THE ROOTS OF OUR ROMANCE...
Milton, here:
Thirty-six years is a long time to be married by most gauges (Kristy was a week past her 20th birthday when we married and I was 21). Our marriage has been lived with eternal purpose helping each other as we have tried to help others in ministry. We have held each other close and have worked as a team—Kristy’s wit and my wisdom.
Kristy has turned me into a romantic even though I am a deeply engrained sports nut and a manly kind of guy—deep base voice and all. Year by year we have grown in our love through blessed times and trials. Thirty-six years…That’s lots of livin’ and lovin’.
Yet, the patterns for us to follow make us look like newly weds. My parents have been married 63 years and Kristy’s parents were married 67 years. Wow, can you imagine all the experiences they have shared. I love their stories of life and marriage. I talk almost daily with my folks and I can still hear Mom and Dad Roberts, Kristy's parents, reminiscing about the good ole days.
My mom and dad, in the photos above, live in Central Florida. They are wonderful parents who have shown their kids how to work through issues that every couple inevitably faces. Dad is a great preacher and Mom is the model preacher’s wife. Their marriage has produced five children who love God, love them, and are making a difference in this world. Sixty-three years of loving, living, and life commitment.
Kristy’s parents,
pictured on the right, were amazing. Udell, her father, was quirky and funny, but he was a good man who loved his family. Grace was one great mother who had a passion for God, her family, and others. She taught Sunday school for over fifty years--many in the church I now pastor. People comment to me regularly how much she impacted their lives. In fact just this past Sunday one lady told me that Mom Roberts was her life mentor. Their marriage had some unusually hard times, but their love was filled with persevering commitment which kept them. They are both in heaven and are deeply missed. Sixty-seven years of loving, living, and life commitment.That’s 130 years worth of examples for Kristy and me to follow. We're working daily at it--holding hands, hugging hard, long looks at her, often saying "I love you...", faithfilled prayers, tender words, sweet reflections, and ......
Dad offered this piece of advice to me when Kristy and I first married. He said, “Son, don’t try to figure her out. Just love her.”
That's lesson number one for a man to become a romantic.
posted by Kristy Dykes @ 12:01 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
A very wise pastor told me that...
a husband is the king and his home is not only his castle but refuge from the world.
a wife is the queen and should be treated as such with love and dignity.
the children are princes or princesses and should be raised to act decently as such.
Thanks Milton for your kind comments. Our pictures were taken celebrating our first wedding anniversary. I was in the US Navy during WWII and stationed in Pensacola, FL.
God has richly blessed us with five wonderful children and their families.
God is up to something in your family.........and He will receive the glory. We pray for Kristy and you daily. God is refining the qualities you possess and He knows the gold that is in you.
We love you both very dearly.
Dad
Hi Milton and Kristy,
Thanks for sharing more about your family. You have been blessed with a wonderful heritage. And you have taken what the Lord has given you and passed it on to your children and others. I know that makes Him smile.
I am thinking of you and lifting you up to the Lord today asking Him to bring you courage, grace and healing.
Love and prayers,
Carrie
Wonderful comments, Lee, Dad Dykes, and Carrie. You blessed me today.
God is so good to me, as I say a lot, walking through the house, on our way to somewhere, washing dishes, in my study. He is good.
Bro. Dykes and Kristy,
We pray for you daily. You both are in our thoughts so many times during the day. You are also on El Bethel's prayer list. As I read today's post, I have precious memories of meeting your parents and family members! I have observed first hand the love and respect you have shown your parents. What an awesome blessing I received from my Heavenly Father to have had the opportunity to sit under your ministry, and many times privileged to be a guest in your family gatherings! I'm so proud of you! Both of you are living and walking out what you have, these many years, preached from the pulpit. What a testimont to your parents' training and examples, and what a testimont to you both! Thank you for your diligence in ministry to me 28 years ago--and today!
Much love, and many, many thanks,
Lisa
Thanks to all for your loving remarks. We are blessed by our dear family and so many friends.
God is up to something in our lives. He is so good as Kristy says over and over.
Milton
Milton looks like his dad and Kristy looks like her mom. That's so sweet. What a lovely family you have. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us.
Praying for you up here in frigid Illinois!
Dear Milton and Kristy:
It was such a blessing to have shared with your family years ago and to see how you and Kristy both continue to practice daily what you have preached for years. God is faithful.
As a parent I know that we can be a good example, but not every child accepts that teaching and sometimes goes his own way. Yours and Kristy's faithfulness to God shows in each word that you write. You are both wonderful examples of God's love. You encourage others by the words of your testimony.
What a blessing you are showing to many people by the way that you are sharing the love of Christ.
Continuing to pray for you.
Ava Tanner
Wow, what wonderful comments. Thank you all. Lisa Taylor, good to hear from you, all the way from Alabama. Readers, she's a high school English teacher, and she and her baby were IN Enterprise High School in Enterprise, Alabama last Spring when a tornado blew it down! She has an amazing testimony.
Ava Tanner, good to hear from you. We go back a long way, too, like Lisa Taylor. I have some happy memories of times spent in your home with your family. Our daughters were good friends, and so were we. God bless--
I remember your wedding and me a pregnant bridesmaid!! We have had some wonderful family memories...
Love you both,
Sis(in-law)Norma
Yes, we've had some great family times. I'm so thankful for my family. If you, and all of them, hadn't been there to console, comfort, and corrall me during my incoherency when I was yanking off my hospital gown, how knows? I might've run down the hall in my birthday suit! Haha. Thenk You, God, for my family.
Post a Comment
<< Home