For Such a Time as This...

My friends, if you read my blog you know my life has been a bit of a whirlwind since August. This has been the year of change for me and my family. This post is about recent events so it will be a long post. If you are willing, grab a cup of coffee, hot tea, coke or what ever your fancy, and join me as I shed some light on the path I am on. 

I have taken a right turn on a road that I have never traveled on. I can't turn back now. I do not see a Uturn ahead. Its a little bumpy, but My Savior is driving, so I know I am safe on this ride. 

While my oldest son, Daulton, has had this Momma's heart stretching, now my oldest daughter is spreading  her wings. I knew that this day was coming. I actually knew this about four months ago. When Devyn starting dating Joel, I knew in my heart that he was going to be the one. I felt that the Lord had given me the four months with Devyn while he was at basic training to spend with her. I knew that she would be leaving soon. I had bathed this in prayer, and my prayers would be confirmed. The Lord has been preparing me for this. I am at peace with this. She will be moving to Fort Hood, Texas next month. What an exciting time for her! She will be experiencing things that her father and I have never experienced. What better a way to start on a journey than with the person that you love, and you can grow with. Devyn and Joel got married this past Friday, and it was a shock to several people. I do not feel that I owe it to anyone to explain the choices my daughter has made. But I will shed some light on them as the Lord has spoken to me this week. 

Devyn and Joel got engaged on Sunday, December 22 , 2013. They both thought June would be the time that they would get married. It would give them time to save money and their brothers would both be back home. (Joel's brother is in mission school in Hawaii and will  not be home until April and Daulton will not be home until the end of May) He was only able to home for a week. They had not spend that much time together since August. They kept discussing dates. Everything seem to weigh on when he would be able to get leave and then they would have to apply and wait on housing. So they started thinking to move it up, because he would be deployed in October. Would that be fair to them? They would have to wait six months to be together and then only be able to live together as husband and wife for about 3 months before he was deployed for nine months?  As they prayed and pondered they both started discusing Devyn flying out there in January, her break in February, for her birthday in March, then Spring Break in April. Then they realized, how are we going to save money if we are spending it seeing each other every month? Plus that would also create a temptation that as a Christian, does not need to be there. They were just going to keep on praying about it. 

Devyn and I started looking at venues online and making a list of wedding plans. It was just hard to set a date. Venues fill up about a year in advance, so time really was not on their side. On January 6, Devyn was sending Joel venue links and he called her. He told her that he got four more days leave, that if he gets it approved, he is coming home and they are going to the court house. She was smiling when she told me. She came and talked to Michael and I about it. It wasn't set in stone, but a big possibility. Their thought was to get married at the courthouse so he could get the certified copy of the marriage certificate so he could apply for housing. Which could take a while. They are just ready to start their life together. I understand it, I also feel like they started to get a little stressed about all of it. I don't blame them. All the pressure and planning can take the focus on what the special day is all about. Devyn said she didn't want a big wedding, she would be okay going to the courthouse. After she left our bedroom, Michael looked at me and laughed. " that is Devyn, I would not expect anything different from her. The bus pulls up and she is gone" You see, when Devyn started Kindergarten her teacher told us it would be best if we put her on the bus the first day of school to make the transition better. So Mike and I take her to the bus stop that August morning.  The bus pulls up, Devyn gets on. She doesn't look back, hug us, give us a kiss or even wave goodbye! I was heartbroken! This is typical Devyn!

So, Joel got his leave approved, and he came home this past Friday. She picked him up from the airport and they went straight to the probate court in Cobb County to get their license. The magistrate court performs wedding ceremonies at 6 during the evenings. We met with his family at our church Fellowship Hall and decorated it for a small family reception after they exchanged vows. It was a sweet night. All the sweet meaningful traditions were performed. Cutting the cake, blessing the couple, and pictures. Daulton could not make it since he is in Alabama and he has baseball conditioning, and Joel had four siblings that could not make it due to prior commitments and then one is in Hawaii.  Those that could make it showed up at the courthouse to be witnesses, and guess what, there were 20 of us there!! Joel's mom got Devyn this sweet bouquet of flowers. She had something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue! She had a new dress and some awesome new cowboy boots! (after all she is moving to Texas!)

She knows whom her soul loves. I firmly believe that when you know, you know! Especially when you bathe it in prayer. This is where the Lord showed me something this week. Devyn had people say to her, "gosh that was fast". No, I don't believe it was. You see I have full trust in my Lord and Savior. I believe the scriptures. I believe that our plans are not His plans and that he has ordained all of our days. I knew this already, but our Sunday school lesson was on Psalm 139. The scripture that stood out to me was this:

" For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: your works are wonderful. I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Pslam 139:13-16.

I do not believe this was quick. I believe it was in God's timing. I believe the Lord has placed this flame in their hearts. I believe that their days were written together in His book.  After all, Eve was created. just for Adam. Devyn and Joel were created for each other.

I gained a son this week. He is a precious young man. I believe that the Lord is going to be glorified through them. I am excited about their journey. Please pray for them :)

Devyn has started her own blog to track the events in their lives, especially since they will be in Texas. Here is the link to it

http://georgiapearlsanddogtags.blogspot.com/

You especially need to listen to the song she shared on it!

May the Lord bless you my friends! God is sooo good, he is Alive and well!

pg