I am known in our family for telling stories about the past. I think it is important for the kids to know their heritage and learn about the family history. In fact, whenever we get together and share a holiday meal, or even a summer Chicago Dog night, I try to tell a story about the family history and infuse a little insight for the younger generations.
Lately, there have been several things that seem to have affected me in ways I didn’t realize. As I wrote about recently, I went through a stem cell procedure that, in addition to helping me, could have long term impact on the family benefiting from the harvesting of my stem cells. I think that was the straw that led to a weird experience I had late last Friday night.
I found myself, whether dream or divine intervention, reliving my life. Oddly, though, it moved in reverse order. I first witnessed things that had just happened and then I started to remember things earlier and earlier in my life. It was strange to see the least, but very comforting in another way. There was nothing revealed that I didn’t recall or witness, but there were things that took on greater importance that I recalled at the time. Clearly, there was something I was to learn.
Anyway, I relived the stem cell experience, Janet’s series of strokes two years ago, the various anniversary and birthday celebrations we have had throughout the years. Then, things went farther back. The birth of our children, in reverse order of course, various illnesses and surgeries Janet and I have had – trials, tribulations and issues (as well as celebrations) with our children and then things started to slow down.
I recalled college and dating Janet. And then something really strange happened. I had been dating a neighborhood girl back in the day – someone my mother wasn’t very fond of. And that’s putting it mildly. I knew Mom was frustrated with me and Dad was kind of sitting on the sidelines – caught between supporting Mom and trying to give me the freedom to date who I wanted. In the midst of all this, Mom turned to me in our small kitchen and said, “Why don’t you date that nice Janet Boyd?”
I was caught off guard. I had known Janet since we were five years old or so. And my parents were best friends with her parents. We met at church, but it never occurred to me to even think about trying to date Janet. We ran in different circles – her Dad had started a company that was almost immediately successful. My Dad started his company a year later and had a tougher time of it. Janet had gone to the private high school while I attended the public high school – and it wasn’t too safe at that.
In fact, we ended up going to different colleges. Then a miracle happened. Janet needed to take a math class and I needed to take a tennis course to fill a curriculum requirement. We entered into a deal. I would tutor her in math if she would teach me to play tennis. After all, she was quite the player and her family had even belonged to the Beverly Tennis Club years earlier. It was during our time together over the summer of 1972 that we got closer. I became a much better tennis player and Janet barely passed her math class. I guess I didn’t really hold up my end of the bargain.
By the end of the summer, the improbable, if not impossible, happened. Janet and I were falling in love. Our first date was seeing a movie together on July 3, 1972. On Christmas Eve, we got engaged. We were married the following August 24th and have been inseparable since then. My dream movie didn’t stop there. I actually went all the way back to the day that I met Janet at church. We were waiting for the adult Sunday School class to end. My class had been painting pictures and I was in the janitor closet washing out my brushes and stuff. When finished, I waited by the door for the adults to finish their adult Sunday School conversation. Then, I met Janet’s parents, who were already friends with my parents. A moment later Janet joined us and I had no idea that my life would change forever. We were introduced – that was the day we met…
I even remember that I was hired by Janet’s father to cut their grass each week, for $1, and one day it was extremely hot. Janet walked down the back stairs with a glass of lemonade and asked if I was thirsty. We couldn’t have been more than 10 or 11 at the time. I remember thinking how kind she was.
The point of tonight’s post is that 52-1/2 years later, we are still in love, inseparable and neither of us can imagine life without the other. None of this would have happened if my mother hadn’t asked that one question, “Why don’t you date that nice Janet Boyd?”
I don’t think our kids have never heard this story. I happened to mention it to our son, Andrew, and he couldn’t believe that was a story about our childhood that he was unaware of. To this moment, I don’t know if I have ever shared our early history with Kristin and Jill. But Mom’s question to me changed everything. You never know what seemingly insignificant event can change your life.
Our verse for tonight was easy to come up with. The prophet Jeremiah tells us, in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” My encouragement this evening is that God has a plan for each of us that is greater than anything we could ever imagine. I have experienced His grace and the fulfillment of who I was meant to spend my life with. My prayer is that we will all be more attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and expect greater miracles than we could ever anticipate. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace… and thanks Mom, you really did change everything…