First, let me say to those of you who have been faithful friends and readers of my blog, I am sorry that I have left you hanging. I am pretty sure that no one has lost sleep over how I have been – did I make it to Trinidad? did I make it back? how was my time? am I even alive? I apologize for not keeping you posted. But, I do so much appreciate your prayers and will write a post soon telling about my trip. But first, I have a wonderful story that is bursting at the seams waiting to be written. I want to tell you about my proposal.
For almost a year now I have been talking with a wonderful girl named Karlyn. We met last March. Over the course of this last year, our relationship has been gradually growing closer and very enjoyable. It was becoming undeniably apparent that she and I would one day get married. God was transforming our lives into His image, and He was using Karlyn in my life to change me.
A short while ago I decided that it was about time that I act according to the knowledge and feelings that were in my heart. I knew that I needed to propose to Karlyn. I have never been one who does things like this half-heartedly. I wanted my proposal to her to be everything that she imagined in her life-long fantasies. I didn’t think that a bizarre, unrelated, spectacular event would be the kind of setting for a proposal that either one of us would want. It works for some people, but I have never been a huge fan. Instead, I felt that a moment utilizing the elements of surprise, romance and nostalgia would be more meaningful and memorable. For us, this would take place in Watertown, WI, at a park called Tivoli Island.
You see, I was born in Watertown, WI, and I lived there until I was nine years old. Although I was very young, I have a lot of fond memories of Watertown – especially Tivoli Island. It is kind of like a very small natural park where I used to feed the ducks or go fishing. Very nice! So, before I get ahead of myself, I should go ahead and tell the story since the obvious question is, “How did both of us, who now live in South Carolina, end up in Wisconsin?” Well, let me tell you.
Not too long ago, Karlyn’s best friend Jess had her first baby. Ever since before the baby was born Karlyn had wanted to go visit Jess and the baby once the baby had come. It just so happens that Jess and her husband live in Wisconsin, only about a half an hour from Watertown. Karlyn and Jess worked out the details so that Karlyn would go visit the first full week of March. Little did Karlyn know that Jess and I had been planning for me to go up, as well, long before Karlyn had ever purchased her airline ticket.
Since Karlyn was already going to Wisconsin to see the baby, and since I had “so much work to do while she was gone,” I thought that it would work out well for me to plan my proposal without her suspecting anything. And I was right! 
Karlyn arrived in Wisconsin on Wednesday night, March 5; and she was staying there until Monday, March 10. I was scheduled to fly up to Milwaukee on Friday night, March 7; and I was going to propose to her at 4:00pm on Saturday, March 8. However, due to the big Midwestern/Northeastern snow storm on Friday, my flight was canceled and rescheduled for Saturday at 6:00am. I was due to land by 9:30am in Milwaukee. But because of an airliner that had skidded off the runway in Milwaukee, the airport was temporarily shut down. Meanwhile, I circled the airport in my plane for almost 45min. until we were in need of fuel. The pilot decided to divert to Madison to refuel and to wait for further instructions from the Milwaukee airport. We sat on the Madison runway waiting and refueling. About an hour later we received permission to return to Milwaukee and land. We ended up arriving in Milwaukee a little after noon which still gave me enough time to get everything ready.
Meanwhile, during my snowstorm dodging, Karlyn and Jess were getting pampered. I had planned with Jess that she would take Karlyn out Saturday morning “for her birthday” to do girly stuff – getting facials and going shopping. Jess was getting her ready for the big moment which Karlyn knew nothing about.
Before Karlyn left on Wednesday, I wrote a letter to her and mentioned to her in it that since she was going to be near Watertown, I would really like for her to see the town where I was born and spent the early childhood years of my life. I specifically suggested to her to stop by Tivoli Island, “the park,” so that she could see it and take pictures of it. Jess and I worked it out so that Karlyn thought that it was her own idea to go to the park.
I arrived at the park a half an hour early to prepare for the big moment. The old iron and wood plank bridge was covered with a thin layer of snow. I sprinkled red rose petals on the snow over the bridge. Tommie scattered the ducks that were gathered. Moments before she arrived I took my place just inside the woods on a bench. Tommie assumed the role of a nature photographer just across the bridge. It was time.
Karlyn announced her arrival with a scream and a laugh after slipping on the ice and falling to the ground. After gaining her feet she posed for a few pictures before approaching the bridge. As she came to the bridge she noticed the rose petals on the snow but assumed that they were left over from another romantic event earlier that afternoon. When I saw her walk toward the bridge, I left my bench in the woods and began to walk toward the bridge as well. We both arrived at opposite sides of the bridge at the same time. When she first saw me, she was shocked in disbelief. However, joyful reality very quickly dispelled her disbelief.
I came close to her and offered her a single red rose. I had given her a single rose for Valentine’s Day and another for her birthday, February 27. I reminded her that the three red roses symbolize the love which I have for her. Due to remaining shock, she failed to hear all that I told her. However, I confessed to her that I believed that God had given her to me to be my wife. I knelt down, took out the ring and asked, “Will you marry me?” Her overwhelming “yes” demonstrated to me that she had at least heard my question, but further that she accepted my love.
This was truly one of the most magical moments of my life. Everything went better than I had imagined. And even more, I had become engaged!
This is “grace at work”
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