the greatest thing to find
When you've been broken many times.
My soul found joy!
And for the first time in a while,
I felt like singing.

"And anytime someone asks me,
How it all unfolded
I tell them,
Such incredible chances
Make for marvelous love."

"And just like the sun
Lights up the moon,
This love is a reflection
Of more than just me and you.
Our lives
Were less than ordinary,
But when I couldn't see past tomorrow,
God was makin' history.
Oh, my, what a beautiful story,
Oh, my! what a beautiful story!
Oh, my, what a beautiful story,
Of love."

I thank God for the beautiful story of first, His love for me, and second, His love to me and Tyler through each other.