Here's Aunt Becky's Story...

Our Love Story - It's 40 years long next week so this will be an abbreviated version ... I'll start at the beginning ...

Summer 1975 - Both Paul and I summered over at Covenant College, working on campus in the housekeeping department.  He lived in Carter Hall and I lived in a fancy house on the bluff while its family summered in Cape Cod.  He had a mishkid room-mate, Lewis; I had a fellow-Ohioan room-mate, Jan.  Jan wanted to get to know Lewis better (to bring him out of his shell as she put it).  The guys were living on what they could "legitimately" steal from the cafeteria and sharing a $.17 can of tomato soup (no tax on food in Georgia).  Jan and I shared pleasure in hospitality.  It didn't take long for the two needs - food, and someone to feed - to mesh.  Many evenings ended with Jan and Lewis playing bumper pool in the rec room, Paul and I cleaning up after dinner in the kitchen and talking, always  talking, talking ...

We became friends.  Sort of anyway.  Early on that summer he told me - and I quote - "I don't have a girl friend and I don't want one and if I did it wouldn't be you."  Towards summer's end, he told me that once his friends returned to campus he wouldn't have time for me, and he'd be embarrassed to be seen with me, anyway.  I didn't harbor much hope.

During the summer, he had become interested in the small home church I attended on the far side of Chattanooga.  Curious, he began attending with me.  Although we convincingly explained our 'friendship' to my church friends, we looked like a 'couple' - you know - one man, one woman ...  It was a long drive to church.  Every Sunday after church we were invited into the homes and lives of various parishioners to share a meal and to linger 'til Sunday evening service.  And talking, always talking, talking ...

Summer ended.  Jan and I moved into a small stone house in Hinkle with a friend of Jan's.  Paul moved into a basement apartment in West Brow with three guys.  Classes started.  We began a small Bible study in the little stone house.  Karen, Jan and I, Lewis and Paul.  Occasionally, one of us would bring a guest.  And talking, always talking, talking ...

Paul remained on campus over Christmas.  His family came to him.  On my return to campus from Ohio I had an accident about a mile from Hinkle which disabled my car.  When I called Covenant for help - late at night - Paul was in the lobby and took my call (no one else was back from Christmas break yet).  He rescued me, helped me sort out the accident and took me down the mountain to the Waffle House.

He invested lots of time to make my car driveable again - at my house.  I handed him tools and thanked him and fed him.  A police car wrecked my roomie Karen's 'indestructable' Volvo.  Paul, Jan, Karen and I - all living about five miles off-campus in different directions, down to two college student-type vehicles and two wrecked cars.  Paul honed his mechanic skills.

Winter became the beautiful mountain spring.  Jan and Karen were both graduating.  Paul and I were each considering summer plans.  I was anxious to get away, feeling, but unable to put into words that Paul and I had become too close, I too dependent on him.  He talked of going to Alaska and working on a fishing boat.

On April 14th,  we joined a party of other college-age friends from church, some of their local friends, and mutual friends from my hometown who'd all been on a mission trip together a couple of years previously.  (I also had a different friend from Ohio staying with me for a few days).  My houseguests joined us downtown at the Yellow Deli for sandwiches; Paul and I went on to the gathering.  I spent the evening making new acquaintances and renewing old ones.  Paul spent the evening ...

It was late when we headed back up the mountain.  None of the usual talking, always talking, talking ... It felt tense, uneasy.  I felt uncertain.  We were in my car so we drove to his house.  When we stopped he just sat there.  My uncertainty turned to certainty.  The end was here.  "God, please get me out of this gracefully."

Paul, finally - "I've been thinking about asking you to settle down with me."

Silence.

Me, finally, shocked, wary - "What do you mean, 'settle down'?"  (This was 1976 - and a would've been hippy addressing me.)

Paul, clarifying - "I mean, will you marry me?"

Silence.

He reached for me.  It was the first time we'd ever touched.

*************************************            Forty Years Have Passed             ***************************************

It's a love story to God whose sovereignty knows no beginning and no end.  He is soveriegn over the hopes and dreams and hearts and plans of men.

1. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   A wonderful Savior to me;
   He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
   Where rivers of pleasure I see.
   • Refrain:
     He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
     That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
     He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
     And covers me there with His hand,
     And covers me there with His hand.
2. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   He taketh my burden away,
   He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
   He giveth me strength as my day.
3. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
   And filled with His fullness divine,
   I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God!
   For such a Redeemer as mine.
4. When clothed with His brightness transported I rise
   To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
   His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
   I’ll shout with the millions on high.

Spring 2016 - Nine children, seven children in-law so far, twenty-five grandchildren with prospects of manymore.  Zachary is building the hospitable front porch we've wanted for over 20 years.  Come, sit with us a spell while we count our many blessings.  Help us name them, one by one.