February 12, 2002 - God's Glue
Welcome to 2TheHeart!
"Marriage is a partnership between three people; a man, a woman, and God". ~Unknown
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I found Betty's story today to be a great lesson for anyone who wants to know the secret to staying married. Betty and Bill are inspiring and if you know of anyone who is struggling with marriage, send them this story!
GOD'S GLUE
by Betty King
Bill and I have been married 44 years.... and though it has not been a 'perfect' marriage, (if there is such a thing, after all we are
human) it was put together by God's glue and it has survived.
I was just a child myself at sixteen and Bill a mere nineteen when we tied the knot. His uncle, who was a Baptist minister, presided over the ceremony. Bill's mother knew of our intentions but my mother was not aware her only daughter was about to start her own homestead. She did know of our love and our eventual desire to be married - she thought it was way down the road though.
Bill had borrowed the money to put down on our first months rent,
with the promise to pay it back with his next paycheck. We had our apartment all ready and waiting for us; it was a three-room furnished abode in a two-story apartment house. Our first bath was to be shared with the owner and her daughter who lived next to us in the ground floor apartment.
We lied about our ages and acquired our marriage license. After the ceremony, mother was informed and we drove to our new `home' in the 1949 Pontiac Coupe that Bill had purchased before our 1957 wedding. So in love and so naïve were we that 30th day of June. Our life lay before us; we thought we could overcome any obstacle, climb any mountain and tread through any of life's slop spilled out before us - oh how much we had to learn!
Bill's income at the time was a mere seventy-five cents an hour, but we knew we could manage; we were invincible - we were in LOVE! I found a job, became pregnant, had morning sickness, quit my job, and we moved to another apartment and still shared a bath. We ate Campbell's Soup for a week, washed clothes in a ringer type Maytag washing machine, moved out of town away from our parents and still hung on to our dreams. Many thought it would never last.
I could paint a beautiful picture here, but life is not always rainbows and sunshine. It is not always knowledge and wisdom. It
contains clouds and rainstorms, valleys and poor judgment. Our
marriage has not been without arguments; two Taurus's sometimes lock horns. It hasn't always been " I love you" and "I can't live without you." Strong knots strengthen a rope after it's been frayed. There have been lean years scattered among the plenty. We have learned that `things' do not bring happiness. We have known that children don't hold a marriage together. The love of a man and his wife should be a strong bond; children grow up and leave the nest. Youth and good health is not a birthright lasting through the years; we age and our bodies wear out. Weight and potbellies, loss of hair, aches and pains and MS have become a part of our lives. We have learned that laughter and tears go hand in hand. The terrain of life contains both mountaintops and valleys.
As life has evolved, we have pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps. I went back to school and obtained my diploma. We have raised four children and now have nine grandchildren. Bill has been involved in politics and city government. We have owned our own business and taken vacations and cruises. We have seen those who doubted our marriage's longevity eat they're words. We have done all these things yet we have not done them alone, for a strong marriage takes three, God my husband and me.
Though we believed God to have been the deity that brought us
together; we had not always consulted Him allowing Him to direct all of our pathways. After one of the valleys in our lives we decided our nightly routine should be spent in God's presence. We began the habit of sitting together on our bed taking turns reading a chapter from the Bible. Bill read one night, then I read the next. We held hands; Bill prayed aloud, then I offered up my petitions. It has been said; those who pray together stay together. Some habits turn into traditions, a way of life, and a necessity really. We have continued this custom through the years and God has given us many revelations through His word. Through these sessions spent with Him, He has renewed and strengthened our union. Ours is a strong marriage now held together by God's glue. When you feel the strength of God you know that no power on earth can equal His might. Nothing or no one can destroy His plan. We see and feel the strength in our marriage. We truly believe that what God has glued together, let no man pull apart.
Betty King copyright 2001
baking2@msn.com
Betty and her husband, Bill have been married 44 years! They truly give God credit for holding their marriage together. They moved to
Phoenix AZ just over a year ago from Illinois. Betty was diagnosed
with MS 35 years ago and God and Bill have been the strength to carry her through. See her previous story "Life In Reverse" in our archives! http://www.2theheart.com/dec27_01
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Send a beautiful FREE Valentine card from OhAngel!
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The Letter Box:
Dear Susan,
I ordered Valentine candles from your advertiser, Candle Mart and
they arrived in only three days! I got four free candles with my
order and want to tell you how extremely thrilled I am with my order! Everything smells SO GOOD and they all have little hearts inside, which look really neat when it's lit! I have candles for my sisters and best friend for valentine gifts too. Thanks so much. I highly recommend this to everyone!
~Geena
Dear Amanda,
I was having a terrible time last Christmas and I swear, your story
could have been about me..... My sister arranged for us to move in with her, gave me money when she could and fed us for a month! I finally got back on my feet, but your story prompted me to say to
both you and my sis THANK YOU! You are both amazing sisters!!!!!
~Tamara Jenkins-Booth
Dear 2theheart,
I was touched by two of your special stories and want to thank Amanda Krug and David Sims for stories that really meant alot to me - for different reasons. I lost my first child 20 years ago and then we adopted another sweet blessing that has been sheer joy for 17 years. Amanda's story reminded me of my own husband and his great distress whenever I cry. He would do anything to keep me from feeling sad and your Michael sounds a lot like him. Thank you for two wonderful stories.
~Linda Deearborn
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