June - The Month of Brides

Statistics for the United States show that June has the highest number of marriages.

I know at our church there are two weddings planned for the month of June. Two of my sons chose June for their wedding days. A lot of my friends celebrate their anniversaries in June.

I read one time that the reason people got married in June was because that was when people would take their annual bath after the long winter and change their clothes. Sounds like a good reason.

My husband and I got married on Friday evening, June 9, 1967. Today would have been our 47th Wedding Anniversary. It was also three years ago on this date that the doctor told us that Jerry had acute myeloid leukemia. It's hard not to be flooded by memories of the past. But I refuse to be sad today. There are too many good memories.

On our wedding day, we both worked our jobs. We did take off at noon. We went by and picked up our wedding cake which we paid for ourselves. It cost $25.00, half of what I received as a salary each week. Then we went by and got my bouquet and my husband's corsage. Then he went home and got ready and I went to my house to get ready. My mother had made my wedding dress, nothing fancy, but to me it was the most beautiful dress in the world.

We had  a small reception with a total of 17 people including us.

After the reception, we got in our 1956 Oldsmobile and headed to our apartment to begin our life together.

I still remember the next morning for breakfast, Jerry went to the Great Scot Supermarket and got us white creme filled chocolate long john donuts for breakfast. That was our wedding morning breakfast. It was a great breakfast - I love donuts.

 

Today I'm going to remember all the good times. A tear or two might slip out, but I'm so thankful for all the many blessings that God has given me.

 

Jerry's mom, Jerry, Patricia, my mom and dad

 

 

A Friendly Day

Today I had to run to the store and pick up a few things. I don't know what it was, but everyone seemed friendly today. People at the store were saying Hi and smiling. It was very strange. Maybe it was because the temperature was cooler today or maybe I looked friendlier than usual.

It makes you feel good when people speak to you.

Probably one of the unfriendliest places I've ever been is an airport. I'm not sure if people are afraid to be friendly or they are just so focused on their iPads and iPhones that they don't notice anybody or anything around them. I remember a  slogan that United Airlines had - "Fly the Friendly Skies."

But the skies are certainly not friendly.  Probably when I fly by myself, I would be afraid if anyone was too friendly. It's a different world from 1965 when that slogan was popular until now.

Growing up I was not a friendly person, because I was so shy and afraid of people. It was hard for me to even look someone in the face. In fact I was voted the shyest and quietest person in my senior class of high school. Oh well, at least I wasn't voted the class clown. I was scared to death when I had to speak in front of the class.  In fact I would take a grade cut rather than to have to speak.

As you grow older, you don't worry as much about what other people think. You have a little more confidence in yourself. And also, one day a pastor friend told me that being shy is the same as pride. You are afraid of what other people are thinking about you and that is pride.

That made a lot of sense. I started working on looking people in the eye when I spoke and not being so afraid of what they were thinking about me. Plus being shy is very lonely.

SHYNESS

Sometimes I have so much to say,

But deep inside my words will stay.

For I dare not speak what's in my heart,

For you'll think I'm silly and not too smart.

Opportunities will always pass me by,

For I'm so afraid and terribly shy.

When I speak my face turns red,

And there is always such a dread.

I get nervous and I begin to stammer,

My heart beats fast just like a hammer.

So I'll hide in the shadows with all my fears,

And lonely I'll be throughout the years.

-Patricia Rice

II Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;

 but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.