Happy Birthday to the wife of my youth. She is a gift from God. Amen.

Greetings. Today is Thursday, April 23, 2020, and it is a most special day in our neighborhood. So special, it requires a story. This is my account and I believe it to be the truth, the whole truth, and, nothing but the truth. Back in August of 1962, I had just come back from working the school summer vacation for my uncle in Florida. Some of my buddies arm-twisted me into going out to a little country church where they were having a Gospel singing school. They said there were a lot of pretty girls attending. Reluctantly, I went. Strange as it may seem, we got there and while there were a lot of people who showed up, I only saw one girl. The one in the photo. The preacher's daughter. To say I was smitten would be an understatement. She was beautiful then and she still is today but she is even more lovely from the inside out. Today we celebrate her birthday and I am so thankful to God for her. Happy Birthday and always know, "Baby, you're the greatest!"

That actual connecting face to face at Oak Grove Baptist Church happened some 57-1/2 years ago. I later found out that earlier in that same week she had been in our home. My sister, JoAnn, had attended the singing school and several of the girls had come by to see her. I came in from being out and there were some girls seated at the kitchen table. I wasn't interested in girls that came by to see my sister so I never even looked at them. That all changed the night I went to the singing school. There are some life-changing events in a person's journey here on this earth and other than my salvation experience itself, my meeting this petite, 85-pound beauty was next in line. I was reasonably good with girls, able to put on the charm and all of that, but, when I met her, well, I more or less fell apart. I was mesmerized. Bumfuzzled. I had liked girls before but this was different. And, did it ever make a difference! Once I got the opportunity to date her which consisted of me going to their church, well, I had to change my ways if I was going to be afforded the privilege of continuing to do so. Those same fellows who talked me into going to the singing school, well, we ran a lot together. We were daredevils and mischief hunters. Nothing criminal but behavior not fitting to someone dating the preacher's daughter. I had to withdraw my membership from that rowdy club much to their dismay. In fact, I caught a lot of flack about it. My girlfriend's church was called New Hope so my former buddies nicknamed me No Hope. For once in my life, I never even flinched when they teased or pestered me. Because, as my grandfather used to say, "I had bigger fish to fry."

We dated and moved up from there to going steady. We broke up. We got back together again. I think we repeated that process a two or three times and then we were married on December 18, 1964, which means we recently celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary. My wife is not perfect but she is the perfect wife for me. Here are some of the things that describe my wife, the Godly woman:

Believer
Not malicious
Temperate
Trustworthy
Adorns herself appropriately
Submits to her husband
Gentle
Known for her good deeds
Discerning and wise
Hospitable
Trains her children in the Truth
Loves others
Teacher of the Word
Serves in the Church
Manage her home
Virtuous and held in high esteem
Hard Worker

She's also a great cook. I may have mentioned that before. Now you know why I feel so blessed to have her alongside me for our journey together. Amen. .........More later.