That Wonderful Wink

So last week Tony got ahold of my blog and before I could send it, he added the teaser, “Wait till next week to find out what happened at church”. 
Well, it’s been 50+ years, so I had to ask him, “What happened at church?”
And then he winked at me.
Oh!  Now I remember!!
I saw him for the first time at his parents’ house.  We were 17 and 19 and his folks were the youth directors of our tiny little youth group. They were so cool we had ’Training Union’ at their house before church!!  I was vaguely aware that they had a son, but to hear them talk, he was off at war or something.  Actually, he was touring Europe with a bunch of students, including a girlfriend, for the summer.  He had graduated from high school the year before but somehow had qualified to go.
And then, when I walked into their living room, there he was, back from the ‘war’. I was introduced and we had our Bible study.  From there we all jumped into our individual cars and proceeded on to the evening service at church, as you did back in the day.
And so when I walked into the sanctuary, I didn’t notice him till I turned my head, and there he was, sitting in the “Choir”.  I use the term loosely because it consisted of the 8 or 10 people who could actually carry a tune. I don’t remember them ever doing a special number or anything, and certainly never at night, but there he sat, facing our congregation of about 30.
“Wonderful”, I thought as I settled into my seat,  “Now I can take my time and get a good look at him during the sermon.”  
To catch you up to speed in my life, I had just finished my Junior year of High school, He had just finished his Freshman year at college.  
So I got comfortable and began my feast.  That was until this smiling guy, ostensibly looking off into the distance, WINKED at me!
I was mortified.  I left the service the minute it was over and didn’t hear another thing from him…..for…..OK, well, until about 3 days later, when he (at the urging of both my sister and his mother) called and asked me for a date.  We never mentioned the ‘Wink’ again……
Years later, long after we were married, he told me the truth.  “If you’d have winked back I would have run for the hills,” he said. “But because you blushed red and avoided me, I knew there was a purity and innocence I was interested in pursuing.”
Last Sunday we attended an annual “Hymn Sing” at a local church.  We may have been the youngest there, but we had to admit we’re not that young since we knew all the hymns!  
And then they played (as a special) that old song, “I’ll walk with God”.  Tony and I both got goosebumps and teared up at the same time as we listened to the words.  On the way home we tried to remember why this song was so important.
You guessed it, the next morning, I got out our old and faded wedding album and there it was.  It was the song, sung by a talented and booming baritone, that was used for us to light our one candle.  
I’ll put the words here in case you want to remember them.  I can’t believe that at our young age we had such mature thoughts.

I'll walk with God from this day on
His helping hand, I'll lean upon
This is my prayer, my humble plea
May the Lord be ever with me
There is no death, though eyes grow dim
There is no fear when I'm near to Him
I'll lean on Him forever
And He'll forsake me never
He will not fail me
As long as my faith is strong
Whatever road I may walk along
I'll walk with God, I'll take His hand
I'll talk with God, He'll understand
I'll pray to Him, each day to Him
And He'll hear the words that I say
His hand will guide my throne and rod
And I'll never walk alone
While I walk with God

Every one of those words have played true in our lives.  Maybe it’s because the both of us were so shy and naive.
Sorry we put the wrong address for the website blog last week. It’s marshawoods.blogspot.com  (No middle letter G).
Keep on Walkin!
Marsha

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