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Honeymoon

Austin Gardner • August 13, 2022

the most relaxed I had ever been in my life

versión en español a continuación


We were married now, and that seemed just perfectly normal to me. You would never understand how comfortable I felt with Betty. The happiest feeling of my entire life. We returned to "our" apartment to change out of wedding clothes and head to our honeymoon in the Smoky Mountains.


No actual plans, but I had nearly $2,000 in my pocket. Get the perspective; our first two-bedroom duplex costs us $85 a month, regular gas 30 cents a gallon, and a loaf of bread for 17 cents. 


My summertime job at Dupont, making about $4 an hour, had set me up for our marriage and honeymoon. I was a "rich redneck." I could fill up my gas tank with about an hour's wage.


Betty and I, now newlyweds, left Rome, Georgia, after the wedding at about 8 pm and headed to the Smoky Mountains. An unbelievable dream come true, but best friends are married now.


Ok, now is the time to get embarrassed again. I had no plans. Betty knew that. I do not understand why she went along with everything so well. We drove about 30 minutes to Calhoun, Georgia, where we could get on Interstate 75 North.


Ok, you will not believe this, but I told Betty I was tired. Luckily she agreed. We pulled over to a Holiday Inn on Interstate 75 in Calhoun, Georgia. Fearfully and shamefully, I entered to register for our room. I was an 18-year-old kid. I was about to get a room with a girl. 


Remember, I am COUNTRY, but I am a born-again missionary want to be. I dangled my ring finger very obviously and clearly for the clerk to see as I asked for a room. I paid the $25 or so in cash. 


We were in our first room together by a little after 9 pm on Saturday. Would you like to talk about living the dream?


Betty had gotten me an expensive Thompson Chain Reference Bible with an excellent gold clip book marker as a wedding night gift. 


My mother had gotten wind of Betty's gift, and so trying to save me from more embarrassment, mom gave me a pair of multicolored, hand-knitted slippers to give to Betty. Can you see that she gives me an expensive Bible, and I give her handmade woven slippers? Oh boy!


I was the "great Christian!" I wanted to start right. We had devotions. Now prepare yourself for a hearty laugh. I read Proverbs 31 to Betty. You know she needed to know how to be a good wife. Can you believe it? How backward and dumb can you be?


At about 1 pm, we got up and went to Waffle House and purchased a couple of hamburgers and french fries. I ate it in our room. Betty supposedly didn't want anything. She just sat there watching me eat. 


We decided we didn't want to go anywhere, so we drove back to Rome, Georgia, to our apartment. We then locked ourselves in for the next week. 


We skipped church that Sunday AM, which was something I never did before. Uh oh, Betty, where are you leading me now, haha? That night we returned to a friend's church. Everyone was shocked to see the newlyweds. We were asked embarrassing questions. 


We didn't see or talk to anyone. It was just us two living the dream. 


I was the most relaxed I had ever been in my life. I didn't feel like I had to live up to anything. I felt "totally" accepted and loved. I will never forget what I felt just looking at my beautiful wife and knowing. We were together for life. 


Marriage is the most beautiful blessing God gives us as His children after salvation. I am so happy God allowed us to marry, but I needed a mentor. This will always be a theme of my stories. I wanted to do right. I tried to do right, but I often didn't know what I was supposed to do. I had been given basic discipleship, but no one explained so much of life.


No one told our parents either. They lived through it, so they thought we would be fine. Yet God shows you that we are to teach and help others. Iron sharpens iron. There are excellent blessings from much counsel. 


I wish that I had known better than to preach to Betty. I don't know who I was or what I thought that made me so arrogant. 


Get the whole story


Betty, the love of my life

The Call

Hay Day of my Life

"The bro zone!" Like a brother

A Giant Heart

The tractor ride

Never Really Dated!

Shocked & Surprised

Good News

Finding an acorn

Scared my dad!

Who's chasing who?

Betty meets my grandmother

The longest summer ever

Reckless Redneck


Ahora estábamos casados, y eso me parecía perfectamente normal. Nunca entenderías lo cómodo que me sentía con Betty. La sensación más feliz de toda mi vida. Regresamos a "nuestro" apartamento para cambiarnos la ropa de boda y dirigirnos a nuestra luna de miel en las Smokey Mountains.


