27

As I have reflected on the past 50 years ( although I haven’t posted in too long I continue to reflect ) I have thought about my marriage.  Today 27 years ago at the young age of 22 I married my wife.  You need to know that we had a matchmaker.  Her name was Frony Sudal (sp).  Frony and I were students at what was then Multnomah Bible School, and is now Multnomah University.  Frony would tell me almost daily that I needed to meet her friend Linda and I can only assume that she was telling Linda, You have got to meet my friend Rick.  

Since we couldn’t have TV’s on campus, those who lived in the area and attended the school would often have students over for some important event that we all needed to watch.  My good friend Don and Frony were dating, Don’s love for baseball came naturally for him as his Dad was the manager for the Viscala Oaks (as I remember) a minor league baseball team.  SO, October of 1982 Frony invited a bunch of kids from school out to her house, since she lived in the area, to watch game one of the World Series.  I don’t know who was playing, my memory is not that good. I do remember what my wife was wearing the first time I met her though…Blue overalls, light blue hoody and a down vest.

I was smitten.

What happen next I do not recommend to any guy or girl as a model of relationship, engagement and marriage. Frist meeting – October 1982, Engagement – December 1982, Wedding – June 25, 1983.  Not recommended, but hey it’s worked.  So for the next three years we got to know eachother, you know like you are supposed to do while you date.

Life has not been easy at times, in fact we have made it through a couple of events that most don’t.  We like to say, “We love where we are at, and hate how we got here.”  The thing that strikes me is that God is good, faithful and an ever present help in our marriage.  Linda is a smart, thinking, talented and beautiful woman.  She has been a support, friend, critic, lover and confidant.

She has her pecularities.  She can’t seem to get the closet or cupboard doors to close, she has clothes in every room in the house( in fact, I suggested that she organize the rooms by seasons, that way she would know where to go to get dressed.) If she bakes you will know it by the flour hand prints on her butt, where she will always wipe her hands. She is a computer geek (for which I am thankful), a gifted photographer and most recently a loving grandmother.  She doesn’t think that she can host an event or dinner and yet we seem to have a lot of both in our home.  If I could give Linda one thing after 27 years of marriage I wish I could give her the gift of time, so she could pursue her passions on a full time basis.

So after 27 years, thank you Frony, Thank you Dad and Mom Tate for putting up with a whirl wind romance (although I think you were glad to get her out), Thank you to those who have given so much so that we could celebrate this day, Thank you to our children, who are now all living on their own and thriving.  Thank you to our Savior who has demonstrated how to love.  Finally, thank you to my bride, who has endured and enjoyed these days with me. I look forward to the years to come.

I love you.