His Plan
It was fall semester 2002 at Mira Costa when I first noticed Jon. I was in "elementary math", a pre-requisite for elementary school teachers. The first day of school, I tried to get his attention. I was paired up with an older man to introduce one another to the class. I did my best to be funny and get Jon to laugh. The rest of the class did, but he made no notice. This was out of character for me. I usually was not the type to try and scope out my classmates. I liked making friends at school, but I was not really ever wanting to date anyone. I remember later, sitting in a group with all of the younger girls in our class; each one gorgeous. I got an answer from each, that every one already had a boyfriend. "That one's mine." I said. He would walk past me every day after class, and not even look at me. He seemed like a pretentious jock. But there was something different about him. I had to find a way to get him to take me on a date. I felt a sense of urgency; he was supposed to ask me out. But he never did, and half way through the semester, I had to drop the class because I really didn't understand it. I found out later that Jon dropped it, too.
Three months went by and I moved in with my best friend. I was transitioning into a different kind of life on my own; staying up late, and trying to understand the responsibility of paying bills and keeping up with laundry. It was the first day of the spring semester in 2003. I wasn't supposed to be at Mira Costa. I had my sister apply at Cal State for me because she was really good at understanding how to navigate the internet, and it overwhelmed me. I wasn't accepted for the spring semester like I planned, because instead of marking that I was a transfer student, she marked that I was a high school student. And since I didn't take the SAT's in high school, they denied my application. So I decided to spend an unnecessary spring semester getting some more pre-req's done at Mira Costa. I took three classes: Computer Science, Sociology, and PE for elementary school teachers. I didn't really need any of them, but I wanted to stay in school, and I knew that it wouldn't hurt to get the extra units.
On my first day of Computer Science, I was late. It was a 7:00 am class, and I had stayed up the night before. I was in my sweats and flip flops. I remember running through the halls at Mira Costa, fumbling to find my class. I had never taken Computer, so I was unfamiliar with the building. Finally, I arrived at 7:15, embarrassed to be late. Usually, I would sit in the front where I would have focus on the teacher (I really have a terrible attention span). However, today I was late, and I slipped in the back. There were already two guys sitting in the back, but I paid no attention. I wanted to make sure that the teacher knew I was serious, and I took out my notes, and did my best to catch up.
When class was over, I scooted my chair back and looked to my right. There he was. The guy from elementary math. At first, I couldn't recognize him, but after I put it all together, I realized that he was the same guy I had been trying to get to notice me. At the time, I was kind of seeing my old boyfriend, so I really had no interest in going on a date with Jon, but I wanted to be his friend. So I made it a point to sit in the back of class next to him for the rest of the semester, so at least he and I could be friendly.
For two weeks, every day, he would leave class without saying a word to me. I remember following him out one day, thinking he was too tall for my taste, and making faces behind his back. I just wanted to be his friend, why was he so stuck up?
It was the Thursday after a high school youth group retreat that I finally realized Jon was shy. We were allowed to go online for the first time in class, and I remembered that someone from the youth group made a webpage that posted pictures of our retreat. I looked up the church and started to see whether I could find the pictures. All of the sudden, I looked over, and Jon was on North Coast's website. It was like he was trying to show me like "yeah, I go to church, too." We quickly struck up a conversation about church. And he did the whole, "do I know you from somewhere?" I told him that he was in my math class, but he didn't remember. I asked him where he went to high school, and he said Rancho. "Oh, the Pepto Bismol school." I teased. He wore a Carlsbad basketball hat, and found out that he coached Freshman basketball. He invited me to one of his games. We talked about Hayden's pop warner, and I bragged about what a great quarter back he was. We spent the whole class talking. And when it was over, he asked if he could take me to the cafeteria.
We walked over, and he held my books. (Which was really cute). At the cafeteria, I remember looking in his eyes, and I really felt like I knew him, or was going to know him. There was a strong tug on my heart that he was someone that I was supposed to have in my life. He asked me out to lunch the following Tuesday.
That day, I went home and told my friend that "computer guy" asked me out. My prayer journal from that day is filled with questions to God. "Why did I feel that?" "Am I being ridiculous?" "What is your plan?" I made a point to call my pastor and ask him what he thought about all of this. I was uncertain about my reaction to everything, but I knew it from the beginning. It wasn't even like I had butterflies or was in lust. I just felt a strong knowing. Jon was mine. Not mine like a power trip. But he was someone that I was supposed to live my life with. My questions were confirmed on our second date. It was Valentines Day. He took me to Chinese, and we put on sweatshirts and blankets, and sat on the beach talking until 2 am. We both felt it. It was an assurance that we were supposed to be together. It wasn't a question.
Three weeks into dating, Jon told me that he loved me. And he was the first boyfriend that I reciprocated my feelings. I did. I loved him.
Our relationship has certainly not been a fairy tale. Our personalities are both very strong, and we have had our fair share of hard ships that I could never fathom when I called him "mine" in Elementary math. But I praise God that He hand picked for me exactly what I needed. I am so blessed to have a partner to share this life with. And almost 10 years after meeting him, I still know in my heart that the Lord paved the way for our paths to cross. It's always a faith and trust that he is mine. And no matter what happens circumstantially, I am always filled without doubt and with trust that this is something from God.