No tenía planes reales, pero tenía casi $2,000 en mi bolsillo. Agarra la perspectiva; nuestro primer dúplex de dos habitaciones nos costó $85 al mes, la gasolina normal a 30 centavos el galón y un molde de pan a 17 centavos.


Mi trabajo de verano en Dupont, ganando alrededor de $ 4 por hora, me había preparado para nuestro matrimonio y luna de miel. Yo era un "campesino rico". Podría llenar mi tanque de gasolina con el salario de una hora.


Betty y yo, ahora recién casados, salimos de Rome, Georgia, después de la boda alrededor de las 8 pm y nos dirigimos a las Smokey Mountains. Un sueño increíble hecho realidad, pero los mejores amigos están casados ​​ahora.


Ok, ahora es el momento de avergonzarme de nuevo. No tenía planes. Betty lo sabía. No entiendo por qué se dejó llevar tan bien con todo. Condujimos unos 30 minutos hasta Calhoun, Georgia, donde pudimos llegar a la carretera interestatal 75 norte.


Ok, no vas a creer esto, pero le dije a Betty que estaba cansado. Por suerte ella estuvo de acuerdo. Nos detuvimos en un Holiday Inn en la Interestatal 75 en Calhoun, Georgia. Con miedo y vergüenza, entré para registrarme en nuestra habitación. Yo era un chico de 18 años. Estaba a punto de conseguir una habitación con una chica.


Recuerda, soy CAMPESINO, pero quiero ser un misionero nacido de nuevo. Colgué mi dedo anular de manera muy obvia y clara para que el empleado lo viera mientras pedía una habitación. Pagué los $25 más o menos en efectivo.


Estábamos juntos en nuestra primera habitación poco después de las 9:00 p. m. del sábado. ¿Te gustaría hablar de vivir el sueño?


Betty me había comprado una costosa Biblia Thompson Chain Reference con un excelente marcador dorado para libros como regalo para la noche de bodas.


Mi madre se había enterado del regalo de Betty y, para evitarme más vergüenza, me dio un par de pantuflas multicolores tejidas a mano para dárselas a Betty. ¿Puedes ver que ella me da una biblia cara y yo le doy pantuflas tejidas a mano? ¡Ayy Señor!


¡Yo era el "gran cristiano!" Quería empezar bien. Hicimos un devocional. Ahora prepárate para una carcajada. Le leí Proverbios 31 a Betty. Sabes que ella necesitaba saber cómo ser una buena esposa. ¿Puedes creerlo? ¿Qué tan atrasado y tonto puedes ser?


Aproximadamente a la 1 pm, nos levantamos y fuimos a Waffle House y compramos un par de hamburguesas y papas fritas. Lo comí en nuestra habitación. Betty supuestamente no quería nada. Ella solo se sentó allí mirándome comer.


Decidimos que no queríamos ir a ningún lado, así que regresamos a Rome, Georgia, a nuestro departamento. Luego nos encerramos durante la próxima semana.


Nos faltamos a la iglesia ese domingo por la mañana, algo que nunca había hecho antes. Ay, ay, ay, Betty, ¿adónde me llevas ahora, jaja? Esa noche regresamos a la iglesia de un amigo. Todos se sorprendieron al ver a los recién casados. Nos hicieron preguntas vergonzosas.




No vimos ni hablamos con nadie. Éramos solo nosotros dos viviendo el sueño.




Estaba más relajado que nunca en mi vida. No sentía que tenía que estar a la altura de nada. Me sentí "totalmente" aceptado y amado. Nunca olvidaré lo que sentí con solo mirar a mi bella esposa y saberlo. Estábamos juntos de por vida.




El matrimonio es la bendición más hermosa que Dios nos da como hijos suyos después de la salvación. Estoy tan feliz de que Dios nos haya permitido casarnos, pero necesitaba un mentor. Este siempre será un tema de mis historias. Quería hacer lo correcto. Traté de hacer lo correcto, pero a menudo no sabía lo que se suponía que debía hacer. Me habían dado un discipulado básico, pero nadie me explicaba tanto de la vida.




Nadie le dijo a nuestros padres tampoco. Lo sobrevivieron, así que pensaron que nosotros estaríamos bien. Sin embargo, Dios te muestra que debemos enseñar y ayudar a los demás. El hierro afila el hierro. Hay excelentes bendiciones de muchos consejos.




Desearía haberlo sabido mejor que predicarle a Betty. No sé quién era yo o qué pensé que me hizo tan arrogante.


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