A story of love that bloomed as the gift of a rose continued to bloom for many years.
That Bloomin’ Rose!
I remember the first time I glanced across the sanctuary and saw his unfamiliar face. His head was slightly bent as if he was still praying about something.
My friend, Dave, had just told me he found the man for me! I said “You’ve got to be kidding, where did you find him?” He replied, “Right here, last week. He came to church and when Pastor asked if any one wanted to come forward for prayer or anything, he went right up there and said he wanted to be a member of our church.”
I had been praying, telling God if He wanted me to have a man in my life he would just have to bring him to me. I had found plenty in the few years I had been single, but not here at church. And I wasn’t really looking for a husband, you understand? Just a nice guy to date, cuddle up with, all those fun things without the responsibility of marriage.
Well, it wasn’t long until Gary began to glance across the sanctuary each Sunday looking for me (I suppose Dave told him he had found a lady for him!) but since he was kind of shy, I had to make the first move. One Sunday I got to church before him and sit down in his pew. He seemed pretty happy to sit down next to me.
We discovered within the next few months that we had several favorite things in common: The full moon, roses, the desire for single friends to hang out with and a special interest in each other!
On one of our first dates he brought me a small flowerpot with a miniature bush full of rosebuds. He said, “We will watch these buds bloom as our love for each other blooms.” Hey, with a line like that I didn’t have a chance. I just fell--hook, line and sinker!
Our church was quite small with only a few singles; my friends, Meredith and Anna, Gary and Jim were the most dependable to show up for social events. We girls were teasingly called the “three Musketeers” because where you found one of us you found all three.
You guessed it! Most of our dating included the four of us with Gary running around the car to open the doors for all three ladies! Always the gentleman!
The big day finally arrived-the marriage proposal. Gary planned right down to the last little item on his list. I think he planned so carefully to assure I would not refuse. Remember, when I met him I wasn’t looking for a husband, just a boyfriend to cuddle with?
He planned a day outing with Meredith, Anna, himself and me. This was not unusual so I didn’t become suspicious at all. He drove us to a park and had a picnic lunch to share by the bay and a beautiful view to gaze at while we ate. It was a beautiful spring day complete with blue sky and puffy white clouds floating lazily by. Next we went to the new Ikea furniture store we had all wanted to see and then he headed toward the Observatory that we had visited on one of our first dates. There is a view up there of the whole bay area including the Golden Gate bridge and the whole city of San Francisco. You get the picture, a real Kodak moment for sure.
We wondered around a while on the observatory grounds and then we girls sit down on a park bench. He walked slowly over to the bench, knelt down in front of me and proceeded to recite the marriage proposal that I am sure he stayed up half the night memorizing. Right there on that bench with my two best girlfriends and me, he proposed! I was stunned. I couldn’t say a word and I’m sure it seemed to him that time stood still as he held my hand and waited. And waited. Finally I said, “Yep”! It was totally unfair. There was no way I could embarrass him in front of our friends. I had to say yes. Well, sort of yes if you include Yep as sufficient for the most important word you are going to say for the rest of your life.
I said, “If I am going to get married again we have to have an engagement. I have never been engaged, just decided to tie the knot and got married. There has to be an engagement ring and it has to be a real wedding with a real wedding dress (I didn’t have a wedding gown the first time) and reception.” He said, “Of course and a wedding veil!”
We were married four months later in the little church where we met. Our marriage has been an answer to prayer for both of us. We became best friends while attending the various singles functions, and then admitted to being in love (Gary said he knew from the “get go” that God meant for us to be married). He was very patient waiting for me to realize that marriage was the next step toward God’s plan for us.
We now are partners in our various ministries. I have always loved to sing and after our wedding Gary began accompanying me on my singing jobs. He soon was joining me on some of the songs. Now we have taken our shows into churches nationwide. We also have a ministry, ‘Bibles for Nigeria”, providing bibles for the members of a small church in Nigeria as well as being prayer partners with an Evangelist minister in Kenya.
And by the way, the rose he gave me when we first began to date is still blooming and is no longer a miniature rose bush. It stands about three feet high and blooms almost non-stop the year around.
God is good. He gave me a wonderful Christian husband to share my life and a rose bush that provides blooms all year round! What more could a girl ask for?
The Matchmaker:
Angela Calminetti, mother of five, New Age practitioner and gifted psychic and telepath, is proud of her family ties and does everything she can to make sure that all of her younger siblings are as happy in love and marriage
Welcome to Hell on Earth, boys.
Andersonville POW camp...
Russell's battle-worn body looked defeated. He was a Union soldier; she was a Confederate nurse. But when Rosa looked into his eyes, she saw pure determination. He looked fo
That Bloomin’ Rose!
