Daily Peek: Choose wisely.
In March, I showed you a few of the 13 pictures that I’ve placed in my room to help remind me to pray for specific things in my life. The photo above (purchased, not taken by me) hangs above my jewelry armoire and, like every other picture in my room, has a story behind it.
This story, however, is one of my favorites.
During the summer between my junior and senior years of college, I went on an extended trip to Italy where I, along with other students from my University, studied art and religion. We saw every famous landmark you can imagine but, by far, my favorite part of the trip was the few days we spent in Venice. On our last night there, I slipped out of the hotel and went for a little walk along one of the canals by myself.
I eventually found a quiet place to sit and watch the couples walking by me; I couldn’t help but notice most of them were older — maybe in Venice to celebrate an anniversary or to just finally take that dream vacation together. As I watched them, I began to think about how one day many years down the road, I too will be their age. And I started to imagine, for the first time, what it would be like to still be in love with the man I married all those years ago, to watch our babies grow up to have babies of their own making me a grandmother.
It was hard to imagine those things, being just shy of my 21st birthday that day I sat by the canal, but I somehow realized that the choices I was making then had the potential of influencing not only my life but the lives of those generations of my family that would come with time. This picture hangs on my wall as a reminder to choose wisely in this season of singleness since I’m not just choosing for myself.
And as a reminder that lonely doesn’t last forever.
I know that maybe this comment will be seen as “easy for her to say,” but I think I’ll still say it. I just turned 23 years old, and I’m getting married on April 18. Today, 17 days away from the day I’ll become one with the person I love more than anyone else in the world, it has finally hit me that this is the answer to all those prayers in college. I never could have perceived that this is how God would choose to direct the paths of my life. I was in several terrible relationships before this one, and yet God has given me this wonderful man.
Honestly, if you had told me three years ago that this is where I would be today, I would have said that it could never happen. I’m glad God is bigger than that.
that’ll preach
What a beautiful, sad post. Truly touching.
Beautiful.
Good message. Judging from the tidbits you give us here – I’d love to hear you preach sister friend!!
Nothing warms my heart like seeing an elderly couple who are very obviously still in love!
AB, so much wisdom is in the phrase “…a reminder to choose wisely in this season of singleness since I’m not just choosing for myself…”!
Love the picture. I spent some time in Venice when I was 9, but clearly wasn’t old enough to care about boy/girl things at the time. I just wanted to feed the pigeons.
I do care about boy/girl things now. I was single forever it seemed like, and finally married the love of my life at 33. And let me tell you, lonely doesn’t end because you have a ring on your finger, even if the ring was placed on your finger by the exact man that God had for you. Just last night I felt extreme loneliness and grief over stress and pressures that my husband just cannot relate to, even though he desperately wanted to. It was a good reminder to me to not depend on him to fulfill all of my emotional needs. No human being deserves to have that burden placed on them.
As a matter of fact, the times that I’ve felt the least lonely were when I wast most aware of God’s presence and activity in my life. I’ve felt that closeness both single and married. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
What a wonderful idea to place items that remind you to pray for specific things! I just may have to steal that idea!
love this way of thinking. I actually have ‘choose wisely’ as the banner on my cell phone so I also see if often…such a great reminder.