Whatever Is True

For the new year, my congregation has been focusing on Philippians chapter 4.  PastorJosh has encouraged us to memorize this passage and meditate on the Truth in it.  As we read that passage collectively in morning worship, my stomach fluttered with recognition over verse 8:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I'd like to write to each of these themes--not just because they are some valuable parts of my life, but because I want my mind to gravitate to the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy in life.  (And couldn't we all use a few more of those things?)

Here's something true:

Favorite and I attended four years of high school together without speaking.  He was a jock; I wasn't.  Our crowds didn't attend the same sorts of events.  He maintains that we spoke once at a party during high schoo.  I remind him that party was at McClain's house and it was a post-graduation party.  I'm not even entirely sure said exchange happened.  Clearly it meant more to him (*wink*).

College took us separate directions.  He went to a small school about two hours away from our home town while I stayed to attend community college.  Because he was a home town football hero (on a team that couldn't win a game), my parents became familiar with his plans to play football at his small school.

When my mom and dad were young, my dad had a fairly impressive car.  (I don't recall the make or the model, but they tell fond stories of its impressiveness?...impressivosity?)  Because the car was black and red, my mother crocheted a matching afghan for my father to keep in the car on the what-I-assume-to-be leather seats. 

They kept that afghan until they learned Favorite was attending  a school and the colors were black and red--the same colors of the afghan.  Without my knowledge, that afghan passed into the hands of Favorite's mother so she would have something to use during the football season.

He played for one year and then returned home to attend the university near our small town.  I finished my degree at community college and then transferred to the University of Illinois to pursue a degree in advertising.

I was dating someone seriously during my tenure at U of I, but we briefly broke up sometime during the spring semester.  Devastated, I called my mother.  "You know, I was talking to Sherri (Favorite's mother) today, and she said Chris is interested in taking you on a date."  Since I was angry, I told Mom I would be glad to go on the date.  "Set it up" were my last words.

That date never happened.  Boyfriend and I reconciled, and when I transferred back to the local university, my relationship was intact.

But not for long.

That summer I found myself single and no longer looking.  The previous relationship had a few issues (I won't be sharing them on my blog.  What's done is done.), and I really thought it was a good idea to embrace singleness for a bit of time.

Which lasted for about six months.  Then, there was the rebound.  The rebound also will not be discussed, didn't last a long time, and ended at my choice.

LilBro was wrestling for hometown high at this point, and my friend, Kate, and I decided to make an appearance at the invitational.  Oddly enough, Favorite, who was also a high school wrestler, was helping run the tournament.

Just before I had to leave to go to work, Favorite sauntered his arrogant self across the gym to strike up a conversation.  I don't remember what we said, but it couldn't have been important.  I didn't understand why a guy I'd never spoken to in school would want to speak now.

When he walked away, Kate looked and me and said, "That man is your husband."

I've had some surreal moments in my life, but this one will go down in history.  I looked at her with no response.  What would I have said? 

The next day was SuperBowl Sunday.  I had to work after church, and had been working at Walmart for a few months.  At two o'clock, I was a little confused when I saw Favorite saunter (he did that a lot) by the jewelry counter.  Again, he started a conversation.

We agreed to meet for dinner near the university the next day.  He was 20 minutes late, and it was the most horrific date in history.

But somehow...here we are.  That was ten years ago.

We were engaged three months later and married after a year long engagement.

Our marriage has had its fair share of vomit-inducing workouts, and we aren't the same idealistic people we were when we said "I do."  Thankfully, he taught me what it is to love someone else--not perfectly, and definitely not blindly.

But Favorite?  Is true.  And what we have is true.  And I think that's worth a moment.

(Oh, and my mother-in-law still has that afghan.  It's still in my family.  Who knew a piece of history between my Mom and Dad would also become a piece of our history?)

Whatever Is True Part Two