8/14/08
"A Year of Courting"
It was one year ago today, that Paul and I took Amy and David to Moxie Java to discuss them getting together as a courting couple. This year has gone by so fast. It has been a pleasure to get to know David and to see how he and Amy weather good and bad times together. They've encountered a wide variety of everyday life experiences in the past year and they have had time to see each other at their best and even at their worst. They have done a good job of encouraging each other and bearing one another's burdens. They have sought advice from us and others as they've faced concerns and problems.
Overall, we are impressed with David. He's had some adult decisions to make this year and has done so in spite of not being thrilled about some of them. He has done the right things for his future and in light of what God's been telling him even though it wasn't easy. He's dealt with life decisions like whether or not to go to college and a possible change in direction as far as career. We've seen him work hard and play hard. He's been very respectful of Amy, as well as the rest of our family. He's learning to joke as we do and as a result, we now must learn to recognize it so we don't think he's being disrespectful. He's always kind to our younger daughter, too, even in her bad moments, and that says a lot about his character.
We've seen how happy he makes Amy and that is a good feeling, as a parent. Amy has really come a long way in the past year and continues to mature. She's had quite a turn around in the past year and a half or two, from wanting to be a career woman as a movie director, to wanting to be a wife and homeschooling mother. We've watched as she has struggled to yield her will to match God's. She knew He was changing her mind set about several things, but didn't like it at first, but I've been impressed with the fact that she does have a heart for God and wants to please Him with her life.
We've had several opportunities to spend time with and get to know David's family as well, and that has been a lot of fun, too. Amy now goes to David's house once a week to spend more time getting to know his family. This is a very important part of a courting relationship; spending enough time with the other's family that you see them at their best and worst. A decision must be made by both the male and female as to whether or not the other's family is one to which they want to become a part.
We are all learning together and that's part of the fun. I've had several people inquire about courting and request the Courting Principles that we came up with. This is new territory for us as parents and there have been times that we haven't had an answer to a question regarding courting. We've had to assess opportunities or situations and make decisions on a case by case basis, since we've never done this before. I am sure, as humans, we have made some mistakes during this last year, but we have tried to make decisions based on what we believed was right after careful prayer and discussion.
I don't know what the future holds, but it seems that David and Amy are very well suited for each other. I do know they both have some more maturing to do before getting to the point where they are ready to be engaged or married, but they are doing it right and following God's will. For that reason, I know that it will all work out for the good.
Posts
