I walk this not-so-lonely road on the boulevard of realized dreams...
I really am blessed beyond measure. What a life, what a bundle of gifts God has given me. My wife and daughter. My loving family. Amazing friends. A job I enjoy. Our beautiful home in the country. I am yet so sinful, prideful... stubborn and selfish. I'm so overwhelmingly undeserving. Yet in spite of it all, my Father in Heaven is generous. Don't get me wrong, we're not free of hardships. We're promised hardships on Earth. "The robe of Christian character is not sewn but with pins and needles."
In looking at the paths many of my peers and other young men my age have taken... wandering paths with meaningless detours, I see where I might have gone had God not brought me my wife and turned my life around. Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. And as indescribable manifestations of that grace, simple pleasures, a lazy plod, splashing in pools of dwindling evening light down our country lane. Behind me, my sleepy angel, riding atop squeaky wheels, she blinks the fairies away and smiles at me when I look back at her.
I can't put in to words the joy in my life and I can't help but remember the reactions to news of my marraige... and later my pending fatherhood. "Joel, you're so young!" "You have your whole life to get married and have a family!" "You're going to regret it!" "You'll never be free again!" "Are you sure you're ready for that?"
Horsepoop.
They couldn't have been more wrong. I could only speculate then, a hazy view of my near-future. Now I'm an expert, looking back and wondering how it would've been had I wasted these first years of 20-something'dom "chillin'" and "hanging out" having coffee and cheese fries at 2am.
That's not so/much productive. Now, with some of the big questions answered and big problems solved, I have the immense pleasure of looking forward and knowing that as much as I have now, God has infinitely more in store for me.
All praise to my redeeming Father, the maker of Heaven and Earth, the Savior of my eternal soul and the Lord of my life! May you find the joy that can only be found in Him.
posted by Melissa at 5:26 AM
7 Comments:
I think it's so silly how so many people want to wait until they're 30 to even get married, let alone have children! I want to travel the world, which is harder when you're married and especially with children. But it isn't impossible. Anyway, I'd better get a girlfriend before I start talking about any plans for marriage.
I'm so glad that the Lord has blessed you all so much--despite your sins and failings. It gives me hope and inspiration.
Dear Melissa and Joel (and Annie),
It's been so long since I've had a chance to stumble upon your blog (ever since Annie was inside you, Melissa!) and now that William has redirected me to it, I realize how much I've missed in the meantime. The pics are gorgeous and Annie is so beautiful- praise the Lord, He's blessed you both with so much. I hope that Joel's health continues to hold up- UC is a very difficult disease to have. May God sustain you both! If you have time, you're more than welcome to drop by and check out my own xanga- www.xanga.com/chunkychen for some tidbits on life out here in Cleveland! Its surely not as lovely as in VA, but charming in its own way :D
richest blessings to you,
Mike
Hey William! Thanks for your comments. God is truly great. We'll keep you posted on what it's like traveling the world with children. I can't imagine our first international adventure it too far in the future.
Summer! Thanks for the compliment! It's true, poop can really spice up your creative writing (and your casseroles!) Melissa took the "awesome" photo. Duh. I should call you.
Hey Mike! (joel here) Thanks for your compliments well-wishes. My UC is much more managable now than it was a few months ago before I knew what it was. I'm working on becoming med-free with a combination of diet and herbal remedies... praise God. Prednisone is insidious.
Love and peace to all. Be free! Build a log house!
Oh my... Joel, just to let you know - If I had to make a list of the top 20 most beautiful (in and out) people I have ever met, your wife would be one of the first people I would want to add to it. Seeing these photos and stories of you happy family came *thiiis* close to making me cry in happiness :-) Remember when I did my photo shoot of the 2 of you courtin' on the bench? That. Was. Fun. I do hope my life bumps back into your wondaful family's!
Love,
Meagan*
*currently living in Shenzhen, China!
*how could i fail to mention: ANNIE IS SUCH AN ADORABLE BABY! the video of her babblin' made my week - she's a fortunate bebe with 2 fortunate parents :-)
Joel, I agree with Summer. You are a true poet -- one who inspires meaningful ponderings in our minds. We are all blessed for knowing you. May God increase your voice and influence. Praise His Name.
And Melissa, the photos are so touching. They are visual poetry, adding so much to Joel's.
Blessed to be part of the Joel West family.
Mom
HELLO Megan salad! (or so Joel calls you.) This is Melissa... Soooo good to hear from you again!!! You must be having a blast in China! I do hope you can come visit us someday. BTW--the photo montage you made for us is hanging above the computer and I look at it all the time! It never fails to make me smile! Keep in touch: west.melissa@gmail.com
-melissa
~~~~
Mom: Don't you love those photos? My favorite ever is the one of Annie with the sunlight on her cheek. It's like a kiss from heaven.
-melissa
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