Sometimes I look back at
my early married life
and am amazed at some
of the experiences I had.
Most newlyweds today
already have a house and
the entire household set up,
two cars,
and clothes and gadgets
and high-tech toys.
I came into my marriage
with a paper sack of clothes,
a $50 stereo,
and a pillow.
We rented an old farm house
for $100 a month.
But realize this-
my husband's take home pay
was about $125 a week.
Our electric bill was
about $12,
our phone- $6,
and if I spent more than $40
a week on food,
I was sick to my stomach
about it until pay day.
(And by the way,
it was $7 for a bounced check!)
Most of our furniture was
either donated, borrowed
or salvaged.
Our dishes were few.
Our car had tread peeling
from the tires,
and our only solace
was that great little
turn table of mine
and the stack of 200 albums
and an old guitar
that my husband contributed
to the love nest.
Just when things were looking
a little strapped,
my husband went hunting one day
and shot a red fox.
He got $40 for it.
Forty dollars!
Oh my gosh! So much money!
So needed! How fantastic!
God sure works in mysterious ways!
And even though we watched our money,
we somehow became soda drinkers
when the kids were born.
( We only buy the stuff for parties now).
That's back when soda came in bottles
and little cardboard carriers.
After we saved a bunch of bottles,
I would put them in the trunk,
load up the kids and the baby
and head to the IGA to get
a bottle refund.
(I can still picture it).
One time I got almost $30!
I was so excited!
I went and bought
some good food with that money.
We didn't have a VCR,
a microwave,
a cell phone,
or a computer.
We just had each other,
good music,
cold beer
and hope.
Hope can get you through
a lot of rough times.
Of course, love can do
amazing things, too.
We are living proof of that.
