KNOCK-OUT!

I realized that I didn't put this story about me and Paul on the wedding website, and I believe it needs to be heard as it will encourage many, I know! This is a very personal blog entry...

In November of 2009, I was going through an inner healing program called Pure Heart. I'd been dealing with some "junk" in my heart, forgiving individuals and receiving more of God's healing. During a large-group ministry session, my friend Donna was praying for me quietly when she said, "I've never heard the Lord say this about someone before, but God says, "Arden, you are a knock-out! You're a KNOCK-OUT!" He just keeps saying that about you!" I laughed, having battled in my singleness with self-image issues and not really feeling much like a knock-out...cuz if I was really a knock-out, then why wasn't I married? Something in God's words to me through Donna, though, broke into my heart and brought tremendous healing to those wounded places.

In early December of 2009, I got facebook friended by some guy named Paul Czaszewicz....and I wrote back to him: "Remind me how I know you?" The instant I hit "send", I remembered: CHAZ! (That's what we all called Paul in college!) So, it turns out he is in Kansas City, he is single, he loves the Lord, and, and, and.....then we meet! There was pretty much instant attraction on both of our parts (we now know) but we both stayed pretty low-key, til February of 2010 when we decided to begin dating.

As with many couples, we faced some hurdles and chose to break up...and during that time, which was spring time, I began doing some landscaping in front of my house. A good friend suggested I get day lilies and these roses that are super easy and beautiful. She said, "They're called KNOCK-OUT Roses." At the moment, I didn't make the connection, but once they were planted and I was watering them one day, God reminded me: "Remember Donna's word for you? I want you to remember EVERY DAY when you come home what I think of you!" I nearly started crying as I watered my knock-outs and chuckled at the same time at God's personalness in speaking to His daughter!

Now, fast-forward...it's October 2010, and Paul and I have re-established our friendship and are "dating". We decided we need to have a "fish or cut bait" discussion, so he came to my house one afternoon to have the serious DTR talk. (That's define the relationship for those who don't know!) As we talked, I looked at this amazing man and asked, "Paul, I just don't get it, you are an incredible man of God...why haven't you gotten married before now?" To which Paul replied:

"I told the Lord years ago that He would have to give me a knock-out."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"What did you just say?" I asked.

"I told the Lord He would have to give me a knock-out!"

"Did I tell you about Donna's word for me nearly a year ago?"

"Um, I don't think so, but if you did, I don't remember it. I was just asking the Lord in the car ride down here today to give me His words to say to you today."

Some say there is something significant in the number 3...hee hee hee.

In all of this, the Lord has worked tremendous healing...I was told by some boys when I was a little girl that I was ugly and I would never get married. God, in His amazing grace and goodness, healed those deep wounds in me, calls me a knock-out, reminds me every day, and has given me a fiance, who will be my husband in just 6 days, who calls me a knock-out!

Let the readers of this blog hear: take heed to the love that the Father is pouring out on you through His people!

Spring preparations!

We built a new bed next to last year's bed! :-)

Praying this produces much for us and our friends!

Paul, my mighty man, digging a place for the mighty oak tree!

Yep, the bushes got very well-trimmed by Mr. Chaz!

Paul and I have had a blast doing yard work, building and planting our garden, and getting the house ready for US as a married couple! :-) It's so much fun working together... I think I'm gonna like being married!

Wedding showers and parties

I have been incredibly blessed by friends here in Kansas City with a couple of wedding showers where there's been laughter, love, tears, joy, and prayers for me and for Paul!

Just 6 days from now, I will have a last name with 3, yes THREE, "Z"s in it! Arden Campbell Czaszewicz! Woo hoo!

Just 6 days and I will be a married woman!

As Paul and I worked on our ceremony program last night, we realized that this time next week, we'll be married!

Have a look at our website: http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPage.aspx?coupleId=5653261325251124

Can't wait to celebrate with friends near and far in the next few months!

