My
Fabulous Family
The Romance Continues
Judy
I
want to be just like her when I grow up....no
small task, since she is fifteen years younger
than I am.
Brad and Judy....from
this day forward
If
there is anyone in this world I envy, it's Judy!!!
(I told U my life is an open book, faults and all:)
Not her worldly posessions, not even her beauty....and
she is beautiful. It's her vitality, her zest,
her spontaneous wit, her wisdom, her closeness
with God, and I'm almost ashamed to say it, but I
will.......Her Marriage. Gary and I have a very
good marriage, but Judy and Brad share something
so very special. They are so perfectly in tune
with each other, and whether it's playing(and
they laugh and joke and just play
a lot) or working, or problem solving(yes, they
have their share), they are so happy
to be together. Judy and Brad are the definition
of SoulMates.
In
the beginning, there was a woman and a man.
She
had remained in a bad marriage way too long
because her Christian values told her when you
marry, it is to be for a lifetime. Finally the
end came, and life began as a single parent of
one daughter. She expected to be single a long
time...maybe forever. A woman with strong
Christian morals doesn't fare well in the dating
department. For her, the shout of "Party
Time" meant cake and ice cream.
He
was a man with strong Christian values who had
survived a marriage not made in heaven, and was
now the single parent of two.
I
was
working for an insurance company that required me
to make 'cold' calls to potential clients...actually
any ole name out of the phone book would do. One
day, I chose Brad's number, and he graciously
agreed to listen to my spiel as to why he needed
to buy life insurance from me.
I
arrived at his home at the appointed time, and I
think my first thought was "WoW, why don't
they make these kinda guys single and about
fifteen years older?" He was very handsome,
very tall, and his smile when he greeted me just
lit up the room.
I
made my presentation, and begin to ease into the
application questions.
By
now, it had become apparent this man was a
Christian. The first application question told me
he was
single. I'll admit, some of my follow-up
questions were not on that application. I was
impressed with the answers I was getting. And he
was so witty....he was making me laugh. 
With
pen poised over the application form I said, in
my most business like voice, "Are you
currently seeing anyone?" He started
laughing and said, "No, Why?" "Because
I just fell in love with you.....for my sister."
He
flashed me that dazzling smile and asked,"What
is she like? Is she a Christian?" Not,"What
does she look like?", but "Is she fun...does
she have a sense of humor?"
I
told him about my wonderful sister, deliberately
leaving out that she was also very attractive. He
never did ask any question about physical
appearance. He did ask me to have her call him.
She didn't
want to make the call. I insisted. I told her how
impressed I had been with his obvious love for
the Lord, the neatness of his home, his terrific
sense of humor,how he hadn't asked what she
looked like(that alone spoke volumes to me about
the kind of man he was)how tall and handsome he
was. Jude is 5' 10", so tall was important
to her. She
said someone that great wouldn't be interested in
her, anyway.(Another of Judy's endearing
qualities is she doesn't know how special she is.)
She finally made the call one evening, and they
talked on the phone for about five hours that
first night. I think they fell in love with each
other then. They met for coffee. Then fate
stepped in, and Brad had to move from Washington
to Ohio. They had only had the opportunity to see
each other a couple of times, and now he was
leaving.
Even
though he was clear across the nation, those
loooooonnnggg phone calls continued. During one
of them he proposed. During one of them she said,
"Yes."
He
came back to Washington so they could be married,
and moved her to Ohio with him. (I might not have
been so anxious to play matchmaker had I known
she would move so far away. I miss her so much!)
Most
of their courtship was over the phone. They had
only physically been together a couple of times.
I wouldn't advise anyone to make the decision to
marry under those circumstances. But I firmly
believe theirs was a match
made in heaven...God just
used me to bring them together.
They have been
married thirteen years now. They've made it
through troubled times and even tragedy by
holding on to each other and God. Their love and
their marriage grows stronger with each passing
year.
Do
you think it's really a bad thing to envy two
people who share that kind of love? I hope not,
because I'm guilty:-)
O.K.
this is Vonnie's place in the family line-up. But
we're going to skip to Rhonda and Richard first.....then
I'll let you meet Yvonne. :-) I've some terrific
photo's of Vonnie that I want to share.
Rhonda
Rhonda and
Richard
Rhonda
and Richard are another couple with a story book
romance. They fell in love as teenagers, dated
thru Highschool and married after graduation. I'm
don't think either one of them was ever envolved
with anyone else. Their love of God and church
activities drew them together. Like Judy and Brad,
their love for each other has always been strong,
and when you see them together there is no doubt
that their love and marriage could survive any
hardship.
Some
of my fondest memories of them as teenagers was
watching them play and wrestle on the floor like
a couple of playful puppies.....an activity you'll
see they've never outgrown:)
They
were the picture of innocence .....
They
have always placed God and each other before all
else. Shortly after they married, Rich knew the
Lord was calling him to be a pastor. When a
church in California contacted him he knew it was
what God intended. It wouldn't be an easy step,
for it meant quitting a good, stable job, selling
a home they loved, and moving with their young
son into an unknown situation. Rich talked it
over with Rhonda....she didn't hesitate.
Everything fell right into place, the house sold
quickly and they followed God to California.
Rich
is now the pastor of a wonderful Assembly of God
Church in Utah. Their church grows larger each
year.......so does their love. Have they really
been married twenty-two years? Their love still
seems so young and fresh.....and the picture of
innocence.
Click on the
heart to meet Vonnie
Midi
Playing is "The Power of Love"
recorded
by Celine Dion
|
Wonderful World
