50 Golden Years

My parents will be celebrating 50 years of marriage on Oct 16th. We had their party at our church today, where they have ministered for 33 years. My husband asked my mom to write some highlights of their marriage, and it had to be kept brief to be read within 1 hour. Following are her words, and I hope they bless you and speak to your heart and soul the way they did to those present today….

ASSIGNMENT : MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

50 years – to be read in less than 1 hour. I will leave out surgeries, Pop’s heart attack, every loved one that has taken the trip in the Old Gospel Ship.
Every pet we loved and had to part with and ALL cars bought, but these are things that make your marriage strong. The trials, troubles,sorrows,happiness,
these are events and memories that are forever etched into your marriage.

MARRIED: October 16, 1961 in Mansfield , Texas. ………O.L.Watson was the Justice of the Peace. His domino friends were our
witnesses.
Marriage License cost $3.00. We haven’t beat that bargain yet, best money ever spent.
My engagement and wedding band cost $152.90. We paid $6.00 each payday until they were paid off
in full August 10, 1962. Steve’s pay was $199.00 a month. Our first Income Tax Statement reported in 1961 we made $841.10. Federal Income Tax With Held was $41.00.
First Car: 1952 Chevrolet

1st HOME: Biloxi, Mississippi…………………Rent was $50.00 a month

1962

Next tour of duty was Greenville, South Carolina. Lot 42 Gateway Trailer City, Air Base Road. Rent was $55.00 a month.
Still paying for the wedding rings. I had a black poodle, Gigi. She was my faithful companion as Steve was being a faithful
military guy. He was sent on many, many missions. Was also deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis< panic time for me>.
Just me and my dog , alone, no phone, scary. Friends were our enjoyment and no money to spend , we watched a lot of TV
and played card games. After the Cuban crisis , the base was closed and we were sent to Savannah , Georgia. We had happy
and sad moments in South Carolina.We lost our first born child during this time.

1963-1964

Pop was a super special Airman . The Air Force could not have survived without him. He was on duty a lot. ( Sounds very
familiar doesn’t it ?) I played with my dog, Gigi,and painted and colored everything I could get my hands on. Steve got orders
to go to Germany for 4 months and I headed to Grand Prairie. After the tour of duty in Germany , I headed back to Savannah.
First New Car : 1964 Cheville. Steve had gotten promoted and we were able to buy groceries now. hahaha and a new car.
CHEVILLE cost $2,500……………..Gas was 30 cents a gallon……………………stamps were 5 cents ………..Movies $1.25 and the
FEDERAL DEBT WAS : 316 Billion. ( Not a lot has changed ) The Important thing is FAMILY.
Hunter Air Force Base was closing, so , Steve got orders for Edwards Air Force Base, California. I was heading home to Grand Prairie
to have our first healthy child. My uncle, Arlie Vaughn , said that now I would have someone to play with. He was so right about that.
Steve did make it home before she was born. Kim was born in April, 1965

Next stop was going to be Dover, Delaware. Cold, cold, cold. Snow up to the windows and then coming inside.It was a long hard winter.

1966

Kim’s first birthday was on the horizon, but, so was Viet Nam. Steve was heading to Viet Nam. He took us to Grand Prairie, and stayed with us for 30 days.
We did has much “bonding” as a family could do in 30 days. The saddest, and hardest day of our marriage I have ever experienced was seeing him on
the plane heading to Viet Nam. The news at that time painted a gruesome and dark picture for us. Whether he would come back was a question I
lived with ( as many others did ) for 365 days. No cell phones, no computers. Just the mail and the Liberal news reports. Which is why ,to this day,
I don’t care for the Liberal news. It is Bias and slanted to fit their agenda. ( These are my opinions ). You need to listen to many reports, all different
views and pray and God will give you the truth. He did come home, but not to a “Heroes” welcome, the news media saw to that and had met their
agenda to desroy the peoples opinion of our soldiers. He was my “HERO'” though and Kim was wondering who the strange guy was?
It didn’t take her long to become Daddy’s little girl.

Next base: Off we go again: FAIRFIELD , CALIFORNIA. Living on a sheep ranch. Steve worked nights. Kim adopted her imaginary friend, Susan.
So, Kim, Susan and I played a lot outside so Steve could sleep before his next shift started.

1968

Steve was up for another promotion, but, had to become an instructor in California or take another tour of Viet Nam. We were going broke in California,
things were very expensive , especially for military pay personal.
1 tour of Viet Nam was enough, so he dicided he wanted Kim to know her GrandParents and family. He called it quits in the Air Force. So, we were heading
back to Grand Prairie. YAY!!! ( my personal opinion )

Job with Texas Instruments . Hired on for $1.72 and hour. Bought first home on Phillips Ct. G.P.. Many trips to Arkansas, fun times . Pop loved
Texas Instruments and devoted his time and effort to being an excellent employee. Texas Instruments treated him very , very well.

