Eighteen!

July 3, 1989! 18 years ago today! What a life-changing day!

18!

Nearly two months before that day, I was house-sitting for a newly-wed couple, Gene and Marion Acuff, in Stillwater OK. I had met Gene and Marion at Hillcrest Baptist Church and became friends with them. He was a retiring Professor of Sociology (actually head of the Sociology Department) at Oklahoma State University. She was a writer for Guidepost Magazine, having published many of those heart-warming stories in Guidepost.

Marion's first husband had died of a brain disease and she had written several stories about his illness, his death, and how God had helped her through the time of grieving and healing.

Gene's wife of many years had died following a battle with cancer. One evening as he sat in his home reading his Bible as he was prone to do, he picked up a copy of Guidepost that was still coming to his home from his wife's subscription. He read it thorougly, but was especially drawn to a story on healing from the death of your mate -- written by Marion Bond West. As he read her story, he noticed the many scripture references and began to look them up, this time using his wife's Bible. As he read the various scriptures he saw that his wife had carefully underlined every one of the scriptures Marion used in her story. And he did something I have never thought of doing. He picked up the phone and called the writer of the story just to talk about what had been written.

They talked many times (he said he had never had such gigantic long distance phone bills). After some months of talking and writing, they made plans to meet in Murfreesboro TN. After a very nice visit he headed for home - but then turned back. By the time he finally did head for home, Gene and Marion were engaged to be married.

They agreed that when they married she would move to Stillwater to live until he completed plans for retirement, after which they would move to Atlanta. I met them at Hillcrest while they were preparing for that move, needing someone to housesit and keep his 20-acre farm ready for realtors to show.

Marion wrote an article about her new marriage, ending with the statement, "He leadeth me beside Stillwater".

Debbie had been widowed many months earlier and a friend gave her a photocopy of Marion's article about her marriage. Debbie wanted to write about all that God had been doing for her, so she decided to call Marion to get some pointers on getting started. She got me instead.

And the rest is a wonderful 18 years of history and the history is still being written.

That July 3 was a wonderful day, the first of many. I drove into Antlers OK in the mid-afternoon. Debbie had been expecting me, of course, and was waiting for me to arrive. We spent several hours just sitting in her house visiting, getting acquainted, hoping but not sure of what God might have in store.

I am absolutely a blessed man. I could write much more, and just might do it throughout this week. I just wanted to share this with you again.

How can I say "thanks" for all the things God has done for me! Maybe I'll write some about that. Soon.