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Our Song
In June 1953, I joyfully entered the chapel at Lake
Junaluska, North Carolina, where the youth group
was having the first Sunday afternoon meeting of
the summer. I stopped abruptly. Turning to my friend
Betty Anne, I mumbled angrily, "Oh, no, not Woody
Adams again!" There he was, sitting down in front.
She knew exactly what I meant. Last summer, I had
dated a boy " named Bill until his friend Woody
Adams showed up. Woody had been the perfect excuse
for Bill to forget me and "join the boys." I had
continued to pursue Bill: I baked homemade cookies
and took them to the place , he worked. When he
was "too busy" to see me, I left the cookies at
the desk. I walked in all of our old familiar places,
hoping to see him. One quiet afternoon as I walked
by the lake I saw a boy sitting on top of the
double-decker sightseeing boat. Thrilled to find
Bill alone, I hurried toward him. But when I reached
the boat, I saw that it wasn't Bill at all, but
his friend, Woody Adams. His broad smile startled
me. "Do you know where Bill is?" I asked. I walked
away at his negative reply. For the remaining
weeks of that summer, I never changed my mind
about Woody Adams - he was a pest. Now here he
was again. I sat at the back of the chapel with
Betty Anne, determined to avoid him. A week later
there was a talent show with youth from different
work areas around the lake. After some crazy skits,
dances and music, everyone was better acquainted.
There was only one person who was getting my attention,
however -Woody Adams, master of ceremonies. As
I watched him M.C. the program, my feelings about
him,changed. The "pest" began to look very interesting.
The final song did it: Cupid's arrow found me with
a thunk! As Woody sang the closing song, "Too Young,"
his rich baritone found a home in my heart. When
it was over and everyone was leaving, my one objective
was to say something to Woody. Something nice. I
spent the entire program planning my exit sentence.
"Woody, I sure am glad I like you this summer,"
I called out. Then I left.
The very next morning while I was working, Woody
joined me. "Lucy," he said, "you mean you didn't
like me last summer?" We began to talk. Hours
moved into days and we were still talking. I liked
his honesty, kindness, understanding, and lots
of other qualities. His hair, bleached by the
sun, was very light against his dark tan. I liked
that, too. Suddenly all the other boys seemed
uninteresting. Bill was but a memory.
I had made a prior date with a boy named Ray, however,
and I felt I needed to keep it. We went to the local
hangout and danced to the jukebox. Woody was there,
too. He came over and asked to dance with me. The
song that was playing was "Too Young." We were in
our own world. We whispered about dancing right
out the screen door into the dark of the night.
But at the end of the dance, Woody returned me to
Ray.
When Ray walked me back to my hotel, I told
him I'd not see him anymore. "I've met the boy
I'm going to marry," I said. "His name is Woody."
Ray's laugh echoed across the lake as he replied,
"You've only known him a few weeks. How can you
be so sure?" I had no reply. I didn't know why
or how I knew. I just did. One day I would be
Mrs. Woodward A. Adams,Jr. Our summer romance
that began in 1953 has had no ending. At college
we saw each other almost every weekend; during
the summers, we eagerly returned to our jobs at
Lake Junaluska where we were together every day.
Finally, I walked down the aisle as Woody's bride
in the very chapel where I had once said, "Oh,
no! Not Woody Adams again!"
I joined him at the altar where his father, a minister,
spoke the words and prayed the prayers that united
us as man and wife. We believe that , God brought
us together and has kept us growing in our marriage.
Our hearts are warmed when we think of those sacred
vows spoken so long ago." Through the years, we
have shared our love story in word and song. Woody
opens it by singing "Too Young." On the last line
I join him in harmony as we sing, "We were not too
young at all."
Lucy
Adams was a Cookeville writer. Her recent
book 52 HYMN STORY DEVOTIONS was published by
Abingdon Press. Her husband, Woody, is a former
pastor of 1st United Methodist Church of Cookeville,
TN from 1995-2000. They moved to Lake Junaluska,
NC that year. One morning, while Woody was walking
around the lake, he was inspired to write the
following devotional for The
Upper Room magazine.
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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Safely Back Home
- Read John 14:1-7
Jesus said to [Thomas], "I am the
way, and the truth, and the life."
-John 14:6 (NRSV)
WHEN I began my morning walk around the
lake, I noticed that the fog was unusually
heavy. I could hardly see 10 feet in front
of me. When the weather is clear, I can
see buildings and homes and the sparkling
waters of the lake. None of this was visible
on this morning.
When I arrived on the opposite side of the
lake, I looked out into the fog toward my
home across the water. I could not see it,
but I still knew it was there. I also knew
that if I followed the walking path, I would
arrive safely back home.
In our Christian walk, sometimes the hurts,
fears, and frustrations of life are like
that heavy fog. We cannot see our way clearly.
But if we follow the path our Lord has laid
out for us, we will arrive safely at our
destination, a destination that brings healing
and peace and joy.
And at the end of this life's walk, we are
assured that Christ has prepared an eternal
home for us where we will see him face to
face. The fog will be lifted forever.
Woody A. Adams (North Carolina, U.S.A.)
Prayer
O God, we thank you that in Jesus Christ
we discover "the way, the truth, and
the life." Amen.
Thought for the day
Following the path God lays out will always
lead us home.
Prayer Focus
Those searching for "the way home"
This meditation originally
published for use on (8/2/06) is reprinted
from The Upper Room magazine, copyright
(year) by The Upper Room, Inc., P.O. Box
340004, Nashville, TN Â 37203-0004,
and is used by permission of the publisher.
Permission is required for all additional
copying or use of this material. For information
about Upper Room ministries and publications,
please visit our website (www.upperroom.org)."
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You may purchase Lucy's book at:
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