Epilogue: Keep Remembering

I love Valentine’s Day. I've always enjoyed the concept of love and showing care and affection purposefully. Love should be celebrated everyday but it’s good to set a day aside.

The series tia’s memoirs: Love’s progression is an amazing journey in retrospect! Wow, it really takes me back to some really critical times. God is truly awesome beyond compare. His Word is sure; His promises last forever. What He said in the beginning stands now and is set for the future!

Sharing this series has been a great reminder of His Love, His desire to see us fulfilled in the dreams and desires of our hearts. So many times I go without remembering where I’ve come from. I thank God for this opportunity to remember and to show gratitude.

Sharing this series has also given me a greater appreciation for what God has given me over these last 3 years: the husband that I desired for year upon year. As many can attest to, it is rather easy to forget.

I have also been rather challenged with the sharing of these intimate memories. Those deep desires of my heart truly set a high standard that is extremely difficult to meet in the actual experience of marriage. In a way, these many words provide a state that I wish to attain, an appreciation for my spouse that I wish to grasp hold to. Life really gets in the way and again it is easy to forget those past feelings and longings when you have new challenges to face.

Keeping a record of your dreams, your prayers, your deepest desires and wants can be very fulfilling especially when you see them coming to pass one by one. You will be pleasantly surprised that some things you declared in the past are actually becoming so in your life.

If you think about it, remembering is what God called us to do. The children of Israel, just delivered from bondage in Egypt, had been on their journey to the promised land, the promise that they had hoped on for a very long time. Finally they were on their way to receive the promise but along the way they faced challenges and began to murmur and complain, willing even to return to bondage! Time and time again they were implored to remember where they came from and what God had done for them (See the Book of Exodus).

So as I spend the day listening to my old love song favorites and dancing around the house with my chocolates and my men, I’ll also be remembering.

Let’s keep remembering and live life with gratitude.

Lyrics by tia 2012

02/14/12 6:50-7:05am

Fairly Seasoned Love: I Choose You (Part 2): My Destiny

Sometimes those of us who are married knowingly or unknowingly put on the appearance that it is constant pleasure and bliss. I have come to find that it is not, that in fact marriage can be very difficult for many, many reasons. I Choose You has two parts, the first, featured here, really speaks my heart on the intensity of the struggle. As part of this series describing Fairly Seasoned Love, I feature I Choose You (Part 2): My Destiny

I Choose You (Part 2): My Destiny

I choose you

Against all logic and reasoning

Against the world’s view

The statistics, the rumors, the “facts”

I choose to forgo the urge to give in to the pompous nudgings of tales passed down to me of old

Things I was lead to believe

Yet unbiblical

I choose you

Rather than distractions of everything else

From shows, the web and even the kids

Instead I choose to look at you

To acknowledge you

Not only with my presence

But with my presence

You.

The vows I said to

The one I first knew

But beau?

Yoohoo!

It is I you used to woo

Who knew

That like the dew

It would evaporate away too...

Yet every new day

The dew once again graces the morning view

I choose you from beginning to end

For you are my friend though sometimes I feel like you’re the enemy

Choosing to hope upon hope that together we are meant to reach purpose

I choose you

Not only for that

But my destiny is linked to you

And I am reaching destiny

So you’re not going anywhere

Till death do us part

We are bound together heart to heart

From you I will never depart

Especially if I’m smart

Our intertwining is art

Painted on the canvas of God

Lacing a path that we are destined to take

I choose you

The best choice I’ve ever made

For the difficulties of today cannot compare to the joys of tomorrow

So I choose you

I choose my destiny

Lyrics by tia 2011

Marital Bliss: My Husband of the Year-2009

Full of the excitement and anticipation of a lifetime with my husband, I wrote this piece as a testament of his greatness. Granted we hadn't been married a full year yet, it was an instrument of faith and gratitude. So here's to you, My Husband of the Year!

My Husband of the Year

I love my husband—there’s so much to say,

I’ll try to share briefly why my love is this way.

He's God's gift to me, wow, God really had me in mind,

When several years before I was born Dr. Ajao Wale He designed.

He’s such a great person, one with purpose and influence;

He endures the hard times, my inconsistencies and nuances;

He loves to learn new things, of this I am so proud;

I look forward to smart children who are a step above the crowd.

In times of difficulty he doesn’t pretend it’s not there,

Instead he says ‘Let’s pray.' and we let God our burdens bear;

He chooses to believe God, walking in faith rather than fear,

And encourages me to do the same and exhibit a confident air.

He values my opinion and listens to me,

He loves to see me smile and laugh, it's his very joy you see.

His love for me is powerful like God’s very own kind;

God truly sent him to care for me, such love is hard to find.

He helps me around the home in any way he can,

And 'tries a little tenderness' as should every good man,

He's funny and witty making life together cool,

Oh, and he takes great pictures, an exceptionally talented guru!

He pastors me often, telling me to do what’s right,

I enjoy listening to him and his spiritual insight.

He’s principled and disciplined; I have hope for our children,

That they will be well trained in our domestic dominion.

He loves my family and his family is good to me,

He has really good acquaintances that are as kind as can be,

He always makes new friends and includes me in the fun,

So don't be surprised if he asks you to be one!

I know that he's not perfect though all of this you've heard,

But God Himself has promised in His enduring Word;

This is for my partner in progress, my motivator, my friend:

He who started this good work in you will complete it to the end!

Dr. Ajao Wale, I thank you for who you are.

I pray God will bless you immensely and take you very far,

In life and in vision and cause your dreams to come true,

Leading us through a life of divine purpose, making all things new

And although we’ve been married for a little less than a year,

I know God will keep us and our union in His able care,

I trust that we will grow together as the time goes on,

And raise kids that will honor you like me, your daughters and your sons.

Love, your darling,

tia

Lyrics by tia 2009