Young Love (#59)

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Margaret

Wedding planning (in Chicago) was moving forward on schedule, and Nate (in Kansas) was focusing on his last two weeks of Army camp. I hadn’t seen, heard from, or even thought about my old boyfriend for a long time and considered that chapter completely closed.

But I should have known better.

July 15, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Would you like to know what I’ll be doing next week? Monday, barracks clean-up. Tuesday, bivouac set-up. Wednesday, platoon tactics. Thursday, company tactics. Friday and Saturday, tanks. The following week, which will be our last, we’ll take written tests and physical training tests and hand in our gear. THEN it will be 25 July, and I will see Meg, and she’ll see me in a parade of cadets. Just a few short days till then! Oh how I miss you!

July 15, 1969 – Dear Nate. Today was frustrating. I spent many hours at Bervin’s warehouse while he worked on my car, and then we both got caught in a terrific rainstorm. Both cars got drenched and our clothes, too. As a result, Bervin and Mary were real late to an outing with their church group. And my car wasn’t finished. Now it sounds like a tank and is running on only 7 cylinders. Bervin feels bad, but I’m thankful he’s willing to work on it at all! He’s very patient. His cousin was at the warehouse, too, and said that if I let Bervin work on more and more parts of the Corvette, it will eventually be in great shape.

July 14, 1969 – Dearest Meg, my Love. You sound very organized on the wedding dress and other planning. I’ll help you with all the decisions when I get there. I am praying about all this, and I pray for us many times each day. By the way, when do you want to have the first of our four babies?

July 13, 1969 – Dear Nate. I have something to write in this letter that will be hard for you to read, but you and I have agreed to be completely honest with each other. It concerns my old boyfriend. I can honestly say his name has not popped into my head since we last talked about him many days ago. Not once – until yesterday. All day yesterday I had a strange feeling he was going to call. I prayed many times during the day, asking God to get thoughts of him out of my head. I was nervous each time the phone rang. At 11:00 PM he hadn’t called, and I began to relax about it. I was writing a letter to my Aunt Joyce when there was a knock on our apartment door. And Nate, I just knew it was him. I believe the devil was testing me, trying to derail our plans to start a solid Christian marriage. I believe he was trying to spoil what we have. I opened the door, and it was him, standing next to one of his friends. I was so nervous that my hands began to shake. Quickly I excused myself and ran to the bathroom. Feeling completely upset, I prayed.

(To be continued…)

“Let marriage be held in honor among all.” (Hebrews 13:4)

Young Love (#63)

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Margaret

Both Nate and I were longing so much to be married that we began fantasizing about it in our letters. I wrote an eight-page epistle describing how I hoped our married life would be — the imagined story of one evening, overnight, and the following morning. Because I wrote in vivid detail, I won’t share it here. But I loved the process of running ahead into our marriage, and I know Nate loved reading of how eager I was to be his wife.

Nate was trying to freshen up our correspondence, too. He bought a dozen postcards, wrote on all of them while he was out on field exercises, and mailed them all on the same day. They were full of joy and anticipation but also feelings of loneliness.

July 14, 1969 – Meg. This weekend without you has been very lonely – one hour without you, even if I’m with a thousand guys at Ft. Riley, is lonely. Without Meg, I’m lonely in a crowd. Love, Nate

July 15, 1969 – Dear Nate. In addition to the marriage stories I’m writing for you, today I wrote the story of our engagement for the local newspaper, to be put in the announcement section. Your mother wrote and asked for a picture of me and a copy of the short article so she could place it in your home town paper, too. She is working on the rehearsal dinner and has asked for my suggestions of a restaurant near Moody Church. And it sounds like she’s ready to finalize her guest list, pending your approval when we visit them after your graduation.

July 15, 1969 – Dear Meg. My relatives from New York, Florida, and Wheaton are visiting my folks in August. Maybe we can see them? Plus we’ll have your birthday, mine, camp, Bob’s wedding [Nate’s friend],and a plan for our wedding. Wow! What an August! Love, Nate

July 16, 1969 – Dear Nate. I’ve been all over the place today, shopping, meeting a girlfriend for lunch, running around in the Loop. One of those street photographers caught me on film, and I look like I’m on my way to a circus with my polka-dot dress. It was hot out! I saw a doctor, and we talked at length about “the pill.” It sounds controversial. He said that blood clots are the most serious threat, and about the only real doubt in most physicians’ minds The other stuff about diabetes is more myth than anything at this stage. He didn’t pressure me at all. So that’s just one more thing for us to talk about and decide.

