Category Archives: Thankfulness

Newlywed Love (#103)

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September 28-30, 1970

After my harrowing drive home from work, the next morning Nate made an announcement. “I’m going with you to Danville today.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ll never see those two guys again,” I said.

My safe place“I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

I loved him for loving me in this kind way, so rather than fighting it, I just enjoyed his presence all day – and had fun showing him off to the staff. He loved chatting with “my children” and found them to be as charming as I did.

 

When the weekend finally came, I couldn’t wait for Sunday school and hoped Martin would be there. Though both of us knew he wouldn’t dare insult the pastor again, the whole class had loved watching Nate elevate truth over lies.

Martin and his wife did attend, but he remained quiet. Later I wrote in my journal, “Today they didn’t get into any verbal battles. Too bad.”

On Sunday afternoon, I began typing Nate’s endless pages of Estate Planning papers. Difficult as that was with so many 50-cent words, at the end of several hours I felt a deep satisfaction in having worked in tandem with my husband. And for once, rather than him always helping me, I’d finally been able to help him.

Our financial woes continued, despite my teaching checks coming in regularly again. I earned about two-thirds of what I’d made in the Chicago schools, and we were way behind in tuition payments.

One day I got an idea. I would try to sell some articles to magazines. It wouldn’t pay much, but even a little would help. So I resurrected my college writing files, including several “A”- graded assignments from a writing class during senior year. Without much trouble, they could be polished into articles that might sell.

Nate down-played our poverty. “At least we don’t have to buy anything for our apartment,” he said. “Remember what it was like last year at this time?”

Silver and crystalIt had been mostly empty then, our footsteps echoing on the hardwood floors. Now it was warm and inviting, and we lacked for nothing. Actually, because of wedding gifts, we had a hutch full of silver, crystal, and china that looked out of place in the home of two poverty-stricken newlyweds.

One evening the pastor came over, and I served him his coffee in a bone china cup with a sterling spoon on the saucer. He ate his piece of cake from a silver plate and had a linen napkin in his lap. “Oh my!” he said when I put it all down in front of him.

But the truth was, we had wanted to have him over for dinner but had had to settle for “just dessert” instead, because we didn’t have enough money to buy the meat. All we had were hot dogs — silver, crystal, and hot dogs.

But we were happy, and a far better income was almost visible as we stepped closer to 1971. We could make it till then.

“In all toil there is profit.” (Proverbs 14:23)

Newlywed Love (#102)

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September 26, 1970

(Continued….)

As two young men in a small car continued to follow me home from school, my fear grew. I tried to make sense of their tailgating, puzzling over what their intentions were and why they picked me.

Driving.Gut instinct told me I might be in some real trouble. Had they just randomly seen me as I turned onto the expressway ramp? Or had they watched me get into my car in the school parking lot? Did they know where I worked?

One thing was sure: I couldn’t lead them to where I lived. But where would I go?

Questions tumbled into my mind, distracting me from driving. I was in the left lane going 80 mph in a car that sounded like it was about to explode when their car came alongside on the right, both men glaring at me. I tried not to look, not to show fear.

When I was half way home, they swerved to my other side, coming up on the left. This was really dangerous, since they were then driving on the shoulder.

I wished with all my might a squad car would come out of nowhere with lights flashing to pull them over for reckless driving. When I saw a giant light pole coming in their path, I thought they were going to crash right into it! But they swerved back on the highway just in time.

Police carI had read that if something like this ever happened, a driver should cause a minor accident to force another car and a “normal” driver into the situation – and also bring the police.

But snatching glances at the cars around me, I knew if I caused a crash, it would be fatal. We were going too fast. My heart was in my throat, and I began to think about Nate. Oh how I wished he was with me! What sensible thing would he suggest?

Dark despair flooded me. “Oh God!” I shouted. “Please, please help me! I don’t know what to do!”

We continued on, and as we came within 10 miles of home, very suddenly these men pulled to the far right and zoomed off an exit ramp — and they were gone! I felt like wailing with relief but knew I had to hold myself together to get safely home.

As I got off the highway several miles later, I came to the first stop sign of my journey and went to downshift. That’s when I realized I’d driven 40 miles at high speed with the car in 2nd gear the whole way. No wonder it had resisted my push on the gas pedal and sounded so loud! Oh, how I hoped I hadn’t ruined the engine.

I pulled in front of our building and raced up the steps two at a time, bursting through the door and throwing myself into Nate’s arms – and the anguished wailing came out.

He held me tightly, waiting for me to calm down enough to tell him – and after I did, I stayed wrapped in that place of safety for a long, long time.

photo strip“They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety.” (Psalm 18:18-19)

 

Newlywed Love (#99)

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September 12-13, 1970

 

DQAlthough Nate was a diligent student who put his work ahead of almost everything else, I never had trouble coaxing him to take a break with me – whether it was to go for a walk, splurge on a Dairy Queen cone, or head into the bedroom.

I felt secure in knowing that though his studies were important to him, he made me an even higher priority. What girl could want more than that?

After a grueling week, especially for him, we were eager for the weekend when Chicago friends Kathy and Bob would arrive for 24 hours. The 4 of us had met in undergrad days — Kathy and I at Wheaton, Bob and Nate at Northwestern.

These two had actually introduced Nate and I on that fateful blind date when I’d worn only underwear beneath my Jackie Kennedy coat. We would be forever indebted to them.

Bob and NateBob and Nate had much in common. Both were in law school, and both loved discussing current events. Both were facing uncertainty with the Army gobbling up young men as it was, and both were working hard to please their new wives.

When Kathy and Bob arrived, we enjoyed catching up on all our friends from college days, and the weekend was a big success. We visited a flea market where Nate splurged on two spoon rings for us. Bob picked up the tab at the Chinese restaurant, and we howled over silly pictures from our early days together.

 

Saying goodbyeAfter Sunday morning breakfast, once again we found ourselves in the street in front of our building waving goodbye, wondering when we’d next see these two special people.

Though Nate and I were late for the church service, we were on time for our Sunday school class of young marrieds, which met afterwards. Ralph, the head pastor everyone loved, was our teacher, and he was always ready with stirring questions that prompted lively discussion each week.

I admired the way he settled debates with Scripture. On this particular Sunday, though, we were surprised by what happened. One of the young husbands, Martin, was frustrated by the way the dialogue was going and began criticizing Ralph with harsh words.

First Baptist Church of Urbana, ILThe rest of us sat speechless as he raised his voice and overstepped his bounds, saying things we knew he would regret. Ralph, trying to be gracious, was being steamrolled, and none of us knew what to do.

Then Nate jumped in.

He addressed Martin directly, and without using any unkind words, he pointed out the flaws in his arguments. Then he took Martin to task over the way he was disrespecting our pastor, silencing him in the process. As Nate spoke, I glanced at the others in the room. Some were nodding. Others were grinning. And I was bursting with pride.

Though Ralph reached out to Martin after class, Martin seemed unable to reach back, but I imagine our soft-spoken pastor thought about that difficult morning all afternoon.

I've got it goodDuring our evening stroll, Nate asked for my opinion about the class, hoping he hadn’t said too much. I assured him his words were very much needed, and after praising his tactful but effective Martin-muzzling, my only other thought was, “I feel sorry for his wife…”

….which, of course, was because I had it so good.

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)