My Story Part 2

July 6, 2000
I don’t know why I showed him that picture except that he was a tease and treated me like family.  I loved that.  My two brothers are both younger than I and there never was much interaction.  In our youth group at home, most of the girls stayed away from the guys and vise versa.  Otherwise you might be considered a flirt.

July 7, 2000
Juanita and Judi were going to be cooks for the Ropp Family Reunion today.  Since I was tired, I was told that I would have to “stay home.”  I agreed knowing I couldn’t be of much help there and would probably be in the way with all the family congregated there.  

So for supper that evening we had a picnic, Japheth grilled hamburgers for us in his backyard.  Although Bob and Doris had invited Leroy and Clara Mae Yoder, it still felt funny with the girls not there.

Yes, Japheth had a back yard.  His father, who is a very wise man, advised him to start building a house as he has time and money instead of spending it on cars or stereo etc. So at eighteen he had started building a “daughty” house in the back corner of his dad’s property.   But we ate there because it has the best view of Popple Lake.

After supper, to help make conversation, I was asking if they go canoeing and how do they ever get out there with all the bulrushes and marsh.  I guess Japheth took that as a hint although, I certainly didn’t intend for it to be.  In fact if I had known where it would lead I wouldn’t have said anything.  Just like my coming up here, if I’d have know HE was here I wouldn’t have come.  I didn’t want a relationship to start because I did something to make it happen.  I wanted God to bring it about.  But He did lead me here in innocence.  And my words that evening were innocent too.

“Would you like to go on a canoeing?  
“Sure”  So off we went, I following Japheth as he went to get the canoe and life jackets and paddles.  
“I don’t mean to be forward or anything, would you rather wait until one of my sisters can go along.?
“No, I don’t mind.”  

We had an enjoyable time.    I coming from a family of few words, often find it hard to know what to say or how to say things.  Japheth was easy to talk with.  Actually, it was a bit thrilling, it’s not every day that I spend time talking to a guy.

As I prayed for God to guard my heart, He did just that.  Yes, I did think Japheth was a Godly young man and would make someone a fine husband, but I didn’t dream that it might be me.  I rested myself in God and His will for my life.  Truly, He did answer my prayer, many times thoughts went through my mind and then out again.  For example, like why was Japheth not hardly sleeping at night?  What was the matter with him?  If God hadn’t heard my cry, I would’ve caught on that Japheth had special interest in me, but I had no idea that that was the case. God can do anything!