Diamonds Are a Girl's BFF? Hold Up Now...

Mawiage...it's what bwings us to my bwog tooday.

PC: stephaniedelhey.com 
(she's the best!)

Whenever writing about marriage, a Princess Bride reference is compulsory.  If you thought it was a weak reference,   you're right but I had to.  (If you don't know what I'm referring to, click here.) Anyway...

I recently got mawwied (ok I'm done I promise) but I've had this bling on my left ring finger for over a year now.  This first day I got it, I couldn't stop looking at it and admiring it.  It was beautiful and everything I ever wanted...thanks to my sisters' 'subtle hints' to my then, fiance.

Since then, it's practically morphed into becoming a part of my hand.  I don't notice it as much anymore and I almost never take it off, except for the occasional 'jewelry bath.' Bad, I know.

I took special notice of it today though.  I was watching it twinkle in the lights at the mall and I started thinking about what it really means to me.  So many women make it their goal to get a rock because it means something to them, like they're no longer lonely or they're wanted or whatever.  More on that later.

From our Engagement Sesh

So I asked myself, 'what exactly does it mean to me?'  Well, it's -by far- the most costly piece of jewelry I own but that's true on a myriad of levels, not just the price tag.

You see, I waited to get married until I was 28.  That may not be crazy to most folks, but in the Christian world, that's basically OMS (Old Maid Status).

It never worried me too much because I fancied my independence, but the stigma can be difficult to battle at times.  You start to wonder if: 

• you're not marriage material 
• there is a problem with you
• your guy is stranded on a deserted island somewhere  

It can be a real confidence crusher.

I will say though, even though it wasn't always comfortable, it really was a game changer to wait until I was older. I had the chance to weather some major obstacles that didn't happen until my mid-twenties (read all about them here). Going through those obstacles, single, made me who I am today and more relevantly...

ready to be someone's wife.

I'm no scientist (as my husband, who is a scientist will attest to) but without being too cliche here, isn't that what a diamond is?  It was coal that underwent all this pressure - alone - to become what it is: a clear, sparkly, beautiful diamond and most importantly, a suitable gift for someone.

I'm proud to wear this ring because I'm proud of what it represents: the beauty of my struggle, the price I paid to become who I am and the commitment to my husband (and myself) to grow and tackle every obstacle we face together.

PC: stephaniedelhey.com
September 2016

I'm committed to the process of marriage, just like I committed to the process of singleness.  I guess what I'm really saying here is that you cannot have one without the other.  Well, you can, but think about how difficult it will be to go through singleness when you're married.

I don't claim to have all the answers, by far, but I do know this: I wouldn't have been able to commit the rest of my life to someone if I didn't know what it was that I was committing.  It's important to figure that out before you go promising it to someone else.  You wouldn't agree to sell something without knowing the value of it, would you?

Find your value.  Search it out.  Spend alone time...lots of alone time...appraising what's inside.  I promise you, it's worth it.  You'll be happier having a diamond to offer someone, rather than a lump of coal (because c'mon you're not Santa Claus).

It can then be a 'twue wove, dweam wiffen a dweam' (ok now I'm really done - promise).

I Struck Gold!

Lost.  After 2 years, I couldn't believe I had lost it.

I recently moved to Australia, bringing whatever I could fit in a few suitcases with me.  I have to fly back to the US frequently for work, so I had this 'brilliant' plan to bring all my stuff over in waves. What this basically means is that I've been living out of a glorified suitcase for 3 months and the worst part?  I left my pearl earrings at home by mistake.

My pearls with their backs.

Anyone who knows me, knows I pretty much always wear pearls.

It's my thing.

I've had these earrings for 2 years and they are my absolute favorite.

So, here I am on my first trip back to the States, again living out of a suitcase.  I've been reunited with some of my stuff, but not all and so needless to say, I'm treasuring what little I've been missing over the last few months...especially those pearl earrings.

So you can imagine my horror when I lost the earring back. I searched high and low for that stupid thing. I don't even know why the thought of wearing a rubber backing bothered me so much but...it just did.

I had managed to keep these backs with these earrings for 2 years and believe me I can NEVER do that.

So I scoured every carpeted room in the house.  I checked the bathroom high and low, my towel and even my dirty laundry.  Nothing.

My husband and me on the Gold Coast, Australia.
In pearls.

I was so irritated about it so I asked the Holy Spirit to help me and you know what?  I still didn't find it.  I complained about it for a couple days and eventually just came to grips with it.  It was after all just a back to my earring.  It wasn't like I lost the actual pearl.

I wasn't even thinking about it when I walked into my bedroom and saw it sitting on the carpet by my bed like I hadn't looked in that exact spot 10 times.

I don't know why it showed up or how, but I do know that God cared enough to bring it back to me. I know it because that's who He is.

No matter how messy, careless or - let's face it - completely blind I am, He always picks up after me.  That's what makes trusting Him so easy and these little miracles are a great reminder of that.

I'm always blown away by these occurrences because out of all the things He has to run in the universe, He somehow makes time for the little missing earring backs of the world.