...and Past Management

Apparently, God remembered our anniversary sooner than we did, my dear. When I opened my prayer journal this morning and reflected on my communing time with God yesterday, I realized this fact.

For introduction, however, I must say that normally we do an outstanding job with commemorating that day that means so much to us: our anniversary. One year dancing to Dr. John live in concert in Chicago. Last year, trekking off to NYC. Even the year that our first-born was less than a month old, we managed to slip away for an elegant dinner while your mom babysat. But this year is not normal, so no wonder we weren't normal either.

This year, we made our first "anniversary contact" while we sat half-dozing on the couch, mindlessly watching morning TV, enjoying that it was a Saturday when we didn't have to be racing out the door with the first step out of bed. No more soccer, no marching competition today anyway. As we stared blankly at the TV, I in the back of my mind noticed that the characters were on a subway, and this led to the fateful thought progression. People on a subway. I remember the last time I was on a subway. That was in NYC. In fact, it was almost a year ago. In fact, it was exactly a year ago. Wait a minute...what is today? I looked at you. "Honey, what's the date today?" Your blank look quickly shifted to recognition. We both burst out laughing.

But, as I said at first, God was one step ahead of us, as usual. When I open my prayer journal and look back at yesterday's wee-hours-of-the-morning Bible study, I notice something I read then that makes me feel like an idiot now. Yesterday, (in that time before the dawning realization that it was a portentious day, hehe) I wondered why this "one word" stood out. Occasionally, a word or a visual will hit me though random redundancy--as I've mentioned before--the result being that I perceive it as a divinely interactive experience. One of those happened yesterday.

A specific Hebrew word came before my eyes through Bible footnotes in two different sections of my daily reading...in an epistle and in a Gospel...same word twice, which made it pop for me. In fact, in the one instance, a whole inserted article was dedicated to the word. The word is "chesed" which is translated as "loving kindness". These side notes related that it is a word used to describe a relationship bonded in love, loyalty and commitment. "Devoted friendships that last forever are based on chesed" said the article...said God to us. The word was His gift and His blessing over us. Glad I got up and read yesterday morning. Glad I wrote it down. Glad I visited it again today. Such a typical microcosm of my ways. But this one, I'd have hated to miss.

So thanks, God, for pounding the lovely little message into my brick-head.
And...happy anniversary, sweetheart.