| John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He…” |
The year was most likely 1974 or ’75. I was nineteen or twenty. I saw an advertisement at our church for a “Marriage Enrichment Seminar” conducted by Paul Faulkner and Carl Brecheen at a church in Midwest City (or Del City). I wanted to go. I don’t know why. I wasn’t dating anyone. But I wanted to learn something for the future, in case I ever did marry. What I heard there from Paul Faulkner changed my life for the better, most of it about communicating feelings. But today, another thing he said came roaring back, some fifty years after I first heard it. Paul told how he spent a day with his wife. They had been married for many years. He took her to Dallas to Neiman Marcus Fortnight. All day, he went with her wherever she wanted to go and shopped with her, ate with her. It was all about her. I listened and soaked it all in. He gave himself to her. I tried to learn something from that. Yes, I was a naive young man and inexperienced at “women”, but I didn’t let that stop me from getting an education. After all, I had 3 brothers and zero sisters. Good thing I had a mother, or I would be totally ignorant of the fairer sex. Our dogs were even males. Fast forward to 2024. I asked my wife if she could book me for the whole day on Saturday, February 17. My plan was for us to celebrate Valentine’s Day, all day. I told her to plan on breakfast at a restaurant, afterwards we would wander through H.E.B. grocery, a wow! store. Then maybe a matinee movie, and finally dinner at TEXAS!, the best restaurant around, in my opinion. It is owned and managed by Dale Wamstad. The service is unbeatable. She eagerly agreed to my proposition. We had breakfast at Southern Recipe in Plano (her suggestion), then we went to North Park Mall to find a pair of shoes for me for my birthday (her idea). We found a pair at Dillard’s. Then she asked if we could go to Half Price Books, which we did. There is a giant store on Northwest Highway. We spent an hour there. She bought a few items. I found some titles that I might read at a later time. From there we went to get gas at Kroger. I used our fuel points to get twenty cents off each gallon. Saved $2.20 on the tank. Next we went to H.E.B. in Plano and enjoyed just wandering through the store. My suggestion was to do it without a cart (just looking) but she looked at me like I had green worms crawling out of my nostrils and ears. So, we pushed a cart (her idea), and ended up buying some things we couldn’t live without. Then we stopped by our grandchildren’s house to drop off Horton the Who with his little hole sewed up. Milo was concerned about him. I could relate. When I was his age, I had a Cecil the seasick serpent stuffed animal. He developed a tear in his stitching under his chin. I was worried about my friend having his life shortened by that flaw. We hurried home after that to change clothes for dinner. I wanted to wear a suit and tie (top drawer stuff) and she put on a dress. We made it to the restaurant at 5 PM sharp, and settled in to steak and trout. Good food and the best of service. Next stop home, where we sat on the couch and watched “Moonstruck” together on Pluto for free. I flossed my teeth while we watched. The life of an old married couple. It struck me the next day. What Paul Faulkner had done that day 50 years ago, and what he repeated to me (in an audience of 1,000 or so), I had just replicated with my wife. What I heard, I retained, and not only retained, I executed it just as he had done. Thank you Paul Faulkner, for changing the world one person at a time. My wife thanks you too. Father in heaven, thank You for our mentors, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Jeff Beall
