Don and I have always tried to live simply and have always had to
stick to basics. But in my heart of
hearts there sometimes comes a desire to see how the other half in this world
lives. Well, October 26th
this year was our 38th wedding anniversary. Since we’re in Budapest, wouldn’t a lovely
evening cruise down the Danube be a super special way to celebrate? We looked
at our budget (yes, we belong to that group of society that always has to keep
a sharp eye on the budget.). We decided that if we picked the one without the
dinner, this was do-able. We could even
invite our friends Merrill and Carol to celebrate with us. We booked our dinnerless cruise and decided
we’d have dinner in a restaurant before we went on the ship.
The well-lit ship was a
double decker. I was looking for the
staircase to the upper deck where our cruise voucher said we belonged, but as
Don handed our tickets to the attendant, he was offered a glass of champagne,
and so were the rest of us. Then we were
conducted to our table in the dining area.
I quietly whispered to Carol, “I hope we are in the right place.” Merrill was impressed. He says, “You guys go first class.” I was too embarrassed to admit we booked for “without
dinner. “ Then we took a second look at our ticket. Sure enough, it was “With Dinner.” Someone must have made a mistake. I decided to just quietly accept this upgrade
and enjoy it. Soon an attendant came to our table with bottles of wine for our
choice. A few seconds later a
photographer took our pictures. I leaned
over the table and whispered, “I can get used to being rich!”
Soon our ship was moving quietly on the Danube. We could hear the
strains of “Autumn Leaves” being played by a live band somewhere behind
us. I told myself, you’ve got to be
dreaming. This can’t be real. But it was all real. I thought, “How generous is my Father in
heaven who has given Don and me this very special 38th anniversary
gift - a magical cruise on the Danube
complete with live music, the company of very special friends and yes, with a
dinner thrown in!” Our ship seemed to
glide in the water, ever so quietly and gently giving us the time to take in
the wonderful landmarks along the river – the Hungarian Parliament building,
the Castle on Gellert Hill, the Museum, the University of Technology, etc., all
brightly lit and magical. And somehow I
felt like a little girl again experiencing something very, very special,
thankful for the man I believe God chose for me, and all the good things God
has sent my way through our lives together.
What an unforgettable evening! When I was a young Christian I often heard it
said that we can never outgive God. There have been times when I have felt that
God was asking a lot more from me than I think He should as in, “God, are you
serious? I’m 33 years old and you want
me to get married? And to this guy who
is not even of my race? And God, did you
notice that he is younger than I am?
Besides, he has a mustache and you know how I feel about men who have
mustaches. They look mean. And, he is a pastor! Why in the world will I want to marry a
pastor? I’d have to be somewhat
‘holy.’ Are you really serious about
this?” And He was. I’m glad I took Him seriously, too, when He
said, “For I know the plans I have for you.
. . . plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a
hope. “ (Jeremiah 29:11)
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