Boaz and Ruth

 

From my journal seven years ago today:

 

"Tonight's the night! 

Lanny meeting. 

I'm very excited - and a bit nervous. 

He seems too good to be true... 

Please God, 

please let him be the fine, Godly man he represents himself to be!"  

 

And he was and so much more!

 

That prayer on the night of our first date

was one of many that had gone before it,

both generally,

and about him specifically!

 

In the first few months of my widowhood,

I simply prayed to survive.

Then as I began to know I did want to remarry,

I began to pray for my Boaz,

that God would prepare him for me,

bring him along.

In my widow's groups,

we talked a lot about finding our "Boaz"

and we all prayed for him!

But I began to realize

I was only praying for a small part

of what I needed to pray about 

before seeking remarriage.

I stopped, dead still,

and listened to the Holy Spirit.

And I began praying less for 

God to prepare and bring my Boaz

and more for God to make me into a Ruth,

prepare me for him.

 

On that night,

seven years ago,

I knew what I wanted in my "kinsman redeemer",

my Boaz,

but more importantly,

more than I had ever known in 37 years of marriage,

I knew what God wanted of this Ruth,

of this widowed woman,

to become a worthy woman to be a wife.

 

That evening followed several weeks of written communication,

sharing deeply of our lives and hearts,

our losses and sorrows,

our hopes and desires.

I was already half in love

when I walked through the door of the restaurant

and saw him standing there.

Three hours later,

I knew I wanted to see him again,

and when he asked for a second date,

I gladly accepted

and closed my eHarmony page.

The rest, as they say,

is history.

 

Seven years ago tonight,

I met my Lanny Love face-to-face.

I'm so glad I was ready!!!

 

[And Ruth sought]

"...a worthy man...in whose sight I shall find favor...

...Then she fell on her face,

bowing to the ground, and said to him,

'Why have I found favor in your eyes,

that you should take notice of me...

...I have found favor in your eyes,

my lord, for you have comforted me

and spoken kindly to your servant...

I am Ruth, your servant.

Spread your wings over your servant,

for you are a redeemer...'

...[Boaz] said, '...you are a worthy woman.'

...So Boaz took Ruth,

and she became his wife."

                            ~~ From the Book of Ruth ~~