The weeks between the time when the Lord told me Barry was the one and when we actually met were very interesting! My Pastor's wife encouraged me to join the choir and to sing with other ladies when given the oppurtunity (which I did). My Mom and I also went on ladie's visitation on Thursday mornings (sometimes the conversation afterwards would turn to 'setting' me up with someone...ugh!!)
The funny thing is, Barry sat in front of our family at church. One Sunday morning after church my Momma turned to me and said, 'He (referring to Barry) has a nice, firm handshake and he always looks you in the eye.' I just playfully rolled my eyes and chuckled :) I told her there was more to a man than that but I did tuck that bit of information away :)
There was a small BBQ restaurant that also served frozen icecream (I think the name is Smithfield's) that many of us would patronize after church. Sometimes Barry would be there with my friend and her husband. He always seemed polite and respectful.
One Thursday, while on visitation, my friend asked me what I thought of Barry. My first reaction was one of exasperation...not outwardly but inwardly. So many people had asked me what I thought of this man or that man...and just recently my Pastor's wife had asked me what I thought of Barry, as well. How are you supposed to answer a question like that? Then I recalled something he had said in his testimony...that after accepting Jesus Christ as his Saviour he got rid of over $3000.00 worth of Country music cds. That really piqued my interest. Throughout highschool my best friend and I tried that so many times...but the only alternative was contemporary Christian music and it wasn't very appealing. I had NEVER heard of a man doing that. SO I told her about that and that it would be interestig to talk to him about it. I still was not interested in him.
That following Saturday night was a meeting for the radio staff and anyone that wanted to be involved in the Fall Sharathon. Barry was there....afterwards I was in the kitchen, helping clean up. My friend rushed in there and pulled me to the side, quite excited about something!! She was my closest friend so I would share with her different things that the Lord was showing me in my spiritual walk as well as my list of what I did and didn't want in a husband. She proceeded to tell me that the Lord had been dealing with Barry concerning some of the exact things! I just looked at her ever so patiently and smiled. But on the inside I couldn't believe it!!! I didn't want anyone to know what God had revealed to me!!! But it seemed like we were being drawn closer together all the time.
The next Sunday I recieved a call from her and she was so excited I could hardly understand her....Barry wanted to meet me!! Ack!!!! I talked to my Mom and we got a hold of my Dad (he was finishing up the last few months of his Service in DC) We had their permission to meet! I had been telling my Dad about everything (except that Barry was the one for me :) And my Mom had been telling him things as well...what...I will never know!
We were to meet at Smithfield's that night after church. My family arrived there before he did...and the only table left was a long one in the center of the restaurant...oh, great! We are going to be on display in front of all these people from church..so not how I had envisioned our meeting!! Well, my friend Becky came and sat beside me while Barry and her husband sat at the other end by my brothers. Talk about nerve racking! Becky leaned over and whispered that maybe we should try a different time so it wouldn't be so public. I very readily agreed!
The Fall Sharathon began the next day and went through the whole week. It was a very busy time! Some of the preachers that we featured on our station were there as well as others. People were there answering phones and taking pledges. I worked in the studio as well as at the phones. It was a wonderful experience!! That Thursday morning I was in the studio, minding my own business, and for some reason I happened to look up and there was Barry with his friend Dwayne (my friend's husband) standing outside the studio door. I could feel the color rise in my face and I started shaking...this is going to be interesting I thought! My turn was up in the studio so I went out in the lobby to answer phones...and Barry was there. I was very thankful for the room being full of other people!!! There was a young boy there that he was talking to so it was neat to watch him interact with a child. We even conversed a little..about what?...I have no idea! I was SO nervous!!! Becky told me that if it was ok with my parents that I could just spend the day and that evening we would all go to their house and officially be introduced.
to be continued
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