So much was going on around us. It was 1963. President John F. Kennedy was killed by an assassin’s bullet. The event was televised. A few days later, his funeral procession would also be seen on TV screens across the world. In 1963, Martin Luther King addressed the nation with his “I have a dream,” speech. The Beatles made their debut in America. There was rioting in the streets, looting and bloodshed, man’s inhumanity to his fellow man. Camelot was dead. America was changing in so many ways.

The man I loved was about to ask my father for my hand in marriage. My dad had a wry sense of humor and when Paul approached him with the question, he replied, “Go ahead. She’s your problem now.” The voice of tact had spoken, and we became engaged. A year later, my father would be exceptionally testy. He was doing weird things, like throwing the newspaper down the clothes chute and placing the coffee pot in the refrigerator. He was not a man of many words, but something seemed off. He would get angry about things that didn’t make sense. He was making me crazy, so I finally asked him what was going on, I never had the nerve to talk to my dad this way, Tears filled his eyes and he replied, “I’m having a hard time letting you go,” It was a week before the wedding. I was witnessing a completely different side of the dad I grew up with.

We married in that Gothic, Lutheran church that I grew up in. It was a beautiful wedding with all the trappings. The sermon was based on the 23rd Psalm, which would be repeated many events during our lifetime. A reception followed at a German restaurant that had become a favorite of my new husband’s family. Two families were joined as one.

One year later, my father-in-law would pass away in his sleep. This compassionate, loving, talented man was only 56 years old at his passing. Paul would now be called upon to take care of many arrangements, along with a mother who had completely broken down. We were just starting our marriage and a series of new events that would change our lives. We continued to press on, always trusting that God had a plan designed just for us. We were learning new lessons every day about life, death, survival, unconditional love and living for alone another.

As I write this story of ours, I can’t help but be moved by the comments of many of you. Everyone has a tale to tell. Each one is unique and filled with many twists and turns. With each story, we can learn something that will help us get through the tough times. Our story isn’t anything special, but for me it’s a way to explain how special life can be when you share it with the one you love and place God first in your marriage.

Can you imagine what God has planned for each of us. He promises that He will always be with us and that He has a plan designed for each one living on this planet. That’s what makes our stories so unique and interesting.