Finds and Treasures

We arrived home from our vacation at the Oregon Coast today.  There is so much I want to share with you but first I want to share with you the greatest ‘find’ and the dearest ‘treasure’ God has given me.  My sweetheart is the most precious person on this earth to me.  Last weekend we celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the day we met.  It was a unique day – forty years ago on Sunday, September Fourth, the day before Labor Day - I walked into the church where he was the youth pastor.  I was the guest of dear friends – the parents of a childhood friend of mine.  When the morning church service began a handsome, young man stepped to the pulpit and welcomed everyone.  He prayed and then began to lead the songs as we sang.  Later, following the service, my dear friend’s mother introduced us.  It was an ordinary kind of hello, how are you, where are you from, nice-to-meet-you introduction.  There is so much more to the story - perhaps I will share it some day – but that evening I sat at the piano and sang a special song at the request of the music pastor at the church I had visited that morning.  After the evening service had finished, most of the people stood around talking.  As my friend and I began to walk out the door, the handsome, young youth pastor followed me to the door and invited me to go with him to get something to eat.  That, my friends, was just the start of something really wonderful!  It was as if we had always known each other.  Truth be told, we were in some of the same rooms and events through our lifetimes but never met each other!

Early last Sunday morning, before we visited a special, little church at the Oregon Coast, my sweetheart gave me the most beautiful gift my heart could imagine.  I’ll have to show it to you soon when I can find the best way to show it off.  His heart and mine celebrated the day – it was a Sunday again, September Fourth, the day before Labor Day.  Forty years!

A few days ago while fishing on a big river near the mouth of the Pacific Ocean my sweetheart called me and asked me to get my camera and come down to the docks.  Why?  He had a special ‘find’ he wanted me to see and photograph.  And so, without further adieu – here is my most cherished ‘find’ and ‘treasure’.  My best friend for forty years.  My sweetheart.

My sweetheart caught a thirty-six inch Chinook Salmon!  Lots of good and healthy eating ahead!  He’s a keeper.  My sweetheart, I mean!