How To Kneel

If Jotham and I had it our way, the engagement would have been a private affair -- with only select close friends and family knowing about it. But as fate would have it, he planned to ask me to marry him on the night of  his birthday, which he thought he would be celebrating with just me, over dinner.

I of course did not know this, and the "intimate dinner" I had planned for him, was actually a full-blown Jollibee kiddie party, complete with my family, our teacher friends, and several students. If I had a choice, I would not have chosen to be proposed to at Jollibee. But it is what it is, and I now realize it couldn't have gone better.

Jotham later on said that he was concerned about how he would document the proposal, seeing as there was only the two of us in the dinner. He need not have worried. At least five cameras either videotaped or photographed the actual moment he proposed.

Later in the evening, my sister posted both a photo and video of the proposal, and to my utter disbelief it has had almost 300 likes and 90+ comments on Facebook. And these are some people I've not seen or talked to in years.

I feel really blessed that -- even for a tiny second -- these people shared in our joy.

With the all the congratulatory messages, my friend Erika's message somehow got buried underneath it all. It was only today, after a cursory glance at my message inbox, did I see it.

It made me tear up a bit.

"Not sure if my initial message via mobile registered... just in case...

Was just musing with Paw over Max's about your engagement; little did we know it was happening for real at Jollibee's. Pinoy na pinoy. MABUHAY!

The Mabuhay reference is not without irony (of the positive sort).

As someone who witnessed the travails of a woman of woe, I am awed by how God is greatly to be praised.

Was all that unnecessary? Surely it was not desired for you.

Was it--as the likes of Mr. Calasanz and the venerable Padre Ferriols would call it--a detour?

No way to know, but the heart understands that there is much to be grateful for.

For when grace did transform the "inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit" so did grace bring a truly good and just as beautiful man, both of whom are of great worth in God's sight.

May your relationship bring witnesses to their knees before the unfathomable glory of God!

Toasting your engagement,

Kang"

It is the best among the whole lot of congratulatory  messages I received because it captures perfectly the trajectory that my life has been on until now. More than anybody else, Erika is able to see God's hand in this love story, because she was with me during lowest valleys of my life.

And I am just grateful that God is glorified in this. I will be forever humbled, and grateful, and brought to my knees, overwhelmed by His grace, made so real in my life.