We have recently celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary and it has caused us to look back and to reflect on our marriage and family. God has been faithful to bring us through many exciting times as well as times which have been painful, but have caused growth.
We met on a blind date and had an enjoyable and fun time. Kurt had a new Chevy Blazer, so going to the mountains was exciting and a new experience for me. He even paid for our dates, which was something I was not accustomed to. Since this was before cell phones, we talked on our rotary phones for hours. During the week Kurt lived in Gillette, Wyoming and I was in Fort Collins. On the weekends, Kurt would drive down from Gillette which took 4 1/2 hours due to the 55 mph speed limit. When we were together we played and had fun, with no big responsibilities.
I was a new believer, but Kurt wasn’t. He thought he could go to church once a week, though, to make me happy. Within a few months he asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. Then ten months after our first date, on March 10th, we married. Our lives changed immediately. Within three months we started construction on our first house. Kurt did much of the work and I helped also.
We had twins sixteen months after getting married. This was a very stressful time. Kurt worked twelve hour days and came home to an exhausted wife. But we were committed to make our marriage work. Therefore, we did not give up. Now with babies to raise, we were determined that our children would know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We were involved in a small group with other young parents; we attended marriage retreats and we followed the teachings of the Focus on the Family ministry. This became the center of our parenting philosophy.
After five years of marriage, I was wanting more in my Christian walk and something that would help me grow deeper in my faith. We were introduced to a church which had many young families and a Christian school. Since I was pregnant with our 3rd child, it seemed like a perfect fit. So for thirteen years we poured our lives into that church and school.
When our three sons were school age, they attended the school and I taught there. Kurt was a deacon at the church which involved helping families on the weekends. I played the piano for worship and we attended midweek services. We had close relationships with other families as we raised our children together. It was good. Our church was filled with wonderful people we felt like were our family.
As we were working diligently doing the Lord’s work, pride began to enter the leadership of the church and its flock. We believed we had all the answers to living a Christian life and educating our children. Manmade rules led to legalism. We did not realize how severely the principal was favoring some students while rejecting others who didn’t fit into his mold. Our sons were not on his favorite list, although not rejected as much as others. Ultimately, they retained their faith with the help of Christian counseling, while many of the other students have rejected Christianity because of how they were treated and the confusion and hurt it caused.
The take away from this is: Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Also 1Corinthians 2:5 “…That your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
The church eventually split and the school closed. Although it was difficult in the beginning, our sons transferred to the public schools and had great experiences.
I became a substitute teacher and cleaned homes while Kurt started a second job to put the three boys through college. All three sons have married and now have wonderful families. The Lord has blessed us with three beautiful, strong, Christian daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
As empty nesters we started dancing, which has lasted over two decades. We made many dance friends and sometimes we would spend three or four evenings a week dancing. That ended with Covid, although we occasionally still enjoy it. For all of the time we spent dancing we should be professional dancers! We are not! But we have fun.
Also, for the past 25 years plus, we have met once a month with four other couples; we call this special time our dinner group. When we are together with the same five couples, who are Christians as well, we talk, laugh, and share our lives. We are very close.
While attending Timberline Church for over ten years, we joined the marriage mentoring ministry and have mentored young couples who are starting their marriage journeys. It has been very rewarding and several couples still send us Christmas cards each year so we can see their growing families.
Currently we spend three days a week, a day at each son’s home, taking care of our seven grandchildren. We are so blessed to be able to spend time with each family and love on them. All of our grandchildren are learning about Jesus!
We are so grateful for the Christian life the Lord has given us. Not a day goes by that we don’t thank Jesus for how He has blessed us.