Stead 50th Anniversary - When Two Agree
When Dean Stead looked at Janet Knight in 1958, he saw a beautiful young woman, with pretty eyes, attractive personality, and a sparkle when she looked at him.
When Jan looked at Dean, she saw a strong young man, quiet but funny, a man who had character, intelligence and an admirable work ethic.
As Dean considered a life without Jan, he decided he wanted her to marry him, and Jan agreed.
Dean and Jan began to lay the foundation in their first year for what would be a journey of more than fifty years of love, commitment and occasional threats of homicide. And it is funny how when one loved the other – they agreed. When one was angry at the other – there was agreement. But when a solution was dreamed up for reconciliation – again they would agree. And neither one has killed the other. Yet.
Sometime soon a tiny little red-headed princess was born who would later become the wife of an extremely handsome prince. But that is another story.
The little princess was the beginning of their family. Dean was a father! And when other people would see him hold her, they would say he was a good father. And Jan would agree.
Jan was very busy with the princess. The little girl they named Julianne provided the need for a work of love. You know how it was: diaper changes, bottles and baths and, well, people said Jan was very good with her little girl. And Dean agreed.
In no time at all it seems, a little sister, whom they named Janelle, was born and the two girls grew to be best friends for life. God knew that this was a special little family, and Dean and Jan agreed.
A few years later, Dean suggested there was way too much pink in the house and wondered what to do about it. Jan wasn’t all that disappointed with the color pink. They had a frightful argument and then they made up and then Mike was born. Dean thought they should paint up a room in blue, get some Yellow Tonka trucks, and start buying little plastic saws and hammers. Jan agreed, but thought Dean was a little old to be playing with plastic saws and hammers when he thought no one was looking.
Sometimes when life is flying by, you don’t know what you have because you are so busy living that you don’t have time to think.
While some couples were giving up on their marriages, Dean and Jan remembered their love for each other and their commitment before God and worked through problems.
When some men took business trips and left their families at home, Dean packed up his family and included them in his business trips.
When some people decided it was easier to stay in bed on Sundays then to get three kids ready for church, Dean and Jan exuded self-discipline… and exuded it right to their kids if they didn’t want to get up either!
When some men jumped from job to job looking for the job that was just right for them, Dean remained Steadfast and reliable, proving his value to those who had authority over him. Jan knew what his bosses thought of him, and she agreed.
When the kids were older and Jan had the opportunity to begin a career in nursing, she pursued her new career with the same careful, thorough qualities that made her such a good wife and mother. She served other women daily, developing lifelong friendships and gaining the respect of uncounted patients. When they meet in public, the patients express their admiration and respect for the way Jan performed her responsibilities. And Dean would agree.
As the years of raising children came to a close, these two knew that it was not a time to relax. While raising kids is the highest of priorities in God’s eyes, Dean and Jan knew that they would now be able to serve him in other ways. They had more family to help. That family was their church family, and they approached the needs of their church family with the same sense of love and responsibility that they had shown in every other area of their lives. They looked at each other, they looked at the need, and they agreed.
With retirement came travel and a wider group of friends. Not that the friends were wider... let’s say an expanding… no let’s not say that either. Let’s say they were able to meet, serve and enjoy many new people as they traveled around the countryside, pulling their 5th wheel with the most reliable trucks on the planet. Fords.
So here we are. 1958 to 2008. Fifty years of promise-keeping. Promises like: I will love you in good times and bad. I will love you when you are unlovable and I will love you when you make me happy. I will love you when I need sleep and your coughing keeps me awake at night. I will love you when I am sick, and you bring me food and medicine and watch over me. I will love you when I want to sit and read, but you want to go out someplace. I will love you when you surprise me with a thoughtful gift. I will love you when I worked hours to prepare a meal for you, but your mind is on something else and I will love you when I am just doing what God has given me the responsibility to do, but you thank me anyway. I will love you when I sweat through a project only to find you don’t like it as well as I thought you would. And I will love you when I throw something together at the last minute and you act amazed at my abilities.
And I will love you gladly. Because love isn’t about me, it is about you…. As I am sure you would agree.
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