Friday, March 10, 2006
Labeling & Categorizing – The workings of a young mans mind
Matthew 11:28 - Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.
Dependence upon God requires spirit, mind and body acting together, over time, and in circumstances where there can be no reasonable doubt that God has acted for and in us. That typically means difficult, stressful circumstances. Such circumstances, circumstances that drain the courage of the brave and distract the faith of the righteous, are the crucibles in which are forged lives of true dependence upon God. Even Jesus, "Although He was the Son of God, learned obedience [dependence upon God] from the things that he suffered." Hebrews 5.8 (5-14).
God desires our dependence upon him because it’s a demonstration of our faith & obedience.
Amy & I will be married 20 years this coming August 1st. We met in September of 1985, in the student union at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. I had just returned from working all summer at a YMCA camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and had gone up to the University to look up some of my friends whom I hadn’t seen all summer. As I walked into the building, I spotted one of my friends sitting with someone I didn’t know. Heading their direction and being a male, I checked this other girl out and in essence this is what went on in my brain: …female…messed-up hair pulled back into ponytail…wearing sweats…looks sweaty…BIG owl like glasses…rather non-descript…final analysis: Plain Jane, not interested. I know, I know…’How shallow can this guy be’ and you’re right I was, but I’m here to tell you that is how the majority of young men think. No excuses, just an explanation. Anyway, my friend introduces me to this girl and her name was Amy VanBesien. I say hello & discover that my friend and her work together at Showbiz Pizza. I finish my conversation with my friend and that was that. The very next day, I was sitting in the union at a large table with a number of my friends, chatting or playing cards when this girl approaches the table and says ‘Hi, guys!’ I look up and again, this in essence is what went on in my brain: WOW!...long wavy dark auburn hair!...beautiful green eyes!...nice makeup, not overstated…LONG legs!...final analysis: Wow! Who is this girl! I lean over to my same friend from yesterday and I say to her, ‘Who is that girl!’ and she looked at me weird and said, ‘That’s Amy, you know, from yesterday?’ and out loud I say, ‘NO WAY!’ Well, evidently the day before, Amy had just gotten out of Tennis class where she had gotten hit in the eye with a tennis ball. Hence the sweats, pulled back hair and BIG owl like glasses on. The difference in her appearance between the two days was SO striking that I was actually dumbfounded.
Yesterday at work, my manager took her time and sent a letter to the I/S department where I work. In this letter she explained what has been happening in my and my family’s lives over the past few months and this is a portion of what she said, ‘Both Vince and his wife Amy are very involved in the Baraboo community through church, schools, sports – baseball, basketball, etc. Amy holds a Master’s in education and has been a substitute teacher within the Baraboo school system for years. As a volunteer, Amy is widely known for her kindness, generosity of spirit and caring for all of our children. If you travel within the Baraboo community, word has spread that Amy is currently sick. Not everyone knows how serious it is, but most people express that in one way or another Amy has touched their lives or the lives of their families in one way or another. For Vince, his family is the center of his universe, and his wife Amy is the love of his life.’
My manager is correct, whether it be messed-up hair, wearing sweats & BIG owl like glasses or if she’s dressed to the nines, Amy IS the love of my life. If I had to do it all over again, I would gladly repeat every moment with her.
Thank you Heidi for introducing me to that ‘non-descript’ girl 20 plus years ago…ask anyone who knows Amy now, she’s anything but non-descript!
Oh and for those of you who don't know, you can enter comments by clicking on the BLOG THIS! words at the top of the page!
This is Amy's story as seen and told by me - V
Dependence upon God requires spirit, mind and body acting together, over time, and in circumstances where there can be no reasonable doubt that God has acted for and in us. That typically means difficult, stressful circumstances. Such circumstances, circumstances that drain the courage of the brave and distract the faith of the righteous, are the crucibles in which are forged lives of true dependence upon God. Even Jesus, "Although He was the Son of God, learned obedience [dependence upon God] from the things that he suffered." Hebrews 5.8 (5-14).
God desires our dependence upon him because it’s a demonstration of our faith & obedience.
Amy & I will be married 20 years this coming August 1st. We met in September of 1985, in the student union at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. I had just returned from working all summer at a YMCA camp on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and had gone up to the University to look up some of my friends whom I hadn’t seen all summer. As I walked into the building, I spotted one of my friends sitting with someone I didn’t know. Heading their direction and being a male, I checked this other girl out and in essence this is what went on in my brain: …female…messed-up hair pulled back into ponytail…wearing sweats…looks sweaty…BIG owl like glasses…rather non-descript…final analysis: Plain Jane, not interested. I know, I know…’How shallow can this guy be’ and you’re right I was, but I’m here to tell you that is how the majority of young men think. No excuses, just an explanation. Anyway, my friend introduces me to this girl and her name was Amy VanBesien. I say hello & discover that my friend and her work together at Showbiz Pizza. I finish my conversation with my friend and that was that. The very next day, I was sitting in the union at a large table with a number of my friends, chatting or playing cards when this girl approaches the table and says ‘Hi, guys!’ I look up and again, this in essence is what went on in my brain: WOW!...long wavy dark auburn hair!...beautiful green eyes!...nice makeup, not overstated…LONG legs!...final analysis: Wow! Who is this girl! I lean over to my same friend from yesterday and I say to her, ‘Who is that girl!’ and she looked at me weird and said, ‘That’s Amy, you know, from yesterday?’ and out loud I say, ‘NO WAY!’ Well, evidently the day before, Amy had just gotten out of Tennis class where she had gotten hit in the eye with a tennis ball. Hence the sweats, pulled back hair and BIG owl like glasses on. The difference in her appearance between the two days was SO striking that I was actually dumbfounded.
Yesterday at work, my manager took her time and sent a letter to the I/S department where I work. In this letter she explained what has been happening in my and my family’s lives over the past few months and this is a portion of what she said, ‘Both Vince and his wife Amy are very involved in the Baraboo community through church, schools, sports – baseball, basketball, etc. Amy holds a Master’s in education and has been a substitute teacher within the Baraboo school system for years. As a volunteer, Amy is widely known for her kindness, generosity of spirit and caring for all of our children. If you travel within the Baraboo community, word has spread that Amy is currently sick. Not everyone knows how serious it is, but most people express that in one way or another Amy has touched their lives or the lives of their families in one way or another. For Vince, his family is the center of his universe, and his wife Amy is the love of his life.’
My manager is correct, whether it be messed-up hair, wearing sweats & BIG owl like glasses or if she’s dressed to the nines, Amy IS the love of my life. If I had to do it all over again, I would gladly repeat every moment with her.
Thank you Heidi for introducing me to that ‘non-descript’ girl 20 plus years ago…ask anyone who knows Amy now, she’s anything but non-descript!
Oh and for those of you who don't know, you can enter comments by clicking on the BLOG THIS! words at the top of the page!
This is Amy's story as seen and told by me - V
# posted by Vince @ 10:14 AM 
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Vince, thank you for taking the time to write thoughtfully. Please keep writing so we can keep you all in our prayers. Last night I even drempt about Amy and her battle. In reality, the battle belongs to all of us.
Annie
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Annie
# posted by 
: 10:44 PM, March 10, 2006
: 10:44 PM, March 10, 2006 << Home
