35 YEARS AND COUNTING

Hello LOVEBIRDS...what were you doing back in 1968. I was popping pimples...emerging from my cocoon...just starting to play in a band called the BLIND DISTORTION...and just beginning my journey with a good little Baptist girl named BRENDA SUE WILLIAMS.

I was a shy...131 pound...bespectacled...greasy haired kid...she was a vision of loveliness who decided that she would show mercy and pity to me...RODNEY LEWIS BOYD.

The couple pictured in this photo is Bruce (the lead singer in the Blind Distortion)...and Debbie (his girlfriend...and Brenda's best friend). It was our first official double date...to Central High School (at that time the only high school in Murfeesboro) Homecoming Dance.

Bruce and the boys in the band were trying to draw me out of my shy shell...and got Debbie to invite Brenda to one of the band practices that we were having. We were in a garage off of Jones Blvd. in Murfreesboro TN. It was a Sunday afternoon...when Debbie and Brenda arrived...but all I could see was a vision...as stated before...of loveliness. I was immediately smitten...but it was not recipricol. As memory serves me...I beleive she liked the lead guitar player...Dan.

The boys in the band...urged me to give her a call...so I did that night. Remember it was Sunday. I called...her mother answered...and informed me that she was at church. Hmmmm. I called again on Wednesday night (it took me that long to get up my courage). I called up...again her mother answered the phone...and informed me that she was at church. Dan (the lead guitar player) looked at me and said and expletative deleted ...#@!*&...are you trying to date a %$2*& Missionary? I was not sure...but I sure new that I wanted to go out with her. Perseverence pays off...and I finally got a hold of her and she agreed to go to the homecoming dance with me. We met for an official first date at Sir Pizza (Bruce's fathere owned it at that time..and that was THE place to go see and be seen). We ordered a large MUSHROOM PIZZA. At that time...I had never had a mushroom...but she liked them. We were so nervous that we ate a couple of slices and left the rest.

The homecoming dance was the first in a series of dances...which is a miracle in itself since...I have two left feet....BUT it was not the music, it was not dancing, it was not even the socializing...it was being with Brenda that made it great.

We double dated that night with Bruce and Debbie. Bruce was like Will Smith and I was like Kevin James in the movie HITCH. He was trying to help me out of my shy shell...and devised a plan where I could talk. To initiate the conversation...he figured out that I knew everything that there was to know about the controversy of PAUL MCCARNTEY being DEAD. I knew all of the clues on the albums...so we planted a bunch of albums in the back seat...and at the opportune time...Bruce said, "Rodney...why don't you tell us about the Paul McCartney clues." I reached around and picked up a handful of albums, and said..."I happen to have some albums here." I then proceded to expound upon all of the various mysterious clues.

Brenda...was like an animal caught in a trap....counting down the minutes to when the homecoming dance would be OVER.

Fast forward to July 14th, 1972. A lot transpired between 1968 and 1972...and that story is for another time...another place.

Friday night...6:30...She said I Do...I said I Do...and we Did. We got married at 6:30...because tradition said it you get married on the hour...you would start your marriage on the downswing of the clock... and you want to start on the upswing.

In 35 years...we have had joy...sorrow...happy times...sad times...angry times...blissful times...arguing and fighting...making up and loving.

You may wonder what the secret is to our 35 years of marriage. Here are the TOP TEN REASONS WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 35 YEARS.

#10 I'm a funny man...and I can still make her laugh.
# 9 I am instructed in the ways of amour.
# 8 We followed the advice of Billy Graham's wife...Ruth. She never thought about the word DIVORCE in their marriage...she thought about the word MURDER a few times... but never DIVORCE. We determined at the onset that we were in for the long haul.
# 7 When we got married...we literally left our fathers and mothers...and created a life for our own.
# 6 We spent a lot of time together...doing things we liked to do...together...not just what we indiviually liked to do.
# 5 We learned the FORGIVENESS PRINCIPLE...and learned how to yield our right to be right.
# 4 PHILLIP STEPHEN BOYD came into our lives in 1989. 19 years married...and a new adventure.
# 3 I became a Christian in 1970...when Brenda led me to the Lord in her driveway.
# 2 We built our marriage, house and home on a FIRM FOUNDATION:

Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house...they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city...the watchman keeps awake in vain." NOTE: When we got married...there were 6 other couples who also got married around the same time...and out of the 6 one or two are still married...and one of those has been married multiple times. We are still standing...by the GRACE OF GOD.

Joshua 24:15 "...but as for me and my house...we WILL SERVE THE LORD." NOTE: It's a declaration of choice that we made 35 years ago. It was the right choice.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED TOGETHER FOR 35 YEARS...

IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM BABY...IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM.

Well...that is a thumbnail sketch of our marriage. Are we the perfect married couple. NO! Do we make mistakes. YES! We have this crazy little thing called LOVE.


HAPPY ANNIVERSAY HONEY...won't you BEE mine?







Love and Blissful Kisses
Rod "35 and Counting" Boyd







Love and