30th Anniversary

Thirty one years ago almost to the day, a young co-ed breezed by me in the lobby of Sammy Morris Hall and took my breath away. Her name was Karen Heasley. A year later she became my wife and has been taking my breath away ever since. I officiate quite a few weddings. During one part of the ceremony I will give a charge to the groom and a charge to the wife. When I talk to the bride I say something like, "I want you to be his greatest fan. No man marries a woman because he wants a critic. He marries a woman because he wants someone who when everyone else has run away still believes in him. I want you to create a home inside of yourself for your husband so when you walk into a room and he sees you he will feel as if he has come home. He will be stronger for having you there." Every time I give that part of the ceremony I am thinking of my bride. For 30 years now she has been one of God's greatest gifts to me. She has encouraged me, strengthened me, comforted and loved me. She stood by me during two bouts of unemployment and still believed. She followed me to Bolivia, South America with babies in tow while I tried to figure out if God wanted us to be missionaries. Monday will be 30 years and this is just a shout out to a woman who has filled my life with grace. Thank you dearest Karen.