He is my Favorite...

This Week at Holy Experience, Ann wrote a BEAUTIFUL post on Love letters, and her husband. Then she asks for us to link up with our own stories of Marriage and Love Letters. YAY! Two of my favorite things!!! :)

Way back in our Bible college days, Chase and I were starting to become an "item" and the summer break was quickly approaching. My parents were not thrilled with the whole "item" thing and my dad told me we should use the summer as an opportunity to take a break and not speak to each other-ALL SUMMER. At that point we believed that my parents had my best interests in mind and so we obeyed. (I will admit that this particular excercise was very good for us.) We said goodbye and I drove off campus and back to Palm Springs. We both agreed to keep a notebook journal for the other and we would exchange notebooks when we got back to school in the fall. What was one of the hardest summers in my life (I was disowned and shunned by my parents that same summer) is one that now has some of the fondest memories because of the notebook of treasures I now have from my Husband.

Riding in a hot, windy, crowded bus to a Dodgers Game= Good times!

He gets embarrassed when I bring the old notebook out and read him all the cute things he told me, but it is one of the finest treasures my home holds.
He shared what he was learning from God's Word, his dreams for the future, how his ministries were going, how much he missed me and random details from every day. No kidding...every day! Even I (the "writer") didn't write in the notebook every day! But he did. Also, I am thinking not many people have love letters that include so many uses of the word "spiffy." ;)

Here are just a few of my favorite lines:

"My Bible reading goal this summer is to read Romans once every four days, James every three, the Timothy's every 5 and 2-3 chapters a day in the Major Prophets..." Goodness the ambition! Pretty sure he met his goal too!

"Well, it's time for me to go my pretty lady. I miss you and I love you. I will see you when I see you and I will think of you 'til then. Bye. ~Chase"

"Also I Timothy 6:6-8 encouraged me. It hit me in a way that is not expected though, especially vs. 8 about 'having food and raiment let us therewith be content.' It just helped me for some reason about this summer. So yeah. And then James 5:16, but that one always gets me."

"...So I love you, goodnight. And I will see you in like 91 days (at the max, and that is only if I don't come back early.) Bye my pretty lady. Chase
p.s. I'm thinkin about you always, remember that, ok? Good stuff then. Bye." LOL! Isn't he so cute?!?!

"And now it is time for Daily Devotions with Chase Ward..."

"...It's like-come on, I'm 19! I can't drink and I don't want to drink. What? Do I look like an early boozer?!? So that was interesting, but dinner was great. (And don't worry, I had tea to drink.)" ROFLOL!!!

"Well, I will tell you about my day in my Gina Journal (as my mom calls it.) So here goes..."

"My Mom said that we can be your family..."

" I miss you so much, you have no idea. I wish you were right here, but you aren't and you won't be for awhile. But it is worth the wait..."

"I love you, you have no idea how much I love you. I have never said that to anyone but you...I love you Gina." There is so much to be said for being a man of integrity and purity. There are those kind of men out there! Who knew?

I can't read the notebook without smiling from ear to ear. Such beautiful silliness. After my parents stopped talking to me, Chase's family got wind of it and his parents had him call me and make sure I was OK. I have never been more thankful for support as I was at that moment. Oh the drama. :) In then end, it all worked out and we are on our way to living Happily Ever After...

These days neither of us make time to write love letters back and forth very often. But I know more than ever how much he loves me.
It is amazing to look back on our history as a couple of kids who were friends, then best friends, then a couple, then a married couple, then parents! This fall marks six years of marriage. I know, 6 years seems like nothing compared to so many marriage veterans out there, but it has been quite the ride so far! I look forward (with excitement and fear-ha ha!) to what the future holds for us kids. Still no one actively shows me the love of Christ like my Husband. He is an amazing Leader, Teacher, Counselor, Worker, Servant, Student of the Word, Daddy and Bestest Friend.
Jesus provided the best man I never imagined possible. Chase is my favorite.