Whether this story was real or not – it sure tickled my feathers…
I was at my favorite Starbucks and these two, what looked like, college age girls were sitting at the table right behind me. They were talking about relationships and one of the girls started telling a story of her grandparents. Supposedly this is how it went:
(get ready for the cutest [hopefully true] story ever told/heard)
So this girls’ grandfather was in love with the girls’ grandmother from the moment he met her. He didn’t know if they were “meant” to be together, but he knew it was something he wanted to pursue (apparently the grandmother did not feel the same…). So after some persuasion, the grandfather finally got the grandmother to have dinner with him at least one day a month just so he could spend time with her and get to know her, in hopes that she would get to know him and fall in love with him as well. How long do you think they kept this up for? Well…if I were the grandmother I would probably do one of two things…A. realize “hey I want to get to know this person better…so let’s make it at least one date a week…” or B. “Yeah this is not even worth the one day a month – I’m bored.” And if I were the grandfather I would probably say “Hey lady, you like me or you don’t. Are you going to date me for reals or should I find a new babe to stalk with my patient, yet obsessive personality?”
They had one dinner a month….for 2 years. Two years? Seriously? ONE dinner a month for two…whole…years…? Now…I am no math expert but I am pretty sure that only gives 24 dates…that is basically 2 months worth of dates…in two whole years…(yes, I am going to keep thinking of different ways to say this)
I don’t even know what to say about that.
But apparently it got her attention and they are married now (hence the granddaughter telling the story) and the granddaughter was saying how they are happiest and most romantic couple ever.
Kind of weird…
Whether this story is true or not…and I really hope it is, It is really such a beautiful story. I think it is the perfect example of love and patience.
It really made me smile…
Two things stuck out to me from todays devotional:
“The purpose of the Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God’s message in the flesh.”
And
“Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you.”
I know what I want to do. And I know what God is calling me to do. I know what message He wants me to give to other people.
I know what my desires are and the passions that Christ has laid on my heart. And I know ultimately what setting I want to be in to display these passions, but until then – I know that I can carry out my passion right here and now: I want to love people.
I want to love people with God’s love and show people the love of Christ through me.
We all need love. Everyone does. Even those grumpy people who don’t want to admit they need to feel loved and wanted…they know deep down they are just dying for someone to tear down their walls and show them a love that they could not deny.
Fact: There is, has been, and always will be pain in this world.
Everyone has pain in their life and everyone has things they are struggling with.
But God has given us millions of other people in the world to lean on.
No one has to be alone in their struggles and pain. That’s the design and beauty of community. God carries us in our struggles by using others to help.
The love of God cannot and will not be exhausted. So I never want to stop living in it and showing it to others.
Thinking back to the story I heard about the grandparents…what if God had something for you, and you knew what that was, but God’s plan was for you to desire that thing and pursue it for 2 years, and then you could have it. Only, He did not tell you what the outcome was going to be and instead, just simply let you continue to pursue it. Do you think you would last two whole years? If your passion and desire for it was great enough then yes, I am sure you could. I have had the same desire and passion since I was in High School.
But sometimes it is not always that easy…
There is something that I really want – and I definitely do feel that Christ has put that desire on my heart. Only…I am just praying for His timing.
What if His timing takes two years for me…?
Will I be able to last that long…?
Or will I start to lose hope and my faith be shaken?
All I know is, I can do what I want to do right now and live my passion in another way for the time being – I can love people and be a reflection of God’s love.