July 16, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I’m looking forward to those days, after camp, after this autumn, after November 29^th when I wake up with you in the morning, eat breakfast and pray with you, and plan the day with you. Being a law student, Army officer and civilian lawyer will be even better because you’re my wife.

July 17, 1969 – Dear Nate. This goodie package [cookies, photos, sentimental items] was tossed together in a flash, but I hope you enjoy it. Besides, thinking of those other guys down at Ft. Riley who might be getting goodie packages when you are NOT, just makes me feel awful. No one is going to get more packages or letters or surprises than my Nate! Love, Meg.

May 17, 1969 – Dearest Meg. Once we are married, every experience will be better with you: each tragedy mitigated, each success heightened, when you are my wife. I’ll thank the Lord eternally for a love for you and from you that will last forever. I miss you. My heart yearns for you. I know I can’t live without you.

“God has made everything appropriate in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Young Love (#58)

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Margaret

Day by day, Nate and I were moving closer to the married life we so longed for. Both of us were reading marriage books about how to keep love alive, how to solve conflicts, how to build each other up every day, and how to have a great sex life. One thing that popped up in all the books was that marriage might be challenging in ways we didn’t anticipate. But both of us were eager to get started!

July 12, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I am really looking forward to the talks with Pastor Sweeting. I admire him very much. I read an article he wrote, and it had many keen insights. He’ll be a good spiritual mentor for us. Any time, day or night, will be a convenient time to talk with Pastor Sweeting. I know there is a lot going on up there, far away from Army life here. How is everybody doing – your parents, Tom, Mary and Berv, Aunt Agnes, and your parents? I hope the Lord is keeping them all in good health. And – you too! I love Meg Johnson!

July 12, 1969 – Dear Nate. Here are some wedding details. You asked about a cake. It can’t be ordered until we get the guest list to near-accuracy, so we can determine size. Then we can look in a cake catalog. Bakeries are charging $10 for the tiny bride and groom to set on top, which seems like a waste! Maybe we can make them. I would also really like to pay for the material and notions to make all the bridesmaids dresses. There will be 7 girls: my sister, 3 cousins, my best friend from childhood, my college roommate, and the girl who introduced you and me! I’m thinking dark royal blue or maybe deep burgundy for the gowns.

July 13, 1969 – Dearest Meg, my love, my fiancé, my bride. Two weeks from now I will see Meg, and this camp will be over. I love you! I re-read 1 Corinthians 13 tonight – it is short but so spiritually satisfying. I will love you like that forever and forever…

July 12, 1969 – Dear Nate. The church camp is in full swing now at maximum capacity, about 60 campers. I’m driving a few kids up there Sunday night for the next session, so I’ll ask the director if you and I will need to make any preparations for our counseling weeks. When I hear about all the fun they’re having, I can’t wait for us to get there! I’m praying it’ll be a profitable 20 days or so. They’re studying the book of 1 John, so I’m beginning to look it over.

July 12, 1969 – Dearest Meg. I’ve been thinking about all the prayer, Bible study, church life, and witness we’ll be having in our marriage. The Lord has been very good to us. We must never forget him or his commandments. I’m grateful. And I’m also overjoyed that your parents have accepted our engagement, that they like the ring, and that they want to plan and be a part of the wedding. It makes me feel very, very good! And those good feelings for them are strengthening. (Your family is soon to be my family, also!)

July 13, 1969 – Dear Nate. I’ve been trying to make arrangements to fly to Manhattan, Kansas, for your graduation on the 25^th, but there’s no way, except to wait in the Kansas City airport for 5 night-time hours. So I think I’m coming via Greyhound. Only $19. I’ll be on the bus overnight with a transfer at 6:30 AM. Then I’ll arrive in Manhattan at 10:00 AM. I’ll take a cab from the airport to the base. And if that’s not early enough to watch you graduate, I’ll come the day before and pay for a motel. I don’t want to miss it!