1972

Bought a new home on Sanders in G.P…. Kim in school, many friends. Trips to Arkansas. RUNNING FROM THE LORD……sickness….nearly drowning Kim.

1975

Went to a FreeWill Baptist Mission Church and both of us gave our heart and soul to the Lord on Palm Sunday. Most thrilling day of our lives and we have never
looked back. 1977

Steve was called to preach by God. Church was our life.

1978

The Lord led us out on Westcliff Rd. and we found this Church, which Kim named for us Canaan Church.
We worked as a family to keep the grounds, the church and our home up. Church was our life. We did take small trips to Arkansas, different activities , the fair.
Basically , Texas Instruments, Church , and school was pretty much what we did.We made many mistakes but hopefully we didn’t repeat them again. Kim was
always busy and kept us praying for the Lord to take care of her and help her find a Christian husband.

1983

Kim graduated from High School and told us she was going to becme a NUN… …No more boyfriends………I thought, Wow, this is going to be easy, how nice.

1985

She started college . Whoops, the end of her profession of “Nunship” . She Met Bro. Stan, well, you know the rest of that chapter.

1989

HIGHLIGHT: Little Grandson was born……………Matthew James ………………he became the Center of us all. Life on the hill was never the same.

1991-1992

The first man in my life , my dad, passed away in 1991. Steve’s dad passed in 1992. This is when we found out the importance of having a Church Family.
The support they give you is immense and knowing they were sharing some of the hurt was overwhelming.

1996

Matthew starting school. Kim and Stan making the decision to homeschool. I was going to be his English teacher plus other subjects. What a challenge, What fun we had.

1998

Steve retired from Texas Instruments after 30 years. …………………..He took 3 days off and went to work for HOBI
He now carries the weight of HOBI on his shoulders. Couldn’t survive without him, do you SEE a Pattern here? That is why I love him so. He believes
in giving his all for the Lord. In public jobs, in everything he does. Especially if he gets paid, then he wants to feel as though he deserves every penny he earns.

1999

My mother passed away. Mimi , a great lady. She was my best friend . I always felt as if she loved Steve as much as she loved me. I believe she did. All of us,
as Mother-in-laws should strive to do the same. I love you , Stan.

2000

Family on vacation . Rented the Beach Barn. Galveston , Texas. We had the time of our lives.

2001

Vacation on the beach. A time of sorrow for our nation. America attacked by terrorist . Matthew was 12 years old.

2002 – 2006

Teaching Matthew, he graduated from High School and wanted to go to California. We started praying for God to change his mind.
I started thinking , if a Christian girl would come along , and he would fall for her, then he wouldn’t want to move to California. So,
that became my prayer. The Lord answered that prayer. Beth came along and she was attending Texas A&M . All of a sudden he wanted to
become an Aggie too. All of us started praying for him to be accepted in to A&M. A “Homeschooler” in A&M, well, we knew the Lord
was going to have to get him in. The Lord got him in.
January-2011

Our family increased in this month. Matthew married Beth Wimberly ( the girl that saved him from a Most Horrible life in California ) My opinion and mine only. We love
her and we are ready to make many Memories with the two of them.

May-2011

Matthew graduated from Texas A&M. Whoop and Gig’em !!

A whole NEW list of prayers “Now” are headed up to God. Do you ever get to stop praying? Not as long as you have breath in you. Would I change
anything about our married life? Only ONE thing……………….I would have loved being a Christian during our early married life. Pop says he didn’t
have a Clue to what advantage he had at the time he was in Greece. The Biblical History that was there , an he didn’t even know .

So much, I could have written. I didn’t even touch the people that influenced us through the years. The support from family and the prayers that were prayed when we
were floundering in the world . Satan is the author of isolation. The more our enemy takes us captive , the further we distance ourselves from healthy people. If we
remain in captivity long enough, our circle will get smaller and smaller. We will feel isolated from the few until we are left with the feeling that we are entirely alone.
That is where we were when we decided to finally give our life over to the Lord. Our Maker and Creator. Jesus is the author of Connection. Our desire is that each and everyone
will get themselves connected, truly connected to a HOME church where you can feel loved and also show love to others. Your marriage will not be Complete until you do this.
TREAT YOUR MAN LIKE A KING…………and …………HE WILL TREAT YOU LIKE A QUEEN.

MORE – BEAUTIFUL

The question is asked, “Is there anything MORE-BEAUTIFUL in life than a boy and girl clasping clean hands and pure

hearts in the path of MARRIAGE? Can there be anything more beautiful than young love”? AND the answer is given,
“YES, there is a MORE-BEAUTIFUL thing. It is the spectacle of an old man and old woman finishing their journey
together on that path. Their hands are crippled, but still clasped; their faces are seamed, but still radiant; their hearts are
physically tired, but still strong with LOVE AND DEVOTION FOR ONE ANOTHER. YES, THERE IS A MORE
BEAUTIFUL THING THAN YOUNG LOVE…….. OLD LOVE.”