I am so unworthy of His blessings, but God is so merciful. He promises that He knows the plans He has for us. Plans to prosper. And I know that He has written out the story of my life. As I have sought after Him, God has been faithful. I am encouraged to know that I am where I need to be. Even when I make a mistake, or fail to recognize him daily. He is faithful.
I am so thankful for Jon Jones.
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Three months went by and I moved in with my best friend. I was transitioning into a different kind of life on my own; staying up late, and trying to understand the responsibility of paying bills and keeping up with laundry. It was the first day of the spring semester in 2003. I wasn't supposed to be at Mira Costa. I had my sister apply at Cal State for me because she was really good at understanding how to navigate the internet, and it overwhelmed me. I wasn't accepted for the spring semester like I planned, because instead of marking that I was a transfer student, she marked that I was a high school student. And since I didn't take the SAT's in high school, they denied my application. So I decided to spend an unnecessary spring semester getting some more pre-req's done at Mira Costa. I took three classes: Computer Science, Sociology, and PE for elementary school teachers. I didn't really need any of them, but I wanted to stay in school, and I knew that it wouldn't hurt to get the extra units.
On my first day of Computer Science, I was late. It was a 7:00 am class, and I had stayed up the night before. I was in my sweats and flip flops. I remember running through the halls at Mira Costa, fumbling to find my class. I had never taken Computer, so I was unfamiliar with the building. Finally, I arrived at 7:15, embarrassed to be late. Usually, I would sit in the front where I would have focus on the teacher (I really have a terrible attention span). However, today I was late, and I slipped in the back. There were already two guys sitting in the back, but I paid no attention. I wanted to make sure that the teacher knew I was serious, and I took out my notes, and did my best to catch up.
When class was over, I scooted my chair back and looked to my right. There he was. The guy from elementary math. At first, I couldn't recognize him, but after I put it all together, I realized that he was the same guy I had been trying to get to notice me. At the time, I was kind of seeing my old boyfriend, so I really had no interest in going on a date with Jon, but I wanted to be his friend. So I made it a point to sit in the back of class next to him for the rest of the semester, so at least he and I could be friendly.
For two weeks, every day, he would leave class without saying a word to me. I remember following him out one day, thinking he was too tall for my taste, and making faces behind his back. I just wanted to be his friend, why was he so stuck up?
It was the Thursday after a high school youth group retreat that I finally realized Jon was shy. We were allowed to go online for the first time in class, and I remembered that someone from the youth group made a webpage that posted pictures of our retreat. I looked up the church and started to see whether I could find the pictures. All of the sudden, I looked over, and Jon was on North Coast's website. It was like he was trying to show me like "yeah, I go to church, too." We quickly struck up a conversation about church. And he did the whole, "do I know you from somewhere?" I told him that he was in my math class, but he didn't remember. I asked him where he went to high school, and he said Rancho. "Oh, the Pepto Bismol school." I teased. He wore a Carlsbad basketball hat, and found out that he coached Freshman basketball. He invited me to one of his games. We talked about Hayden's pop warner, and I bragged about what a great quarter back he was. We spent the whole class talking. And when it was over, he asked if he could take me to the cafeteria.
We walked over, and he held my books. (Which was really cute). At the cafeteria, I remember looking in his eyes, and I really felt like I knew him, or was going to know him. There was a strong tug on my heart that he was someone that I was supposed to have in my life. He asked me out to lunch the following Tuesday.
That day, I went home and told my friend that "computer guy" asked me out. My prayer journal from that day is filled with questions to God. "Why did I feel that?" "Am I being ridiculous?" "What is your plan?" I made a point to call my pastor and ask him what he thought about all of this. I was uncertain about my reaction to everything, but I knew it from the beginning. It wasn't even like I had butterflies or was in lust. I just felt a strong knowing. Jon was mine. Not mine like a power trip. But he was someone that I was supposed to live my life with. My questions were confirmed on our second date. It was Valentines Day. He took me to Chinese, and we put on sweatshirts and blankets, and sat on the beach talking until 2 am. We both felt it. It was an assurance that we were supposed to be together. It wasn't a question.
Three weeks into dating, Jon told me that he loved me. And he was the first boyfriend that I reciprocated my feelings. I did. I loved him.
Our relationship has certainly not been a fairy tale. Our personalities are both very strong, and we have had our fair share of hard ships that I could never fathom when I called him "mine" in Elementary math. But I praise God that He hand picked for me exactly what I needed. I am so blessed to have a partner to share this life with. And almost 10 years after meeting him, I still know in my heart that the Lord paved the way for our paths to cross. It's always a faith and trust that he is mine. And no matter what happens circumstantially, I am always filled without doubt and with trust that this is something from God.
I am so unworthy of His blessings, but God is so merciful. He promises that He knows the plans He has for us. Plans to prosper. And I know that He has written out the story of my life. As I have sought after Him, God has been faithful. I am encouraged to know that I am where I need to be. Even when I make a mistake, or fail to recognize him daily. He is faithful.
I am so thankful for Jon Jones.
Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version (NIV)
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