Gentle rhythms of summer

My dear one, 

Recent circumstances and conversations give me hope that although I have yet to meet you, good single men – you among them – are still out there somewhere. I still maintain my mental list of what kind of man you should be, but at the same time I have a growing feeling that you will be nothing like what I could envision. So how do I dare write to such an unknown gentleman? Am I better off ceasing to write in this space, choosing instead to focus all my energies on self-improvement and godly pursuits? Or dare I share more of my heart? 

The gentle rhythms of the summer season have done my heart good. My soul has been refreshed by time spent in the Word and in the books of godly men and women. My body has been invigorated through hiking adventures, strength training at the gym, and the nutrition of seasonal produce. 

I enjoyed a bit of time with my parents this past week. Because I live 600+ miles away from them, my visits are few. They live in a 600-sq-ft apartment, so it's definitely "cozy" when I'm staying with them! My grandparents, two doors down, are no longer in a position to offer me sleeping quarters, but Mom and Dad's living room has a reclining chair which was sufficient for a good night's sleep. I was definitely lazy during my time there, watching Wimbledon tennis with Mom, sharing mint chocolate chip ice cream with Dad...


I brought home some lovely fine china pieces that belonged to my great-grandmother, and while carefully washing them this afternoon, my mind wandered to think of the conversations that those delicate English teacups might have heard over the years. My great-grandmother was a very smart and accomplished lady who served as a dietician during WWI. It was during the war that she met and fell in love with the man who would become her husband. Though she came from a wealthy English family, she married that young American soldier for love, likely falling short of her parents' expectations for her. But they both loved the Lord first and foremost. That lady's son is my grandfather, now 90 years old. My grandfather showed me a note he keeps in his Bible, something his mother had written to him when he went off to serve in the Army during WWII. "My son, I do not worry about you. You know the Lord and He will go with you. Always love Him and look to Him in all you do. Your father and I love you very much."

And it is that godly heritage that I think about as I sip a cup of tea from her china teacup. The Lord knows my heart's desire is to have a daughter who will reflect God's faithfulness to her own generation and beyond.

What would we talk about if you were sitting with me now? I could share my growing interest in visiting Iceland someday. Wouldn't that make a picturesque honeymoon destination? You'd be sure to get an earful about firearms – my trips to the shooting range, my research on concealable semiautomatic handguns, my thoughts on the government's liberal agenda. We might compare our upbringings and discuss how we would hope to raise our own children. Would you trust me to educate our children and help me to do so? I might tell you about my burden for orphans and my enthusiasm over adoptions's portrayal of glorious gospel realities.

Wherever you are, my dear one, stay strong. I pray for you every day and I look for you in every smile. 

Always, 
Your Evenstar