Forty-three years ago tomorrow, Mary and I stood in front of Salina Bible Church and vowed to one another before God. We made our commitment to each other, but we also made out commitment to God. We were very grateful that God had led our paths together to be husband and wife and desired that we would honor Him with our marriage. At the close of the wedding ceremony we sang the following duet as our commitment to Him. "O may our life be to Thy praise O Father, In all we do may Thou be magnified; Thou chosest us before the world's foundation, Thine own to be, that Thou be glorified. To glorify Thee, this is our prayer; Work out thy purpose, Thy plan to share; A yielded vessel, Thine own to be, Thy praise and glory, to live for Thee."Over the past 43 years Satan has challenged this commitment, but God has faithfully kept that sacred commitment before us. I am so grateful for Mary and the family God has given us. In the days that God yet gives us we are trusting Him to keep us faithful to our commitment.
Sunday night June 14,1982, we took the family to Lake Cheney to camp in our tent. We had all of our children and our son John was a toddler. During the night a storm moved in from across the lake. I tried to listen to the radio for a weather forecast but the static made it impossible. I thought about loading up the family in the car and move to a safer place, but I saw that the storm was already on us. I asked our son, Roger to help hold against the side of the tent from inside to keep it from collapsing. It was then that we noticed the tent was puffed out in all directions like a balloon. We were in a tornado. We huddled together in the middle of the tent and I remember praying,"Lord Help us!" It was soon over and we were safe. As we looked around in the dark I noticed a large (10-12 inch) limb laying on each end of the tent. God was watching over us that night. In the marina nearby boats were piled up to a height of 30 feet. My brother, John and his boys were with us in a camper. A limb pierced near his head but they were safe as well. That could of been a night of tragedy for our family, BUT GOD gave His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways.
God had more plans for our family. THANK YOU GOD!
One of the testimonies that I desire to leave with my family is God's faithfulness to supply our needs through the years. Mary and I taught in Christian Schools where the income often did not supply all that we needed, but God has always been faithful. It also was a help when I began to minister at Berean. With a growing family it was often a challenge. I'm sure our children remember the food showers given us at the church. It was quite a sight to see our table piled high with food. When I was challenged to live debt-free at the Gothard Seminar, I was soon tested on my commitment. Our water heater at 1905 started leaking. I remember praying, Lord I am going to trust you to provide instead of buying on time. It quit leaking for a week or so. This went on for about a month. One day I received a call from a hardware store telling us they had a water heater paid for for us. What a blessing. It encouraged me on in trusting the Lord. I have not always been faithful but God has. Our children helped out a great deal with paper routes, to take care of things like braces and education. We learned early on how important it was to give first to the Lord. I have seen Him honor that. I just want to pass on to my family, God cares for His children and is worthy of your trust in Him. One can raise 6 children while in the ministry even though it often meant 2 drinks at McDonalds & 4 courtesy cups.
As I was on a mission to find flowers for Mary, I was hit with a strong impression that I was to get flowers for Mom Tucker. In the last several years Dad Tucker would always get my attention on Mom's birthday, anniversary, mother's day and Valentines day and tell me to get flower's for Caryl. By some means he got my attention again. I was to put: Dad remembers you and wants you to be remembered. The seeming right ones had a bear and some carmel chocolates (which I later learned were his favorites). Somehow God must have passed on his request and it did seem to make heaven a little bit closer.
After several years in the dorm, I realized that with a growing family, we needed a place of our own. We began to look for a home to buy. We had nothing for a down payment, but we looked anyway. We were so discouraged with what we saw that was inexpensive. I remember pouring out my heart to God on the matter. We made little at the school and now we had two children and another on the way. I remember the day when God directed my attention, while standing by the dorm house on the hill to a home across from the school on 30th street. I saw there was a house for sale sign in the yard. It was a very decent 2 bedroom house with a basement and garage on a one acre lot. It was immediately across the street from Central Christian. I think they were asking $12,250, but I still didn't have anything for a down payment. At that time we received a check from Mary's grandma Burkholder for $1500. (I need to say that was out of character for her and she knew nothing of our situation.) It was enough for the down payment and to pay for some of the furniture the homeowners were selling. As I look back I am so grateful for the kind hand of the Lord in providing when we had no might of our own. It was perfect for us. Room for our kids to play and a building for us to raise chickens and across the street from work. God found us a home. Many good memories at 1905 East 30th.
After teaching at Central Christian two years, Mr. Grubbs asked if Mary and I would consider being dorm parents to the girls that came to the school from other communities. I said we would pray about it. When I asked Mary what she thought, she cried. I told her to just ask God what He wanted us to do. After some time that summer, she said it would be OK. That's what I loved about Mary, she so much wanted to please. They moved in the principal's house over a large basement, and were just completing the project when school was scheduled to start. Mary was 8 months pregnant with Roger. What a time to begin a new venture. The girls lived in the basement and in a room over what had been the garage. We had about 12 teenage girls. I thought girls would keep their rooms neat, but I was so wrong. Mary said I told you. At first we tried to keep our place and their place. We soon realized we needed to approach it as their home. They really needed parents. When God began to show us how to minister to the girls, we had a good ministry in their lives. We still have a good relationship with some of those girls. We learned a lot about raising girls. God surely was preparing us. Thank you Mary for being willing to get out of your comfort zone. I know it was not easy with the birth of our firstborn. And a year later Julie was born. It was not easy, but we did see fruit in those 4 years in the girls dorm.
Tomorrow will mark 8 weeks since the surgery on my knee. Having looked at this experience as God's purpose for good, I want to give a progress report. I am out of the brace most of the time and have been able to walk a mile. I am able to sleep quite comfortably now. I see some good things that are results to this point. I have lost 13 pounds and purpose to keep that down. I am monitoring my blood sugar and am close to where it should be. Mary and I are more consistent on our devotional life and reading through the Bible this year. Those are some tangible things. I am trusting that some of the spiritual results will become evident such as patience, compassion, more zeal for the Lord and more sensitivity to God's Spirit. Though this was a painful experience, I again see that God works all things together for good.
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