Conversations

Yesterday, I was blessed to have a wonderful conversation with a dear, long-time friend of mine who has helped me in countless ways to navigate the ever-changing financial waters of our times. He is like a brother to me, and seeks to take care of me like his very own family.

Our conversation yesterday turned to this question: "Where do you think this is all going?" And the other major question: "Do you think it is too late? Or can "people" get their acts together and dig us out of this downward spiraling mess we are in?"

What struck me most is that my friend, who is brilliant, godly, and wonderful, was asking me...which opened up a sweet dialogue, moving into important subjects like preparedness for what is inevitably coming (according to the Bible), and what we really need in the U.S., and that is: hearts turned in repentance and humility to the God of the universe, who is slow to anger and abounding in love, but who will not withhold His merciful judgements forever.

I loved our practical conversation, sharing ideas, not out of fear, but out of concern for family, friends and loved ones...and the reality of what we need to be doing daily: praying for our leaders and leaders world-wide, that the fear of the Lord would grip their spirits and minds and they would take the lead in humility and repentance before the Lord...but not before WE ourselves walk down that same path. God, have mercy on me, a sinner saved solely by Your grace, needing Your very breath to stay alive...let me bow my heart and mind before You alone, heed Your voice alone, and rejoice in You, the One who sees the end from the beginning, and will cause ALL THINGS to work together for good for those who LOVE YOU and are called according to Your purpose!

Hallelujah, God will make all things new...but the reality of the refiner's fire is upon us, so will we walk in His ways, heeding His voice, or will we continue on that very wide path? Narrow is the way that leads to life...and few will find it. Jesus said, "I am the way."

2 weeks!

Two weeks from today, I will be a married woman! Tonight, one of those surreal moments struck me as I was trying on some of the gifts some gals gave me today for one of my wedding showers. Life is going to be very different in just two weeks! Paul and I look at each other, both of us having been single our entire lives, and we smile, knowing how right it is but also wondering how do we make this transition? It's times like these that we don't feel like we are in our late 40s, but rather more like we are in our 20s...all the anticipation and excitement of finally sharing our lives with each other! Two weeks.... Two weeks.... It's gonna be fun!

Change

This is a season of huge change for me. In just 24 days, I will change my name. Whoa! The reality of that hit me this week when Paul and I went to get our marriage license. The woman helping us asked: "So, will you be changing your name?" Out of my mouth came the word: "Yes"...and then it hit me...I'm taking Paul's name...wow...wow...wow. I've been Arden Jan Campbell for 47+ years and now I will be Arden Campbell Czaszewicz! Whoa! Change is happening in my home as well. Years ago...in fact probably 40 years ago, I inherited a beautiful set of china and glassware from my great, great aunt Grace. My parents GENEROUSLY stored it all these years and then shipped it to me recently; my friends and I have been unpacking the boxes and finding places for everything...including displaying the china in a beautiful cabinet I found on craigslist! I am stunned by the beauty of these pieces, and cannot wait to entertain! In addition, my Herend village pottery which I brought from Hungary is now beautifully displayed in my kitchen! Finally, the living room, bedrooms and office space are undergoing radical transformations as well, all with the help of some precious friends of mine here! Change....exciting and challenging all at the same time. Finally, Paul and I are building a larger garden plot, and getting prepared for what will come in the future, not if, but when challenging times hit our land! Oh, and in the midst of all of this, I'm trying to plan a wedding! Needless to say, the stressors have been off the charts of late, and I'm very much looking forward to celebrating with many friends and family very soon, when Paul and I become one! With change in our physical lives, it is amazingly reassuring to know that our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob NEVER changes and is the solid rock upon which I/we can stand, even when everything around us is changing and sometimes being shaken. One of the worship songs the sing quite regularly in the prayer room here has this line: "You are my rock and there is no other, You are my rock!" I thank God that He is the rock, because truly, all else is just shifting sand. :-)