“You’ll Never Walk Alone”<\/p>\n
<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Listen to “The Proposal”<\/p>\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-835-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Annes-2.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Annes-2.mp3\">https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Annes-2.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<hr \/>\n<p>The glittering gifts around the tree, the smell of pine and holly and persimmon cookies, the Christmas records on the hi-fi, and the pitter-patter of gentle rain all added to the cozy togetherness as Bob and Sandra and Julie and Allen basked in the warmth of the cheery fireplace. Kenny had gone to bed and Peter was reading to him, and the grownups were in the kitchen making popcorn. Snuggled up close to Bob, Sandra could see Allen and Julie, lively but serious, young and foolish and sentimental, yet sincerely Christian. But now Sandra gave her full attention to Bob.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love you <em>so <\/em>much, babe doll,\u201d he was whispering, not loud enough for anyone else, except for Allen and Julie\u2014if they had been listening\u2014to hear. \u201cPrincess,\u201d he murmured, \u201cwon\u2019t it be wonderful when we get married! Just like Don and Betty…\u201d He went on, but the words \u201cwhen we get married\u201d rang through Sandra\u2019s mind. To be a minister\u2019s wife\u2014that was her dream! Bob was a junior in college now; only three short years more. And it could be less, since the denomination needed young ministers so much. He would make a good pastor, one of the best, there was no doubt about it. Sandra recalled those summer nights she had spent with Bob in her family\u2019s garage, studying the Bible and prophecy. He had explained everything so clearly, yet with tact and love.<\/p>\n<p>But to be a \u201cMrs.\u201d so soon, or even engaged! Even now Bob was saying, \u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, honey, and remember our promise.\u201d Sandra remembered. On the day Bob left for college they had agreed that if they still felt the same way about each other, and especially if they had dated others\u2014which they both had done\u2014well, what was left but engagement?<\/p>\n<p>Now Sandra and Bob sat in silence, but she could feel his searching eyes wanting to look deep into her heart. He loved her\u2014she knew that\u2014but why must she answer now? If Daddy ever knew, he would kill her!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTomorrow, Princess,\u201d Bob whispered in a way that almost melted her\u2014but not quite. Then Bob called to Allen, \u201cHey, fellow, it\u2019s getting late. I guess we\u2019d better take our girls home soon.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And so, after the boys each placed his gift, with instructions to not open until Christmas morning, into the respective hands of the delighted girls, they escorted them home in the usual manner. But Sandra could not quickly fall asleep.<\/p>\n<p>Surely God meant for them to be together. No one else in either his or her life had supplied such a feeling of completeness. No other boy had made Christ seem so real and personal to her, had given her incentive to study her often dust-covered Bible, and had generated the deepening desire to be a minister\u2019s\u2014an evangelist\u2019s\u2014wife. No other girl had been quite like Sandra to Bob, had inspired him to go back to college, or had been such a cheerful, sympathetic, and loving source of inspiration. Yes, miracles had happened and were happening.<\/p>\n<p>The thought of marrying Bob was wonderful, but that would be a long time away. But being engaged! And tomorrow! She knew Bob would not force an answer, but the anxiousness in his eyes, the half-hidden hurt in his voice would be even worse….<\/p>\n<p>Christmas morning dawned, typically southern Californian, clear and sunny. But even with Sandra\u2019s sunny spirit, Christmas could not be quite the same at the Lee household. With Dorothy Lee in a coma, the silent walls and the strange emptiness of the lonely house were almost unbearable. Yet, they had put the cheery Christmas tree up as usual by the window in the living room. Now Sandra and Harry would spend Christmas day at Macintoshes.<\/p>\n<p>With the kindness of Pastor Macintosh, Mr. Lee had accepted calmly the saddening experience concerning the one he loved so dearly. She had been a wonderful wife and mother. Eighteen-year-old Sandra was the living proof of that. Harry, like Sandra, now had the calm assurance of being reunited\u2014someday….<\/p>\n<p>Julie\u2019s cousin Sue came to spend the rest of the vacation week, so Sue and Julie, Allen, Peter, Sandra, and Bob spent most of the afternoon at Macintoshes\u2019 playing with Peter\u2019s new game, helping with Christmas dinner, listening to Bob play his guitar, or just talking around the fireplace. They had exchanged presents in love\u2014a homemade shirt, a vest, stuffed animals, lovely black gloves and purse.<\/p>\n<p>Later that evening Sandra found herself in an overstuffed chair with Bob on his knees by the chair and Sandra\u2019s hand in his own\u2014a pretty eighteenth-century picture of a perfect proposal!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSandra,\u201d he said, \u201cwe\u2019ve known each other quite a while now. And don\u2019t you think it\u2019s about time\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTime?\u201d she said with a mischievous sparkle. \u201cOh, I believe the time is 9:43.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, uh, what I mean is, uh…\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, I agree, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUh, look, honey, we love each other…don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sandra\u2019s mock seriousness changed to the old familiar smile as she nodded, then quickly changed back again with a nonchalant, \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, what I\u2019m trying to say is…\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, are you trying to <em>say <\/em>something?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSandra,\u201d\u2014dramatic silence\u2014 \u201cwill you marry me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sandra, trying harder than ever to keep a straight face, held out a dangling hand on a stiffened outstretched arm. \u201cKiss me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With graceful elegance, he pressed his lips against her hand. \u201cSandra Anne Lee, my dear\u201d\u2014with more and more drama\u2014 \u201c<em>will <\/em>you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She looked blankly at him for a moment and then at her audience. \u201cWell, folks, stay tuned again next year, same time, same station.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The other kids could hold back the laughter no longer. It was all so ridiculously funny. To everyone, including Bob and Sandra, it was a great show. But down deep inside, Sandra knew that Bob really meant what he said, every syllable.<\/p>\n<p>< <a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/?page_id=833\">Christmas Eve<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/?page_id=837\">The Valentine<\/a> ><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<ul class=\"su-siblings\"><li class=\"page_item page-item-833\"><a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/?page_id=833\">Christmas Eve<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-837\"><a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/?page_id=837\">The Valentine<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"default-menu\"><a href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/\" title=\"Menu\">Menu<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>“You’ll Never Walk Alone” Listen to “The Proposal” The glittering gifts around the tree, the smell of pine and holly and persimmon cookies, the Christmas records on the hi-fi, and <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/?page_id=835\">Continue Reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":794,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-835","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=835"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1014,"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/835\/revisions\/1014"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riverdale.lemi-hegarty.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}