Shannon here: E.V. Sparrow shares how she met her husband, along with a recipe for Summer Salmon Salad, & a chance to win an e-book copy of her Historical Irish Romance Novella, Muldoon’s Minnesota Darling. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing. Deadline: July 13th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s E.V.:
During the after-dinner music at an awards banquet, I looked up from my piece of chocolate cake. Leah, who attended our Singles’ Group at church, led a handsome silver-haired man around the room. He reminded me of those elegant leading men in the classic Hollywood movies I loved. Leah beamed as she introduced him, arm in arm, to various friends.
Diane’s eyes sparkled. “Wow, he looks like Cary Grant.”
Was he a doctor or a professor? His comportment intrigued me as he bowed slightly and smiled. Was he conscious of the stares?
“His name is David.” Carrie leaned closer to me.
“That’s who he reminds me of. Remember David Niven?”
Diane sighed. “They’ve been dating awhile. I bet they’ll get married.”
Leah drew David to our table and introduced him. I bit into another bite of cake and prayed — that’s the type of man I want, God. Classy. Considerate. Please, bring me one. I’ll be watching.
***
When my church’s Singles’ Group planned an out-of-town daytrip, I decided it was time to let go of my emotional ties to my previous fiancé. I’d worked hard at becoming healthier.
Barbara stood next to a newcomer to the group. “This is David.”
He looks familiar. “You’re new?”
“Fairly.” He tipped his head and smiled. “I’ve been to a few functions.”
The trip’s leader interrupted and handed out maps. While I chatted with David, everyone scrambled to vehicles, leaving three of us without a ride.
Barbara yelled she had one seat.
Isn’t David going with her? He stood beside another car with Mary, a special needs lady.
He stepped toward me. “There’s an extra seat in my car.”
I couldn’t let a stranger drive alone with Mary for several hours. We don’t know him. “Thanks Barb, but I’ll go with David.”
Mary struggled with the seatbelt in the back seat. Her embarrassment grew tangible.
“That seatbelt is difficult for everyone.” David murmured gentle words as he worked to untangle it. His patience with her moved him up several notches in my esteem. David joked with us and asked me to choose the music.
At our old museum’s destination, I discovered a tiny office behind with a warped window. Vintage accounting tools sat on a worn wooden desk. A metal pencil sharpener was bolted to a wall. The aroma of sharpened wooden pencils lingered.
David wandered in. “Are you old enough to recognize anything in here?”
“The pencil sharpener.”
“That’s a relief.” He laughed while we played a comparison game with our modern accounting tools. Several people crammed into the room and asked what was so funny. If you must explain, it’s not funny.
At lunchtime, I took the opportunity I came for, and strolled to the river. I bid farewell to the ghost of my former fiancé and my dreams. Sometimes, symbolic actions are the most powerful.
On our return trip, David and I discussed our families, and discovered our older sisters had worked together in my hometown. “You look too young for this group.”
“I’m not. So, you must have been born between my two older brothers.”
“I’m not sure I like that.”
“I’m drawn to vintage things, like old Hollywood movies and antiques.”
“Am I an antique?”
“Maybe.” I glanced out the passenger window. Guard my heart.
We spoke about other mutual acquaintances, and he mentioned Leah. “We were great friends, but it didn’t develop into more for me.”
“I think I saw you with her a few years ago at an awards banquet. Was that you?”
“You were there, too?”
I nodded. How could I forget about that prayer? I asked Father God to find me someone like David. He sent the actual man! I didn’t mention my prayer.
***
David and I met again at a two-month discipleship training class. It was an ideal way to observe each other without the pressure of dating. We had similar experiences, humor, and we were creatives. We dated a month later. On our third date, David said he had things to share about his past.
My stomach flipped. Will he reveal something ugly?
Giveaway
David explained he was single for fifteen-years after his divorce, made poor choices, and his counselor wanted him to share his dating history. “I was a love-addict. Let’s go to the park, in case you want to make a getaway.” He described his experiences with online dating and moving to various states to be with ladies he met on the internet. David discovered people can misrepresent themselves, which eventually resulted in some broken engagements. He didn’t blame anyone.
