I remember when people who celebrated 50th Wedding Anniversaries were old. A little history if you will. Dorothy and I first met in Ft. Worth at Papa’s Pizza Parlor. We were at a Sunday night after-church event. Dorothy introduced herself to me and invited me to church. I teased her that I had been a member of the church for months, and that I taught a 5th Grade Boys Sunday School class. That was in March of 1970. We went on our first date April 10. Over the Memorial Day weekend, we drove non-stop to Atlanta so she could meet my family. She flew back to Ft. Worth while I stayed with family a few more days. I proposed marriage and gave her a ring on June 3. Some smiled and thought we were crazy. There was a blur of events, and we were married on August 1, 1970. Dorothy’s brother Ray officiated, and my father stood as Best Man. 

We have been living through the memories of our courtship as these days of much togetherness have unfolded. Today we uncovered the menu-sized sing-along sheets that Papa’s Pizza Parlor used for their guests’ entertainment. We have rummaged through the picture albums, wedding books and boxes of keepsakes. We had planned for a different celebration, on a beach in Florida with a family party/reunion. This unanticipated plan has turned out to be richer, deeper and quieter. The beach will wait for us to get there, maybe next year. 

There was a blur of events and now fifty years of marriage has arrived. The actual definition of history is not just about events of the past. History is what we do today, and the day after that, to make a better future, which will become the past. Our story was born in much prayer and guidance of the Spirit. With imperfections abounding, we have sought to honor God first in our relationship with expressed affection, love, and forgiveness. Agreement on the things in life that really matter. Disagreement with respect, not hostility or ugliness. Learning to laugh, cry and be flexible.  Absolute trust and integrity with each other, and more forgiveness and love. The passage that has guided Dorothy and me the most is Proverbs 3:1-12. We know we are blessed beyond all measure. Thank you for your part in our story.  

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. We are not old yet. Let’s experience the love and power of God together while apart.

One of my personal goals through this time of  COVID-19 has been to not gain 50 pounds. Dorothy is an excellent cook. I am the designated grocery shopper since March. She has yet to go into a grocery store, which is a fair trade for all the good food she has prepared. Cooking three  meals a day for seemingly endless days became an enjoyable challenge for her, for a while. After a few weeks she decided that she wanted to do more with her days than figure out what to fix and eat three times a day. She cautiously went back to work two days per week. She implied that it might be helpful if I participated a little more fully in the meal preparation. Take out it is—now two or three times a week. 

I read recently about the Betty Crocker Cookbook making a comeback during these uncomfortable times. Chances are you are acquainted with the Big Red cookbook from your earliest days. While Betty Crocker has been the “face” of General Mills since the 1920’s, the cookbook with her name was first published in 1950. In that post-depression, post-war era, no one went out to dinner much at all. In fact, in those days one-third of a household income went to groceries. The genius of the cookbook was found in its explanation of how to prepare even the most complicated recipes in simple words and pictures. Comfort food found its glory in Betty Crocker. Dorothy got her first Betty Crocker cookbook while she was in junior high school. It was the big, bulky loose-leaf edition. We still have it, though it has been put away for safe keeping. 

I have managed to keep my weight the same through these days. Dorothy always cooks healthy, with lots of fruit, salads, and vegetables. Smaller servings of heavier meals does the trick and gives us left-overs to enjoy it all longer. Eating at home is healthier than eating out all the time. It has given us time to grow some cherry tomatoes and have a cucumber patch, which are now available for our salads. Are you staying healthy through these times? Or are you finding yourself standing at the refrigerator 20 times a day? Are you outside daily—walking, working in the yard, or feeding the birds? 

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Take care of yourself. And let’s experience the love and power of God together while apart.

We have all honed our skills as health risk assessors and managers lately. We have been developing these skills all our lives. Many of us still hear a parent’s voice in our head when we start to do something risky or dangerous. The riskiest thing we do is driving while multitasking. Multitasking is eating a hamburger, changing the radio, and trying to find where the napkin went while driving 65 mph down the expressway during the lunch hour. It is safer to fly with the Blue Angels than to drive in rush hour traffic faster than the speed limit with cars all around you looking to change lanes so they can get there faster than you. 

Going back to church for in-person gatherings is a new risk for us to assess.  Hand sanitizing, face masks and social distancing are the best actions for all to take to keep ourselves and others safe in this time of coronavirus. I have been listening to the stories of the churches who have begun their services this month. Most are working well and tailoring the worship time to the health and age groups within the congregation. Face masks should be worn by everyone while singing and going in and out of the building. Always sanitize your hands when entering and leaving. 

I heard of one church who wanted to have some fun with the idea of social distancing. On their first Sunday back, they provided everyone one of those colorful foam water “noodles.” The instruction was to keep the distance of the float and your extended arm from those around you. It was a fun idea and made the point, although they underestimated the pent-up need to play with others. “You’re too close!” “No, you’re to close!” The bonking began, sword fights broke out and the kids howled with excitement. That is what I heard about one church. I could not verify the truthfulness of the story, but it sounds about right. What an amazing time to be alive.

I am more than ready to return to in-church worship. It is very hard to keep postponing our first time back. The Hebrew people spent 70 years in exile before some were able to return to Jerusalem. They wept. They rebuilt. And they sang, I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the House of the Lord.’ (Psalm 122)

Keep healthy. Pray mightily. Enjoy your life today. Be glad. And let’s experience the love and power of God together while apart.