Reed and I had what you might call a cheap honeymoon. We both went to Bible college in Oregon, fell in love there, ran out of tuition money there, dropped out and got jobs there, so were living in Salem before, and for two months after, our marriage. But our roots, families and hearts were in Montana so like faithful, but religious, salmon we returned there to wed and spawn. We spent the first four days of our marriage in a cabin friends had thoughtfully provided with everything--but plumbing. After a few days without a shower I felt more like a dusty bride than a blushing bride, so we came back early and stayed in my folk's basement until we headed for that haven of honeymoon happiness--Helena. Actually, we went to Helena because we were planning to move there in the fall so Reed could go to aircraft school and we needed to find a place to live. We bought a trailer (too old and cheap even then to be called a mobile home) and spent that one night of our honeymoon in a nice, $60 hotel. That night ate up half our honeymoon budget.
The cheap honeymoon was in keeping with our low budget wedding, impoverished college student courtship and frugal upbringing. It was a matching set. But I have to admit I was envious when some of our newlywed friends described their over $120 honeymoons. For years I felt a little ripped off. Not anymore. In the past 16 years since Reed got his corporate aviation job, we have probably had 120 nights at nice hotels in places even more exotic than Helena. What God provided is as far from the wistful travel dreams of a Missoula motel maid, as Montana is from England. Yes, I've been there too. In 2003 Reed gave me a journal to record our travels, it is nearly full now. By faith, I have bought another to record the dozens of honeymoons to come. What I did not understand about God on our first honeymoon is that every time He has withheld a blessing from me, it has been because He wanted to give me something better--in this case, a husband who still makes me feel like a newlywed, 100 honeymoons and many happy returns.
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