On Missing the Party and Showing up Late

Jon was late. Again.

Today it went like this:

I was planning on him being at my place around 5:20 for dinner so that we could make it to our interview with the bishop at 5:50 (he likes to meet with us regularly because we're getting hitched soon!) I called Jon at 4:50 to see if he could come over a little earlier so that we would have enough time. He informed me that he was still at work and wouldn't be able to make it 'till 5:20. No problem. I text him at 5:15, reminding him to bring rice. He replies with a phone call, informing me that I should probably just go ahead and eat because he wasn't going to make it until right before the interview.

This is the second time something like this has happened in four days. Before that it was Saturday. We were supposed to go to my cousin's baby's birthday party up in Lyndon. The party started at 5, but it's an hour and a half long drive, so we were planning on leaving at 4. I called him around 3:40, telling him that I was going to be a little late because I'd just finished my run and needed to get ready. He hesitated, and then admitted that he wouldn't be ready at 4 either...would 5 be okay? If we left at 5 we'd be pretty late, but we would still make it in time to have some fun! Come 4:45, though, Jon called me to tell me that he wasn't going to be able to make it to the birthday party at all.

Irritated. Frustrated. Annoyed. These were all emotions that I was tempted to feel in each of these occasions. Jon is ruining your plans, a voice in my mind said. And for a split moment I considered listening to that voice.

I was surprised both times, though, when I realized that I really wasn't feeling irritated, frustrated, or annoyed. In fact, I was feeling the opposite! Grateful, happy, supportive, loving--these were the emotions filling my heart. Why? Because in these moments, I realized that Jon was proving himself to be the man I have always wanted to marry.

Jon did not prevent us from going to the birthday party because he was finishing watching a football game or because he was glued to a TV screen. He was late because he was helping a man, who had recently sustained some back injuries, with his yard work. Yes, it was paid, but Jon didn't want to run off, leaving the rest of the work for the owner to do by himself. And so he stayed. Two-and-a-half hours longer than he'd been planning on so that he could serve someone in need.

Jon did not postpone having dinner with me because he was finishing up something he'd procrastinated on or because he was trying to check things off an all-important to-do list. No. He was late because right as he was leaving work, a boy trying to get to University Mall for work asked him for a ride. Of course Jon said yes, even though he'd already worked an extra hour-and-a-half past when he was supposed to be off and was cold from having worked out in the rain and was hungry and had an appointment with my bishop and I in less than an hour. He made the time to help the guy out.

I would not have it any other way. Jon is proving himself to be a man who always puts the Lord's errand first, who is always willing to help and serve, even when it's inconvenient, and I feel extremely blessed that I get to be the woman who supports him in his efforts. We missed the birthday party and were 10 minutes late to the appointment with the bishop. So what? President Monson, the worldwide prophet and leader of the LDS church, has shown up late to General Conference and other important meetings because he was serving someone in need. I figure that if the prophet of a worldwide church can show up late to a meeting that is being broadcast around the globe because he was serving the one, that Jon and I can be late to a meeting with the bishop because he is serving the one too.

So, does this mean that in a little over a month, when I marry Jon, I'll be committing myself to an eternity of missing parties, of showing up late to meetings, and of things not going according to my picture perfect plan? Possibly. But if it is for the right reasons, then that is exactly what I want. Because the best of life is not made up of parties or meetings or picture perfect plans. The best of life consists of helping those around us like the Savior would and of answering the call when He extends it.

Thank you, Jon, for making us miss the party; thank you, Jon, for making us late.