Faith
'70s: Gold
Those Were Our Songs: Music of World War II
Three Moods of the Noisettes
Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really.
Prayers That Rout Demons
To the Lion: The Christian in Tension
Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God
27 Years
Posted on Wednesday 23 July 2008 by Jeanie @ 7:13 pm
Filed under: Birthdays/Anniversaries and Marriage and Memories and Mi familia and Stuff I actually think
Dave, on his blog, talks about the 27 years of movies, but the very first movie, the one we watched at a place he was housesitting on May 26, 1981, the movie he invited me over to view on TBS - while I was unaware it was a “date, but was without a doubt, retrospectively, a date(!) was “Man’s Favorite Sport.” Rock Hudson, Paula Prentiss, silly romance, our beginning.
Not completely our beginning, I guess. I had known him for almost 3 years. We were friends with common friends and connections. We met at Bible College in Minot, ND. But I left for a time and he wrote to me and our friendship was sweet and very nice. Naturally I thought he was sooooo cute, but he had a serious girlfriend, so I never let on that I thought so. When I moved back to Minot, I can remember sitting at a cafeteria table with some friends, one of which called him over to discuss something or another. As he left, she said to the group, “Oh, Dave Rhoades is so cute, oh my gosh.” All the other girls nodded and answered affirmatively, while I coyly said, “He’s alright.”
But on May 26, he stopped by my office and asked me to come over and watch a movie. I thought it was just a “friends hanging out” thing, but wonderfully-it was not.
Our second date was the very next night.
Our third, the next. I think you get the idea.
By June 8 - we both knew we were in love. I know being “in love” takes a hit in Christendom, but crimenentlies people, being in love is FUN stuff! I still like it!
June 16, 1981, Dave proposed to me.
We were married July 23, a Thursday night, at 8 pm in Wimbledon, ND. - slightly less than 2 months after that first date.
We were married 27 years ago tonight. I didn’t have the wedding of my dreams (I blame my brother Joe for this, but that is a whole different story), but I married the man of my dreams.
Last night, we were at a small prayer meeting of about 40 or 50 people at church, preparing for Heaven Fest and our kids were leading worship. Dave was at the back videotaping the amazing music as Dave and Tara started leading a song they wrote that I love, “Jesus, Name Above All Names.” The melody is sweet, the harmonies were full and there was my beautiful husband looking at our kids through the camera lense. From my vista, I could see them all, including the grandkids who were now running and dancing around my feet. For a moment, I lost my breath and I am certain my heart skipped a beat.
We did this, Dave, I was thinking. We fell in love, we gave our love to God, He gave us our children, we gave them back to Him, and the love goes on. This is what we have to show for 27 years.
You are still so beautiful to me. Happy anniversary, Dave, I would marry you all over again…J
pictured: Dave when I first fell for him; me just before I walked out the door to marrry Dave; post-wedding - my officemate, Elaina, had just thrown a bunch of rice straight down my dress.
You both are an inspiration to many! Here’s to many more years of legacy making!