It's Anniversary Time!

     

We were married January 28, 1961. One of our first dates started under a harvest moon in Louisville. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen---still feel that way. The night we were married there were ten inches of snow on the ground. Still out there in the semi-darkness more people came than I thought could  possbly get there. After the reception we got into my old green Plyouth and headed for  a three- honeymoon at French Lick, Indiana. But the roads were terrible and we had to stop somewhere. So across the river from Louisville we stopped at the first motel we saw. Not exactly a honeymoon suite, but we were desperate. My wife still remembers the hole in the bedspread on our bed. She laughed many times and said, "Was this a foretaste of things to come?" The next day we found our way to French Lick. An old beautiful inn. Looking back I think our room and board for those two nights and three days was less than sixty dollars.

Three days later we came back to reality. I had one semester of Seminary to  finish--she had one semester of  college left. We did not know what the future would hold. First church smack dab in Western Kentucky tobacco country. Two city slickers didn't know what we had gotten ourselves into. Newither did they. But there in that hard internship I don't know if I taught them much--but I learned a lot about church and preaching. We had a little red-headed girl born while were there. Not long after that I took a church in Southside, Virginia. where our red-headed son was born. And from there we moved to Georgetown, Kentucky one of our Camelots. And then to Clemson and after thirteen years to Memphis and finally ended my full-time ministry in Birmingham, Alabama.  

Gayle was a trooper even though some of those places she had to leave friends anmd places she loved.  She is a great musician--some years she taught 40 piano students And cooked supper every night--and kept two kids our of prison. And kept her husband from going completely crazy. No wonder her kids still love her fiercely.

I thought when I retired in 2000 this was over.  My wife could finally breathe a sigh of relief--we were finished. Well, not exactly. This was followed by eight churches as Interim. Most lasted a year. But standing with me at every juncture--sometimes very hard places--sometimes wonderful--was the girl that said yes that snowy night in Louisville. No one could be a better partner. She has been the best Pastor's wife I know because she was just herself always. And if some church member did not think she lived up to their job description--too bad.

And so here we are some 59 years later. Looking back I say: "Whew." One day Gayle said:"I am tired of living in a condo or an apartment or some church's empty parsonage. I got the message. So we moved back to Clermson about seven years ago surrounded by memories and friends that we have loved for years.

Music sometimes says it better than any words can. And if I could sing--this is what I would sing today:

"I'll be loving you Always

With a love that's true Always...

Days might not be fair Always

That's when I'll be there Always

Not for just an hour

Not for just a day

Not for just a year

But Always."

Always...

Always...

Always...    

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com