More Memories of Love
(Dates are in parentheses and are not to be read as a part of the poem)
I remember well that day when you first became my wife (1981)
And we started out our married life together.
The words that I proclaimed are word that I still mean
When I vowed that I would love you for forever.
We then had so much fun on our Bermuda honeymoon
Where we soaked up sun and tried not to get burned.
I found out rather quickly that you’d never let me fall
Nor would you let me navigate our turns.
You finished up your Masters and we spent some time up north
Where we got a dog that we named Cassidy.
Tom and Brenda Griffith were the best friends that we had
While I worked to finish up my own degree. (1983)
I worked at roofing houses and did taxes for a while
And you made sure Dr Canon did his job
Then we went to Providence and worked with lots of youth
And knew that that’s where we’d been called by God.
We bought a house in Raleigh after 4 moves in 4 years (1985)
And figured we were settled for a while
Then we got the news that would really rock our world
When we found out we were going to have a child.
Christy came along in 1986
And Scott came not too far behind. (1987)
We knew that we were finished, that our quiver was all full
When another son named Tucker soon arrived. (1990)
We took a special trip to the island of St Thomas
To celebrate our anniversary. (1991)
I remember well the jeep ride and the Chart House meal we shared
And the sights we saw out on the balcony.
The years began to pass and our kids began to grow
And we began to feel that Raleigh wasn’t home.
A church in Durham called us to come and pastor youth
And we sensed that that’s where God would have us go. (1993)
Ridgecrest is a church that became our family
And we’ve made a lot of friends along the way.
We really didn’t think that we would be here very long
But now we think that this is where we’ll stay.
And what about the time when we were in the Holy Land (1995)
And we stopped in Cairo, Egypt on the way.
We got to see the pyramids and walk along the Nile
And we got to take a camel ride that day.
I still remember well back in 1996 (1996)
When Greg and I both pulled our big surprise
We had a lot of fun together and with friends
As we experienced a special Valentine’s.
We spend a lot of time with your sisters and your folks
And we had some nice vacations at the coast.
Hanging with cousins, playing golf, and taking naps
Are the things I think that I’ll recall the most.
Your Mom got sick and died in a sudden kind of way (1998)
And your Daddy’s death was lingering and slow. (2003)
And even though you knew that they both belonged to God
It still was very tough to let them go.
When we were married 20 years we finally took a cruise (2001)
Do you recall the poem that I wrote?
We’d had a great vacation before we’d yet set sail
But we still had fun once we were afloat
Two years later we took another cruise (2003)
And enjoyed it with extended family.
We swam with sting rays in the Caymans and we snorked in Cozumel
But I’m not sure Scott enjoyed the time at sea.
With our kids all getting older and expenses on the rise
We decided you should work for a few years. (2004)
Now we both can say that we have used our school degrees
And we both have had professional careers.
From Mountain Top to Ecuador and also Pennsylvania
Trinidad, Alaska , and Botswana.
The mission trips that we have had a chance to do together
Are memories that I am very fond of.
And then the other getaways that we take when we can
Have created times that we’ll always remember
We’ve had fun in Cancun, Virginia Beach, and Emerald Isle
In Ashville, and in Gatlinburg last summer.
We are fresh back from Chicago and the Hyatt Regency
Where we enjoyed a conference getaway.
We got to see the lakeshore and the Mag Mile and the parks
While we learned stuff from the NACBA.
With Christy up at App and Scott at Carolina (2006)
It seems like life has really gone by fast.
I’m thankful all the memories that we have made so far
Are the kinds of memories we know will last.
So here we are tonight 25 years down the road
I’m thankful I have you to share this life.
If I had to choose again a woman as my bride
I, Shay, would take you, Linda, as my wife.