So, we both excused toxic behavior in our quest for love.
“I worked to become healthier through years of counseling, because it works.” David smiled. “I thank God we met now. You definitely have the best version of me.”
My turn to share my messy history.
David squeezed my hand. “I empathize with finding out you’re with someone who is covering up trouble. I’m relieved my mistakes didn’t shock you.”
“Well, our worst mistakes supply us the grace for when others need it, right?”
Eventually, I told David about my prayers for someone like him at that awards banquet—after we married in 2016.
*Summer salmon/salad Irish recipe:
New Potatoes with Smoked Salmon and a Dill Mustard Dressing. Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds small new potatoes, cooked and chilled. (You could also use leftover potatoes for this).
6-ounce smoked salmon cut into thin strips
Dressing:
2 tsp. muscovado sugar (if you can’t get muscovado, use a good quality dark brown sugar)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. olive Oil
1 heaped tbsp. mayonnaise
2 heaped tbsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking time:
15 Minutes
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Method:
Whisk the muscovado sugar and lemon juice together until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the mustard, oil and mayonnaise, whisking all the time.
Finally, add the fresh dill, season with a pinch of sea salt and ground pepper. Whisk
again. This sauce is meant to be fairly runny. If you find it too runny, add a little more
mayonnaise. (If you have a blender, put all the ingredients in and whizz for one minute!)
This sauce can be kept for a week in the fudge and actually tastes even better a day old, as it
allows the dill to penetrate the sauce even more.
Serving Suggestions:
Toss the potatoes, salmon strips and dressing together and serve with a green salad.
Question for Readers: If you could vacation in Ireland, what would be your desired lodging? In a castle, a seacoast home, or an Airbnb on a secluded lake, and why?
About E.V.: A short story writer turned novelist Sparrow signed a historical fiction three-book contract with Celebrate Lit Publishing. Book 1, Muldoon’s Misfortunes, in Those Resilient Muldoons is up for preorder as an eBook. It also releases in print on 7/16/24. She served on missions, a worship team, prayer teams, Single’s Ministry, and in the Divorce Care program. Sparrow enjoys leading readers to Encounter God’s Unexpected Presence in all her works. Learn more & connect: E.V.’s Linktree
About the book – Muldoon’s Misfortunes:
On a verdant island beset by poverty and death, Mick Muldoon dares to escape his misfortunes. Is working a farm and raising a family such an impossible thing to ask? Wasn’t God supposed to answer prayers—not turn a deaf ear?
After surviving the treacherous voyage to America, Mick discovers the rumors of ample opportunity aren’t exactly true. His defective body hampers employment and keeps him dependent upon his peculiar sister. However, an unexpected invitation to move to the heartland guarantees his dreams.
Mick’s own dreadful choices hamper his hopes when he accepts work as a widow’s farmhand. Unbeknownst to him, there’s deception afoot. Mick’s inattention to love causes catastrophe as single fatherhood cruelly shatters his family. Will God miraculously hear his prayers this time?
In Book 1 of Those Resilient Muldoons series, this misguided, wayward widower encounters God’s unexpected presence.
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in E.V.’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Preorder Muldoon’s Misfortunes E.V.’s Books
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Come back July 9th for Kim Banet!
Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog! I enjoy connecting with new readers and authors. It’s such a vast world of books, and we can easily be invisible without support and help in spreading the word. 🙂
Good to have you, E.V. I’d stay in a castle. The stuff of little girls’ dreams.
Right? A castle. 🥰
What a precious story of God’s provision for you. And the salmon salad recipe sounds delicious. As for a dream vacation in Ireland, it would be a toss up between the castle and the home on the sea coast to enjoy the crashing waves.
Thank you, and nice to connect here on Shannon’s blog. Both locations would be fabulous!
I have a winner! Shelia Hall won the drawing. I appreciate E.V. for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.