Dancing in the Minefields (A Valentine’s Day Post)

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I recently came across a beautiful song with lyrics that I felt described my life very well, and even this deployment very well. I found it through Hopeful Future, and as I read the lyrics and listened to the song it brought tears to my eyes…

I was nineteen, you were twenty-one
The year we got engaged
Everyone said we were much too young
But we did it anyway

Jon and I were both 21 when we got married. I knew people thought we were too young, but we had been together three years and we were ready. We were more than ready, and I never regret it.

We bought our rings for forty each
From a pawn shop down the road
We made our vows and took the leap
Now fifteen years ago

I love how he says “took the leap.” Because that is what it certainly was. A leap into the unknown. A leap into marriage, a leap into military life and all that comes with it. I was so excited to take that leap. So excited to see what was ahead and what would become of us.

We went dancing in the minefields
We went sailing in the storm
And it was harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for

And it’s so true. Marriage has been great, but then came the minefields and the storms. Miscarriage, finances, military life, deployment, health problems, and more. At times it HAS been harder than we dreamed, than I dreamed, but never not worth it. Life is hard, and I’m so glad we made that promise to each other. There’s no one else I would rather dance through the minefields with or sail through the storm with than my love, my husband.

“I do” are the two most famous last words
The beginning of the end
But to lose your life for another I’ve heard
Is a good place to begin

These words so simple, but so sweet. “To lose your life for another…” When you marry you do “lose” your life, but not in the way you think I mean. You lose your life because you are now one with your husband. You are his. You lay down all your selfish desires and give yourself up so that you can be what he needs. (“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” –Ephesians 5:31) You go where he goes, and follow him to the ends of the earth. Because that is unselfish, and that is true love. (“…Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” -Ruth 1:16)

‘Cause the only way to find your life
Is to lay your own life down
And I believe it’s an easy price
For the life that we have found

And these words say it all. The life that we have found together is all worth it. Worth every storm and every minefield we’ve had to dance through to get there. I found my life, and it’s with my husband, my love, my best friend.

And we’re dancing in the minefields
We’re sailing in the storm
This is harder than we dreamed
But I believe that’s what the promise is for

So when I lose my way, find me
When I loose love’s chains, bind me
At the end of all my faith, till the end of all my days
When I forget my name, remind me

I love these beautiful words as well. It reminds me of the movie Fireproof where he does everything he can to get his wife back.  He finds her once again, and reminds her of what they once had. I think that is part of the promise we have made to each other, to be patient with each other and to remind each other every day of the love that we have always shared even through the storms.

‘Cause we bear the light of the Son of Man
So there’s nothing left to fear
So I’ll walk with you in the shadowlands
Till the shadows disappear

‘Cause he promised not to leave us
And his promises are true
So in the face of all this chaos, baby,
I can dance with you

I’m so glad we are both saved and have and know the love of God in our lives. I’m so glad He walks with us through the minefields and through the storms. We could not do it without Him. God is who enables us to keep going so that we can dance through this life together. I am so thankful.

Dear Jonathan,
Even though we can’t be together today, even thought we have this deployment that separates us, I know that our love will still remain strong. I am so glad God gave me you to dance through the minefields with. I love you.