Irresistable Love

Twenty-seven years! I am so happy to be the wife of Stephen Darling! We had breakfast at Perkins -- eggs benedict. We'd been wanting to try it, and it was scrumptious. We had the day off, so we did some shopping together.

Then we celebrated with over a hundred other people from church in a ballroom at a Marriott Hotel by the Airport. Our Executive Minister threw a surprise party for his wife to celebrate their 40th anniversary. He really raised the bar for husbands. He's been planning the surprise for months. First he sent his wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law for a spa day to celebrate their birthdays which are all this month. They had the full day -- facials, waxing, massage, lunch, hair. Then a limo took them to Dillard's where they had their make up done and she put on a gorgeous dress he had purchased for her there. Then the limo took them to the hotel where their two children were staying with the grandchildren. The instructions he had given said to be ready to go out on the town to perhaps the theater and dinner.

The three husbands were waiting for their wives in the lobby. They escorted them from the limo to the convention parking to get in their car. On the way Rick told Judy he wanted her to see the set up of a room in the convention center. When they opened the door, seated just inside the door were her mother and sister -- and 120 of us. But that was only the beginning of the surprise. Rick then escorted his wife to the front of the ballroom where our Senior Minister was waiting and we all took our seats and they had a renewal ceremony -- still a total surprise to his wife. Dan talked about the seven stages of love with comments and memories Rick had written throughout and our music minister sang several songs including "You're Just Too Good to be True" and "their song" from the 60's that was so fun. Dan read Rick's memories of how he had first seen her on a bus after a football game at Michigan Christian and she was on her knees facing backwards in the seat listening to two boys tell ghost stories and he watched her the whole drive and became so intrigued with her eyes and expressions as she intently enjoyed the stories. It was hard to imagine them young college students falling in love now that they are grandparents. . . his love for her through the years is so beautiful. A slide show playing after the ceremony gave glimpses into their lives -- Rick was skinnier than Dan when he and Judy got married.

He had a ring made for her with a diamond in the middle standing for "forever" and their birthstones on each side shaped like pears. I never realized Rick is so romantic!! He put the ring on her finger and kissed his bride and then we had carved roast beef and make your own pasta and a beautiful wedding cake (Steve and I just had the roast beef and squash and peppers without the pasta -- delicious.) Then Rick had a dedication song for us and Jon and Rose Overcash to thank us for spending our anniversaries with them and we danced to "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You."

Two marvelous examples of loving husbands -- Rick who was like a little boy or a teenager first in love, so excited to give this surprise to his wife -- and my husband Steve who loves me every day no matter my mood or our circumstances, who still makes my heart sing and who somehow I love more and more as the years go by as we walk hand in hand towards eternity.

Thank you, LORD, for the gift of marriage, for the joy of my husband and the delight I take in being his helper. You have blessed us extravagantly!