June 15, 2013
This is a significant day! Our wedding anniversary – 60 years! What an achievement! What a wonder! What a blessing! We’ve had many good times with a few ups and downs. The best of the ups have been many spiritual experiences shared together. Pat is the stabilizing influence in this eternal relationship.
We got permission from President Condie for some extra time – 2 nights away to celebrate this anniversary. We left Tuesday after our morning shift, stayed over that night and Wednesday night at a lovely hotel – The State House Inn – in downtown Springfield, Illinois – Lincoln’s home town.
The three hour drive over was spectacular! We used the smaller state roads so we could see the marvelous green well cared for farms. The sun was out with magnificent puffy clouds. The recently planted corn is now about 6-8 inches high in perfectly aligned rows – a work of art itself. We have been told that the modern farm equipment tractors are controlled by computers and lasers account for the straight even rows that seem to stretch for miles. The well kept farmhouses – mostly white – the outbuildings, barns, and equipment are an inspiration to behold. Agriculture is definitely an art as well as a science.
In Springfield there were many high school age young people for an FFA convention. They were well behaved, well dressed, and obviously proud to be part of and learning about agriculture, which is important to this fertile land – truly the bread basket and the back bone of America.
We went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. As we left the hotel, the desk clerk told us, “You be sure to tell them it’s your 60th anniversary – at least you’ll get a free dessert out of it.”
Our waiter was a handsome young man in his early twenties. We mentioned that we were celebrating our 60th anniversary. He seemed duly impressed. After he served our entree’s, he came back to our table, knelt down beside it and said, “Please give me some advice. I’m getting married on June 22.” He wants to have a successful marriage.
Following President Condie’s counsel, we put on our grandparents’ hats and had a gospel discussion about the importance of religion in marriage. John told him marriage is a covenant between you, your fiancé, and God. He is an important part of your marriage. He said, “Oh, yes she’s really into that. I’m Catholic; well, my Dad is; he probably goes to mass once a month.” We told him that’s good, but there is restored truth he should know about. Pat pulled out a pass along card and explained how to go online to learn more. “It just might be something that will help in your marriage. At least this was a first contact. Maybe someday when Elders knock on his door, he’ll let them in.
We enjoyed a very comfortable bed, much softer than the bed in our missionary apartment. Pat, especially, enjoyed having two nice warm soaks in a bathtub, a change from the shower in our Partridge Street apartment.
We drove back to Nauvoo on Thursday morning in time for the afternoon temple shift, which we had traded with the Petersons.
It is now 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning – June 15. Even though it is sprinkling slightly outside, I will put on my running shoes and go out walking – no more running on these old knees. I spend 40-60 minutes on the move at a moderate walk. I love seeing, smelling, hearing, and feeling the beauty and the spirit of nature. The Spirit finds its way into my heart, and, oh, how thankful I am for the circumstances of my mortal existence. How blessed I have been -- how fortunate to have the guidance of an Iron Rod and a straight and narrow path that has been comfortable for me. God has given me a precious gift – that of an obedient nature with frequent flashes of testimony through the Holy Ghost. How great Thou art! How great a life I have lived with a storybook full of experiences!
0 comments:
Post a Comment