Happy Anniversary!

I want to deviate away from my original intent for today’s blog concerning the second point that I intended to explain, concerning my post about my wife’s latest doctor’s visit, and take you on a little stroll down memory lane…

Go back with me to July 12, 1975.  This was the fateful day that my lovely wife and I stood before Pastor Bob Heydon and shared our wedding vows.  As I recall it was a beautiful, clear and sunny Saturday afternoon.  Everything was going smoothly as the bridesmaids proceeded down the long center aisle of First Baptist Church in Santa Rosa, California.  Then it happened… After the bridesmaids had taken their positions at the altar, there was a pause in the music and then Piper and her dad stepped out from the Pastor’s study in the rear of the church while the wedding march sounded throughout the modern, theater like setting of the sanctuary.  The feelings that flowed throughout my being at that moment were totally indescribable.  It was wonder, joy, extreme happiness coupled with a disbelief that something this good was really happening to me.  This was suddenly followed by an unexpected wave of nervousness and emotion!

As Piper gracefully came up the stairs to where the Pastor and I were standing, I found myself fighting a losing battle with my emotions.  But just as the tears were beginning to let loose and all control lost, my five year old niece, who was presiding as our flower girl, took an inquisitive interest in Pastor Bob’s black ceremonial gown.  Without any intimidation she lifted up a corner of the gown and began to peak at his black suit underneath.  With that observation I broke out in hearty laughter and all the nervous emotions dissolved!  From that point on I was able to give all my attention to the ceremony of dedicating my life to the one that I had fallen head over heals in love with some five years previous, as a high school senior.

Proverbs 31:10 says that “A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find.”  (Contemporary English Version – CEV) This scripture completely defines my wife and the wonderful marriage that we have enjoyed over the past 36 years.  In many ways my wife has always been quite different from the rest of her family.  She is adventurous, vivacious, a lover of the great outdoors who would prefer a week in the Sierras over a luxurious resort, has loved to cook, drive hot cars, and has always possessed a pioneering spirit.  Over the years we have been a foundational part of three start up churches in our town.  In fact, the church we now are apart of originally began in the living room of our new home in the early 1990’s.

Piper has always had a love for children and Home Schooled our four kids from Kindergarten through High School.  Back in the early eighties Home Schooling was not a very well known alternative, nor was it well accepted by the mainstream educational world.  (Even our parents were not too happy with us!) Once again, she was a pioneer in this field.  She researched it out, had us to join the fledging Independent Study Program at Santa Rosa Christian School along with the Home School Legal Defense Association and the rest is history.  In fact, the local paper did a front page story about her and our schooling at home, complete with an in depth interview and photos!

Now as we have literally grown up together over the past 36 years, there are not too many things that I would change if I had the opportunity.  The Lord has been so good to us.  Yes, we are dealing with some challenges, but as I have stated before, the victory was already provided through the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago!  Romans 8:31 sums it all up with the solid promise that “If God be for us, who can be against us!”  (King James Version)

Happy Anniversary Honey!  You have given me the greatest and most fulfilling life a man could ever ask for.  I love you.

Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”