Tiny Paragraphs : Marriage

Rocks in His Pocket, Part 2

Shannon — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:36:00 GMT

My friend, Chris, posted a story today from TODAYshow.com about a $9,000 engagement ring being lost down a jetty.

Our engagement story isn't quite as dramatic... but, almost. (For part 1, go here.)

After walking along a riverbank, Ken suggested a quite place to sit, overlooking the river. He put an arm around my shoulder and began proclaiming his love for me. This isn't what he usually talked about on our dates, so my heart's tempo began picking up speed. Is he going to ask me? Does he have a ring?

I was listening, but not perfectly, because of all of these questions and my spiking heart rate. (Sorry, honey. I'll listen much better if you want to tell me now how much you love me...)

While he talked, I felt an acorn fall into my lap, but I just ignored it. No diversion was worthy of even the slightest bit of my attention at this point.

Ken finally led up to the part where he asked me to marry him. But before I could answer, he said, quite abruptly, "Oh, no!" My eyes darted to the object he was staring at: A ring box, flipped open, and held in the hand which he had draped around my shoulder.

A very empty ring box. The moment that followed was filled with panic... almost hysteria, as Ken prepared to jump in the river below to rescue the token of his love for me.

But I exclaimed, "No! Here it is! I have it!" The 'acorn' was my ring. I clutched it with trembling fingers, up for him to see.

Once our heart rates dropped into normal range, I said, "Yes! I'll marry you!" Best decision I ever made.

Good thing my mom taught me to sit like a lady, huh??!

Rocks in His Pocket (part 1)

Shannon — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 03:38:00 GMT

This weekend, we drove by the apartment Ken lived in when I first met him, and reminisced about the day he was packing to move out. It had been my idea for him to move to the other side of town, so I was there helping him pack.

Surprisingly, he suggested a mid-afternoon break. There was a pretty park across the street, and he thought it would be nice to take one last walk.

At the door, he slipped on a jacket and mumbled something about catching cold. I said, "Oh! I didn't know it was chilly. Could I borrow a jacket, too?" I put on the one he gave me, but once we got outside I said, "This one's really big. Can I wear that one in stead?"

"No," he said.

"No?" I asked quizzically.

"No," he repeated.

He was walking on ahead, so I shuffled faster to catch up, the oversized sleeves flapping at my sides.

Now, fifteen years later, we laugh about the jackets. It would have been just like me to press for my way--to fuss and persuade and cajole him into trading with me. But doing so would have ruined the surprise. For tucked into the pocket of the jacket he wore was the most beautiful engagement ring I'd ever seen, completely designed and selected with me in mind.

Ken said ‘no' that day, not because he wanted to limit my happiness. Actually, he was working up to one of the happiest moments of my life.

Has God given you any flat out no's lately? Isn't it frustrating and painful? But if a would-be groom says no because of the rocks in his pocket, I wonder what God, who loves you perfectly, might have waiting in his pocket for you?

How-To: Love your Husband

Shannon — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:38:00 GMT

Recently published by MOPS International:

How-To Love Your Husband
By Shannon Popkin

Sometimes a wife needs a little “how to” guide in loving her husband. Here’s a real-life take on a popular Bible passage about love.

Love is patient when you’re dressing for the wedding and discover your husband forgot to pick up your dress from the cleaners.

Love is kind as you pick up your husband’s pile of sweaty gym clothes … or clean the mirror that was spotless before he brushed his teeth … or take out the garbage (his job) for the fifth time this week.

Love does not envy when someone else’s husband arranges a romantic weekend away, or purchases a bigger house or organizes the storage room.

It does not boast about your husband’s new position when your friend’s husband is still unemployed.

It is not proud as your husband plays soccer in the yard with the children while your neighbor’s husband can be seen through the window reading the paper.

It is not rude during the empty chatter at your husband’s office party, though you’d rather be spending time alone with him.

It is not self-seeking when your husband wants to be romantic and you want to sleep.

It is not easily angered as you cradle your crying newborn for the sixth time tonight while your husband slumbers peacefully beside you.

It keeps no record of wrongs, like the number of hours he’s watched TV, or the number of pounds he’s gained or the number of checks he’s bounced.

Love does not delight in evil when he gets pulled over for speeding just after he brushed aside your warning.

But rejoices with the truth when he holds your hand and tells you he’s so glad that he chose you.

It always protects when your mom criticizes the way he spends money, or disciplines the kids or dresses.

It always trusts when he’s surrounded by attractive young women at work and you’re 8 months pregnant.

It always hopes that he will someday accomplish his secretly confided dream.

It always perseveres when he loses his job, or learns he has diabetes, or accepts a position in another state or invites his mother to live with you.

When you’re not sure what to do, remember: Love never fails!

Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and speaker who lives in Michigan. Visit her blogsite at www.shannonpopkin.com.

Good-Bye Kisses in the Dark

Shannon — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 04:01:00 GMT

My husband, Ken, has kissed a sleeping wife goodbye every weekday morning for the last thirteen years. That is, thirteen years minus the first week after our honeymoon.

That first week in our cozy little apartment, I got up to fix his breakfast, make his lunch, and kiss him goodbye at the door. Unfortunately, this was a very short lived glitch in my sleep-till-the-last-possible-minute routine. Nowadays, I stock pile instant oatmeal, portion off little ziplock containers of leftovers for his lunch, and try to at least whisper, ‘Bye, Hon’, when he leans down to kiss me goodbye. (Just to clarify, it’s still dark--only about 5:15 a.m.--when this occurs.)

Poor Ken. I’m not sure if we ever had a pre-marriage discussion about whether we’d eat breakfast together. But I’m thankful that he loves me, even if our mornings might not be quite what he once envisioned.

What’s shocking is that Christ chose me to be part of his Bride, knowing every negative trait I would ever have. I know he didn’t choose me because of who I am, but I’m amazed that he chose me in spite of it.

He loves his old stereo.

Shannon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:29:00 GMT

My husband tends toward practicality and thriftiness. Which is why I thought he'd love the stereo/DVD I brought home from a garage sale. The speakers were tiny, the sound was great, and the price was right.

Plus, we needed a new one. Ken purchased our old stereo before I met him. It has these huge speakers that crackle and play intermittently, depending on the song. Ken kept saying he'd fix it, but he never did. I figured this would solve everything.

But it sat in the storage room. For a year and half. Though we finally hooked it up last night, our conversation today surprised me.

"What should I do with the old stereo?" he asked.

"I don't know... Goodwill?" I shrugged.

"No!" His shocked expression shocked me. "That's a really nice stereo. It sounds really good!"

I was puzzled. I know he paid a lot for it, but that was twenty years ago. We don't have any other twenty-year-old electronic devices in our house. Especially not any that have stopped working. Plus, I know for a fact that he has not listened to his good-sounding stereo in years. I know this because I disconnected its non-working speaker wire.

I found this rare moment of detected sentimentality in my husband so endearing. He loves his old stereo. It's been around for a long time. And it cost him a pretty penny back then. This tells me he'll probably love his old wife, too...even when her voice is all crackly and her brain waves are intermittent. Plus, she's already cost him lots of pretty pennies!