The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance (Psalm 16:6 NIV).

On a hot Sunday in August, 1964, at the age of 13, I would certainly have laughed if anyone had suggested that I would be introduced to my future husband that day. Two of my sisters and I had joined many other groups, including the Townsend Quartet, to take part in my church’s Music Day–an annual tradition. Donn Townsend, the nephew of our pastor whose father was a member of the Townsend Quartet, had accompanied his family to Music Day, as was their custom. I’m sure that he also would have been less than believing if anyone had suggested that the 13-year-old to whom he would be introduced would be his future wife!

Donn was 16 years old, and I can’t imagine what attracted him to someone three years younger, but attracted he was. When I reminded him recently that he had winked at me that day, not only did he remember winking, he was also able to tell me precisely where I’d been sitting and what he’d been doing when he winked!

It seems absolutely fitting and proper that Donn and I would meet at a Music Day since music has played such an important part in our lives all along the way. Little did we know that together, we would write songs, do concerts, lead worship, and sing simply for the joy of praising our Savior. Although we were unaware of it, our boundary lines had, indeed, fallen in pleasant places as God brought our lives together that music-filled day.

Heavenly Father, how amazing that you are at work behind the scenes working out your plans for our lives, even when we are completely unaware. Amen.

(Unbelievably, this picture of the Oak Grove Mennonite Church showed up on the cover of the newsletter of our current church, picked randomly from a website by the editor!)

Photos: #1 Donn and me on prom night my senior year; #2 My 9th grade school picture in a dress I made in Home Ec; #3 l to r Ruth Anne, me, Judy on the album cover of That Is Why I Sing, the record my sisters and I made; #4 Donn’s 11th grade school picture; #5 Oak Grove Mennonite Church, Grantsville, Maryland, where I attended for many years.

(Devotional from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leanna’s Books, Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445 or donaisy@neo.rr.com.)