dating
Laying Down the Law
Flashback-May 20, 2010
The next date that stands out in my mind was when we went downtown Minneapolis to the restaurant SEVEN. Steve picked me up at my house and had made reservations to sit on the rooftop patio.
I was nervous because I felt like this date had a higher importance to it. It was definitely a more romantic setting, but yet casual at the same time. Our conversations were different. They lacked the casual sarcastic humor like we had at the gym and this setting created opportunity to dive deeper than surface level conversation.
We both shared about our backgrounds. Steve was an only child, from Austin, MN. A complete sports nut and natural athlete in football, hockey and baseball. He was a linebacker at Augsburg College for two years.
I shared the basic info about me being a farm girl, college, athletics and my family.
It was then that we dove into our thoughts about dating. I’ll never forget how I “laid down the law” in terms of my dating expectations. I know at the time I felt like I had to get my expectations out there so there wouldn’t be any confusion about the type of woman I was and what I was all about. Being that Steve was older than me, I wasn’t sure of what his “older man” dating expectations were quite yet, so I decided to let mine be known.
“I think everything has order. I don’t want to have sex before I’m married, I don’t want to have children before I’m married.”
“When things get out of order, things gets messy and God planned it that way for a reason.”
There! I said it! I let him known that in no way shape or form were we going to have sex. I didn’t feel the need to let him know because he hadn’t attempted to or anything like that. I just wanted my cards to be on the table and he could decide what his move would be from that point.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether or not he was onboard with my way of thinking. All I knew was that I was relieved to put that out there. He could take this new information and decide whether or not he wanted to take it or leave it.
I’ve always believed that the man I was supposed to be with would find value in who I was and what I stood for. Of course you have to compromise in relationships, but there are things that are negotiable and things that are not.
Not liking the same type of food-negotiable (as long as it’s healthy of course).
Having a difference in opinion in sports teams-negotiable.
Having a difference in faith-non-negotiable.
Sex before marriage-non-negotiable.
It’s not that I have an expectation of perfection, because the Lord knows I’m not perfect. You extend grace to one another because that’s what Jesus does for us, but at the same time that doesn’t mean you’re a doormat and accept heartbreak one punch in the face at a time either.
You have to know when to fight and what is worth fighting for, and when to tap-out. Some times what started as a healthy fruitful relationship can end up being the worst form of poison, slowly eating away at who you are one bite at a time. Any relationship that eats away at you isn’t a healthy one.
I started praying for my husband a long time ago. “Lord, wherever my husband is help him to make good decisions and keep molding him into the man you designed him to be.”
I always wondered whom I would marry. I even made lists with all the qualities of a husband that I wanted. This helped me navigate through the dating world and helped me to identify what I felt I needed to be my best. I’ll share my list with you.
Regardless of what we think we need in a mate, God always knows what’s best. He has a funny way of putting people and experiences in our lives that reveal more about our character and more about who He is. His plan for our lives is even better than the one we could write for ourselves. The key is to trust Him through it all.
Beginning Dates
I’m not exactly sure when Steve and I exactly exchanged phone numbers. When we first started spending time together I was training for a show.
He invited me to come to Buffalo Wild Wings with some co-workers from Life Time. I met him there and that was the first time we had been around each other outside of the gym setting.
I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. What in the world were we going to talk about? I don’t remember what the conversation was like, I just remember being more of an observer in that setting and that I packed my chicken and broccoli in my purse, a common thing for anyone who knows the training side of me.
He then invited me to go to see the movie Iron Man 2. I was glad that wasn’t our first date. Movies aren’t the best way to get to know someone.
I told him I’d meet him there. I wasn’t sure what I thought of him and I wasn’t quite sure I wanted him to know where I lived. I was still trying to figure out what he was really all about. I also didn’t know how to handle an older man. By older, he was 33 and I was 26.
I pulled up to the theater and it was pouring! I wore flip-flops… excellent choice. There I was, running through the parking lot, which was pooling with water. I couldn’t get in the theater fast enough. Water dripped down my legs and my calves were oily from my lotion. Awesome. I get to show up to this date looking like a wet dog; just how a girl wants to feel on a date.
Steve was already inside and had purchased our tickets. We greeted each other with a hug. He wore glasses to that date. Man did he look mature. I often wondered what we looked like together. Did people think we were a couple?
We took our seats and the movie started. I wasn’t fully engaged in the movie because I was too concerned about what was going to happen during the movie. Was this guy going to try to hold my hand and if he did, what was I going to do? I barely know him, he better not try to. He’s pretty cute. He looks so sophisticated in his glasses. What is he thinking?
He made a good choice. There was no hand holding that night. We watched the movie and walked out together. We said goodbye, hugged each other briefly and I thanked him for treating me to the movie.
I proceeded to drive home re-living the highlight reel of the date in my head.
More to come.
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