The Red Leather Jacket: 1946

I’m going to admit to you today—and most likely never again—the year I was born.

Today I celebrate a milestone birthday. Why? Because it has a “zero” in it! I call them milestone birthdays.

Last evening, as we were dropping off to sleep, Jim asked me, “Do you remember other milestone birthdays?”

My first Milestone Birthday, age 10

Just liked this at age six

I thought about the various zero milestones in my life. I remembered each one of them. Some were more special than the other. Others were really difficult ones and with not much joy. I clearly remember the one ten years ago.

I was a teacher and I was brokenhearted. Why? My high school sweetheart, the father of my two children, the man I’d lived with for forty years, my husband, died only three months earlier. On my day, I was at a solo/ensemble contest with my elementary vocal ensemble. This would be the last contest our school would enter, for in another month, the school would close its doors permanently. On that day, after the contest concluded, my son, Todd, roared down from the sky in his airplane to pick me up and we flew home to Vancouver, where my daughter, Erika, had a special birthday celebration for me. It was a day as wonderful as it could be for someone who had a broken heart. There were many friends there, with words of encouragement and praise for me on that day. It was good.

The years passed. My heart began to mend. I met another kind, loving man who brought love into my life once again. It was a story-book romance. All the sadness and brokenness of my past slipped away. Blair loved me and we were joined as husband and wife. Too soon, though, Blair was taken away from me. And I had another broken heart. By this time, though, I knew that though it was broken, God could heal it. And He did. Not with another man, but Himself. Jesus promised His followers:

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the

brokenhearted.

Luke 4:18

Whenever I read anything in the Bible that talks about a broken heart, I perk up, for I know what a broken heart is. Only one person can take care of that broken heart. It isn’t time. It isn’t another husband or boyfriend. It isn’t possessions or travel. No. It is Jesus Christ, the person speaking in the above verse who heals a broken heart.

It took time for my heart to mend. I wrote a book about my losses and my heart began to repair. There was travel and I learned to do that on my own. I was in a relationship I thought was right when it wasn’t and in God’s sovereign way, it was ended.

More than a year passed. I’d begun to resign myself to not ever having another man in my life. I was told I’d had my Cinderella type of experience once, that I’d had two men who loved me and why would I think I could have it again? So I let go of any expectation of a future with another man in my life.

But God, in His miraculous way, had another idea. This person popped into my life one September morning. We met face to face for coffee and soon realized we were right for each other. And miracle of miracles it happened! Jim and I have now been married two years and five months!

We have a wonderful, loving relationship. It is better than I ever dreamed. And I believe Jim would say so too.

“Why don’t I meet someone like you did?” You might ask. “Why don’t I have a loving husband like you do?” Might be another question. I don’t have an answer for you, but I will tell you that your relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important relationship you can have with anyone. He promises to be that husband you don’t have—or the husband you wish he’d be and isn’t. He promises it.

I’ll go back to “the day” I’m celebrating. Instead of being bummed that I’m turning another decade, I’m going to be joyful I’m still here on Earth, healthy, happy, adored by my husband, loved by my family. I know I”m loved intensely by the God of my childhood and through my adult decades as well. What more could I ask? Nothing.

I looked up other people born this year. There are lots of them. We’re the first of the baby boomers. You might recognize some of them. Here’s a short list: Bill Clinton, George W and Laura Bush, Donald Trump, Connie Chung, Hayley Mills, Sally Field, Patty Duke, Candace Bergman, John Piper, Ron and Rosaleen Stone…..and more. Happy birthday, Baby Boomers born this year! I hope you’re as happy as I am. You are loved—by the Maker of the Universe, Jesus Christ.

The following photos are some random, but important events in my life: