A Valentine Story


A Valentine Story

When I graduated from seminary at the ripe age of 25, I was single and decided I was not going to date anyone in college.  I had a Master’s Degree.  Anyone I was going to date needed to have graduated, be working, and have some real life experience. Our God is a wonderful God who laughs at our pronouncements.
            I soon moved to Malvern, Arkansas to start at my first church.  First Presbyterian provide a nice 2600 square foot, newly renovated manse.  My parents came up from Lake Charles, Louisiana to help me get moved in.  One afternoon, Mom came in and said “Hey Clay, there is a nice young lady out there with her dad. They are trimming bushes and putting the branches in the back of a pickup truck. Do you know her?”  I went to see who it was, and it was Crysta Gillespie.  I told Mom, “Yes, that’s Crystie and her dad Roland.  They are members of the church. Oh, and she has a boyfriend.”  I also knew she was a college student.  Two strikes against her.  Yet, I was impressed with her working in the yard with her dad.
            A few weeks later, Cindy Gage, Crysta’s sister and chair of Christian Education as a session member, asked if I could do a Vacation Bible School.  She knew we were already into summer but if we could do something for only a couple of days, that would be great.  She also said, “My little sister Crystie can help.  She’s in college and not doing anything this summer.”  I said yes to having a VBS, thinking we could take the kids to nearby state parks or possible up to Little Rock.  Crysta and I got together and planned these trips.  I must say that Crysta had just returned from the Bahamas and had an amazing tan. (Not that I was noticing.)  We had fun on those outings with the kids, all went well, and I thought she is really good at planning trips.
            About a month later, Cindy and her husband Bruce pull up at the manse and invite me to go watch Crysta play softball.  Crysta was an all-star softball pitcher.  I said yes.  These are members of my church and they have invited me to their family activities. I should go. Crysta pitched a good game, though I don’t remember who won. I thought hmmm, she is an athlete.
            In October, I announced to the choir that I was going to Hot Springs to Octoberfest to celebrate my birthday.  Any and all were invited to come.  We could ride together or meet there.  The only person in the choir who asked to ride with me was Crysta.  I picked her up, drove to Hot Springs, and we spent the evening talking and dancing together.  There was another couple there from the church, but we didn’t really see them very much.  We waltzed and polkaed and two-stepped, important skills I learned at Texas A&M.  I really had a good time. Was this a date? What about the boyfriend?  What about my rule about not dating college students?  It seemed pretty silly when I was with Crysta.
            Every weekend for the next month Crysta and I spent together.  She would invite me.  I would invite her. I wanted to spend time with her.  We had great times together. Since her parent’s home was only a couple of blocks from the manse, I managed to drop by frequently during the week.  As a pastor, I needed to regularly visit members of the church. Besides, her parents were always so welcoming and would even feed me.
            I was definitely having feelings for this college student, member of my church.  I wanted to spend time with her.  What was that rule about not dating anyone in college?  By November, I had set it aside.  Why did I think it was a good idea?  By our first Valentine's Day in 1987, we were engaged.
            Yesterday Crysta and I celebrated our 33rd Valentine together.  God has richly blessed us in so many ways, especially with one another. And God continues to laugh at my pronouncements about what I’m going to do or not do.

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