Happy Anniversary!

On Sunday, Ken and I will celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary! I can't believe it, especially since I'm only *cough* 35 years old . . . (Wait - is it a sin to lie on your blog post?)

Ken and I met in the singles group at the First Baptist Church of Tulsa, Oklahoma. I'd grown up in that church, but had been away for several years - off to college, then a couple of years working in Memphis, Tennessee. I'd recently moved back to Tulsa to study court reporting. After getting to know a few people in that line of work, I thought it would be fascinating, not to mention a better salary opportunity. And I had decided that, at 25 years of age, if I was going to be single, I wanted to make some good money!

I'd been active in the singles ministry at my church in Memphis, but I was reluctant to get involved again once I moved back home. But there was this guy . . . tall, thin, loaded with enthusiasm and a sense of humor that kept me laughing . . . who kept trying to get me involved in a Christian-version of Saturday Night Live the singles were putting together. Oh, that has catastrophe written all over it, I thought smugly. Then I went to a rehearsal and was blown away by how much fun everyone was having. I got involved and well, the rest is history.

Now Ken will tell you I invited HIM out on our first date. I disagree, but I let him have his fun, sharing that little anecdote to his heart's content. We started seeing each other every day, completely inseparable. I remember one night in particular - the night before Easter of that year. After going out, we'd come back to my parents' home where I was living and watched Barabbas, one of those awful old biblical flicks. But we didn't see much of the movie. Turns out my new boyfriend was a great kisser!

That December, our singles group was asked to perform a hilarious version of The 12 Days of Christmas as the opening act of the church's annual production of the Living Christmas Tree. Ken played the part of the partridge in the pear tree, complete with a brown rooster suit and yellow tights. (That's him above in all his partridge glory. He is SO going to kill me!) I was one of the turtle doves. One night, before the performance, the partidge in the pear tree proposed to the turtle dove. They were married four months later on April 25, 1981 (sans feathers).

Ken's sense of humor and love of life may have been what attracted me to him in the first place, but I have to say it was deep love for God and his faithful walk that sealed the deal for me. Here was a man who literally walked the walk at every level of his life. No, he's not perfect, and he'll be the first to tell you that (I'll be the second), but his #1 priority in life is to honor God. Surely God knew I needed that kind of influence when He picked out a husband for me. And 29 years later, I can tell you he STILL inspires me to be a better person and a stronger Christian.

We have been so blessed. I can honestly say I love doing life with Ken Moody. Regardless of the ups and downs over the years, ours is the real deal. My only regret is occasionally taking him for granted, spoiled by a rock-solid marriage to the man I love. And I just keep asking the Lord, how in the world did I get so lucky?