December 31, 1995, I rang in the New Year with Dennis Dunning and my Micki and brother-in-law Roger. All was well, we had a great time. Roger and Micki owned a printing company at the time. I asked them to print monogrammed note pads for Dennis’s birthday, oops I thought it was in January, I was wrong it’s November. By Super Bowl Sunday, Dennis was ready to move on from our four-month long relationship.
The call came, “I don’t think we should see each other anymore,” He said.
“OK,” I replied.
I hadn’t given him the note pads because I was embarrassed about the wrong birthdate. What was I going to do with a box full of note cards with dDw on them? The week after the curt call I gave him the note cards, which were affectionately called “his lovely parting gift” by Roger, Micki, and me.
1996 held many ups and downs. Roger and Micki had to close their struggling printing business. They carried on with new ventures, knowing God was in control. I continued loving and trusting God in my single-mother life.
August 1996, the week before Labor Day my phone rang.
“Susie, it’s Dennis, uh Dunning. Um, would you like to go out on my boat with me Labor Day?”
“I haven’t changed, I’m still the same. Why now?”
“Let’s go spend the day with our daughters, and they can each take a friend.”
“OK,” I said. I enjoyed his company. My mom really liked him.
Labor Day morning he picked us up. We all went on the boat, had a great day. Two weeks later he proposed to me and we were married three months later.
Roger and Micki became realtors and haven’t turned back in their successful career together.
Why am I telling this story? Because I came across these on Saturday!
Buried in a box full of 20-year-old remote controls, there was a remnant of the “lovely parting gift” from 22 years ago. One pad stirred up the feelings and emotions, the memories of the time we met for meals at Butterworth Hospital while dating and he walked with me in the halls. It was one of those same hallways where I handed him his lovely parting gift. The memories of my sister and I holding one another’s hand as we walked through difficult and exciting times. Most of all God’s faithfulness. All wrapped up in this pad of paper.
God said in Deuteronomy to choose Life. We continue to have choices.
God is faithful. He is trustworthy.
Jesus said, “I came to give you Life, more Abundantly,” ~John 10:10. This abundant life is full of ups and downs. Trust God, He’ll walk you through all of it.
~Thankful
Susan