Reflections on life, marriage, and purpose...by a young woman who is constantly learning how much there will always be to learn!


Tuesday, November 15, 2005

A Sparkling Ring

Every once in a while, I look down at the beautiful diamond ring Micah gave me and notice that it looks a bit cloudy. Then I know that it's time to pull out my ring cleaner and give it a gentle scrubbing. I love turning my ring back and forth under a bright light after it's cleaning, and watching the fiery sparkles flicker.

Coming up on three years ago, Micah presented me with this ring as a symbol of his greater gift--commitment to me. We had just spent an afternoon walking at the park, and were sitting beside a lake as the sun began to go down. It was starting to get a bit chilly, so Micah offered to run to the car and bring me a blanket. He returned with what looked like a very lumpy one! He handed it to me, and I opened it up to find a bouquet of roses. He then proposed, with both of us jittery, nervous, and so happy that we both nearly cried. He nearly did...I did! The ring he gave me was beautiful (the above picture shows my engagement ring--I think he did a wonderful job selecting it!), but the true beauty of my ring lies in what it says: "Erin, out of all the girls in the world, I want to commit myself to you and you only for as long as we both live. You will have my heart and share my life. This is a promise that we make before God, our families, and our friends."

Commitment. Knowing that Micah has committed himself to me, and that we share the conviction that this commitment is for life, makes my marriage feel like a safe haven. I don't worry that he is waiting for something better to come along. I am secure in his love. But this does not give us license for giving up on trying to please each other! The simple fact that we will be "stuck" with each other forever motivates us to work hard at our relationship! We know that there is no out, so we better make this marriage a good one!:o)

As I clean my ring, I ponder these things. I pray that I may have many, many years to keep pondering them. And I pray that God will polish and refine Micah and I until our marriage relationship sparkles as my ring does.

6 Comments:

Blogger Anne said...

You two are truly meant for each other - no doubt about that! He loves you so much and yall are a very cute couple - no rush (you have to wait for me!!!) but you are going to have the most georgeous kids someday :-) Enjoy this season of your life together though, just the two of you - babies will come soon enough so savor the time untill then as "newly-wedds". :-) Oh, and thanks again for the tip about the word verification to block spam!

12:10 AM, November 16, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WOW!
How romantic!
:::fallsover:::

When My Hubbie Proposed,
It was a sort of depressing moment.
My Mom was against our engagement from the begining..

David and I went to pick out a ring togather, He was going to chose a heart shaped diamond, but thought I would think it was way too corny.

I chose, tried on, and he bought, that very heart shaped ring!!!

We went ahead nad bought gold wedding bands while we were there!

He took me to the Chilli's in Humble, Tx, right off of 59 across the road from Deerbrook Mall, where we bought the ring! He proposed right outside the car before we went in.

I tryed calling my Folks in the restruant, to meet us there,
but my mom was so mean and refused.
Even to tell my Dad or brother.

It was a bitter sweet engagement.
My mom didn't even go to my wedding,
Even after we tried to honor her wishes not to get married in a Church.
She thought all churches were currupt.
So, we decided to go to the Justice of Peace in Sugar land Tx.
David's folks were there,
My brother and dad were there,
My mom didn't come.
It still hurts to this day.
Without her there,
it feels like a peice of me was lost.
David and I are trying to renew our vows this year,
our 5th wedding anniversary.
Hopefully, My mom can come.
will chose to come.
I have forgiven her since,
And things seem to be much much better between us.
Pray for us?

-Jaime C.

12:40 AM, November 16, 2005  
Blogger Carrie said...

What a gorgeous ring!!! Is it platinum? He did a great job picking it out! :) Mine is very simple, just a princess cut diamond on a plain, thin gold band, with a matching gold wedding band. I love it, though. Jim & I looked at rings together once before we got engaged, and I fell in love with the princess cut. I was so thrilled that that's what he got me!! :)

You are right about the true beauty of the ring being in what it stands for, though!! Now . . . I think I'll need to give mine a good cleaning before going to bed tonight! :)

I feel bad I haven't had time to comment much lately, but I still check in here every day. Glad to hear you had a good weekend getaway!

6:52 PM, November 17, 2005  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Erin,

I came across your blog a week or two ago, and I have read it often. I, too, am in love with a Micah. Aren't they the best men in the entire world?! It was so beautiful, your story of how the two of you got together. It made me cry. It seriously did. I'm so glad that you're happy with your Micah, and I pray for the same happiness with mine. God is so good to us. He daily blesses us in ways that we don't even realize. We can never say thank you enough times.

One day, I will have the same story to tell. We know that we are getting married, and are committed to that dream, and to each other. But we have to be paitent, anything this good is worth waiting for. He is worth waiting for, I remind myself of that every single day.

It's so hard sometimes, Erin. Because here I live in the south, and he lives all the way in Alaska. There is 3,624 miles between us, and each day that distance grows. And it gets harder and harder when all we want is to be together. He's in the coast guard and is going to be undergoing training in New Jersey and then Virgina, and then it's back to Alaska. Until we get married.

897 days to go. May 2, 2008. Stay strong, Erin. The two of you stay strong in your love for each other and your love for God. You have to love God first, before you can love anyone else. He will never leave you. When everything seems so dark and hopeless and you wonder why you made this choice, why you came here... just remember that God brought the two of you together. And He knows best. He will carry you through, just hold onto Him.

Sincerly,

Another Micah Lover


~Meg~

8:35 PM, November 17, 2005  
Blogger Erin said...

Meg-
So happy to meet another Micah lover!:o)Yes, they truly are the best!

I know that it must be very difficult to have so much distance between you. I hope that you guys get to email and write letters to each other a lot! At about the time that Micah and I knew that we wanted to marry, we were separated for a period of time too. Not quite as long as what you are talking about...it was about seven months altogether. We were each home from school for the summer, him in Ohio and I in Texas. And then I was studying in England all that fall while he was going to school in Texas. Emails and letters were such a great way to get to know each other in ways that we couldn't by just talking! (Of course, we did talk on the phone a lot too:o) But I cannot treasure phone calls now, the way that I do our letters which we still have.

Anyway, separation is definitely tough. I missed Micah SO much when we were apart! I feel for you guys. I know how hard it is to be patient! But think of the joy that will be yours when you are finally together.

Have you read Elisabeth Elliot's "Passion and Purity"? I assume you have...it is so widely known! I think it's helpful to read books like that, that talk about the trials of waiting on God's timing, but also the rewards. It reminds you that you're not alone.

Hang in there! I'm sure your Micah will be worth it (they always are;o). Lean on God, and write your man some wonderful letters. God bless you both!

11:53 PM, November 19, 2005  
Blogger Erin said...

Carrie, yes, it's platinum. Micah knew that I just love wearing silver-hued jewelry:o)

Princess-cut stones are beautiful too! I really like my round diamond, but princess-cut would have been my next choice.

I think my commenting has lapsed a bit recently too. I still read your blog all the time, though! (both of them, actually) We're just busy women, I guess!:o)

12:04 AM, November 20, 2005  

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