37 years ago, WOW!!!
Such a long time ago that seems just yesterday. At 18 years old, I couldn’t imagine being 37,
after all my mom was just 39 and she was getting old. Today, I sit and reminisce. How did we cram so many memories into such a
short span? How does 37 years pass so
swiftly? How did I get to be 55? We were so young, so much in love, so full of
dreams and plans, so fearless as we stepped into life together. It has been quite a journey and I am so
thankful we’ve walked it, stumbled, sometimes skipped and other times carried each
other, but always together; side by side.
All of my friends have heard me tell the story of our huge
family walking into the little church on Mattis Avenue in Rockford, IL. My eyes immediately focused on the young man
sitting on the platform, playing a guitar.
Oh yeah, the most important part of the story, the “western” shirt with
tiny orange flowers, your sleeves were rolled up and you took my breath away.
It took you 2 whole months to ask me out and that’s when the journey
started.
I loved your gorgeous, thick hair, (at 55, the envy of all
of your men friends), your kindness, your off-the-wall sense of humor, but most
of all your devotion and commitment to God.
I was raised on a church pew, we actually went 4 times every week, and I
knew I wanted a Godly man. But, your
love for God blew me away and actually scared me a little because I didn’t know
if I could live up to that in my own life.
Somehow, even at 18, I was able to grasp how your commitment to God
would translate into love, devotion and commitment to me and I was not about to
let that get away.
That love and devotion was portrayed in a story that few
people have ever heard. We had been
dating for a few months and the attraction had deepened to young love. As our relationship progressed, the
temptation to go beyond the boundaries also grew. Your relationship with God was too precious
to allow it to be destroyed by a premature moment. We agreed to take time away from each other…that
was the hardest week of my life. The
other part of the story is that because of your love for me, you didn’t want my
parents to think you were “dumping” me; you wanted them to know you truly respected
and cared for me, so you went and talked with them. I was so mad, but you won my Mom and Dad’s
hearts forever. 37 years later, I think
back on this story with tears in my eyes; what a precious gift you are and how
I have always felt so cherished by you.
It’s been quite a trip.
Sometimes a “Roller Coaster Ride”, other times a “Sunday Afternoon Drive”
and many times a “Bumpy Ride” down a path filled with ruts but we just kept
driving forward, together. Someday we
will take that Hawaiian vacation, we talk about, buy that motor home and become
“snow birds,” but tonight I will celebrate by returning to where it all began,
in church. I’ll be listening to your
voice as you preach the Word of God, totally convinced; 37 years later this is
exactly where I want to be.
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