Hello!
I’m in the middle of my Kickstarter campaign to raise money for my first EP of all original songs. Would you go watch my story video and make a donation?
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Let’s go be brave!
Peace,
Lee
The moment I saw her I knew she was the one for me, even if it took me two weeks to introduce myself to her.
It was Sunday morning at the Memorial Road Church of Christ. She was sitting two pews in front of me wearing her perfect blue dress and that awesome white hat. Seriously? Who wears a hat to church anymore? If I wasn’t already smitten, the hat sealed the deal. I was red hot in the face and as nervous as a turkey at Christmas, but I mustered my courage. As soon as worship was over (and yes, I admit my heart was probably not engaged in worshipping God that morning as it should have been) I made my move. I quickly slid around the long pew in front of me and, acting like I was totally calm cool and collected, I introduced myself to this incredibly beautiful girl.
Her smile was like a vanilla ice-cream cone on a hot summer day, the perfect cooling agent for my nerves on fire. When she spoke she was as kind and as warm as I had hoped she would be in my day dreams. Oh, but her eyes. Oh my, when her sea blue eyes became fixed on mine I think I saw right into her soul and completely melted right there. Okay, maybe that’s romantically exaggerated a little, but there was something about her, something real, something that connected deep inside me and gripped my heart with a grip I knew would not let go any time soon.
From the beginning we have claimed that God gave us each other. We claimed this when we were dating and we still claim it today. Our relationship has always been held together by this belief, that we were meant to be together because God meant for us to be. That may sound crazy and unrealistic and even overly-romanticized to some, but to us it’s been the constant and foundational truth for our marriage over the last two decades. She was a gift to me, and I to her. (No doubt I got the better end of the deal in this arrangement.)
Do we ever argue and fight? Absolutely. Do we ever differ in opinion? Of course. Do we ever have difficult and challenging times? No doubt! But our marriage is based on more than temporary feelings and emotions. Our marriage is rooted in and based on a single promise that we made to each other on December 28, 1996 when we promised that we would stand by each other through everything life throws our way, no matter what. Steadfast love and faithfulness till death was our promise, sealed by the covenant we initiated on that day with each other and with God, who is the great giver of everything good and holy. To verbally initiate our promise before others, during our ceremony we recited the words Ruth spoke to Naomi when she promised to stay with Naomi and the Israelites rather than go back to her people in Moab. (Ruth 1:16-17):
“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
During our wedding ceremony I also sang a song to her. I looked into her heart-gripping deep sea blue eyes and sang words that described my love for her, my dreams for our future together, and my desire for God to be at the center of it all. It was how I knew to express my heart to her, through song. So I did. I sang the words of my heart. The song may be a little cheesy to some, but I don’t care. They were my words. And they are still my words after all of these years. We are living the adventure together with God and I could not be more grateful.
I am The Luckiest Man Alive because I have Aime as my wife and my best friend. I know many guys claim that title, but they are just wrong. I am. (And I mean no offense to every other woman in the world.) I cherish my life with her and our children, and I pray for many many more years with her by my side…till death do us part.
(Below is an actual video recording of my singing Aime’s Song to her during our ceremony many moons ago. It was recorded with a big VCR type camera, before GoPros and iPhones were even a dream. I recently paid someone to make our VCR tape wedding video into a digital file, something I should have done years ago when the tape was still in decent shape. Even though it’s rough, you’ll get the picture. One thing we always get a chuckle over is my best man Rich standing there holding the microphone. What a good friend…and mic stand.)
The really rough and pitchy audio recording below the video was recorded on our Gateway computer, using the computer microphone and the sound recorder that came with the computer. I typically recorded music late at night with the tools I had, mainly just to get songs down and filed so they wouldn’t be forgotten…as if this song will ever be forgotten;-). Don’t miss the air conditioner turning on right at the end of the recording! I told you, it’s rough.
One might think I get my guitar out on occasion and sing this song to my bride, you know, when the moment is right: anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, etc. You can think that.)
Aime, oh sweet Aime
The love I found in you
You’re everything I hoped for
My dream has come true
Sharing happiness with someone
As wonderful as you
Is a gift I’ll always treasure
A blessing made for two
I know it won’t be easy
Every hour of everyday
But this covenant I make with you
Means I’m here and I will stay
A lifetime of unity
One body with one heart
What God has brought together
No man can pull apart
Don’t be afraid of tomorrow
Our father’s already there
Let’s walk in faith together
He will keep us in his care
And as we live this new adventure
He’ll be with us all the way
Cause the promise made between us
Is first made with him today
Aime, oh sweet Aime
The love I found in you
You’re everything I hoped for
My dream has come true
Oh I promise I will love you
Forever, through and through
You’re a gift I’ll always treasure
A blessing made for two
Oh I promise I will love you
Forever, through and through
You’re a gift I’ll always treasure
A blessing made for two
Words & Music by Lee Langdon
© 2002 Langdon
