David and Janice - "Much Has Been Given"
Photo by Randy Bacon
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be asked.” Luke 12:48
God has given us much! The first thing he gave us was each other. I was a senior in college when I was invited to a New Year’s Eve party. Attending a small parochial school, I was excited to go to a larger university party and I was not disappointed! At the stroke of midnight, a guy I had not previously met, walked across the room and kissed me. We spent the rest of the night talking and getting to know each other. His name was David. Six weeks later, I was home again from college for Valentine’s Day, and David proposed! After a year we were married. Later I asked David why he came over to me, if it was because I was so cute. He replied, “No you were the only girl in the room I hadn’t kissed!”
Our next great blessing was the gift of our first daughter in 1976, (our contribution to the bi-centennial!) Three and a half years after that, we were blessed with another healthy daughter. While renting in Mexico, MO we started receiving listings for houses in Springfield. On a lark, we parked the girls with David’s parents and drove down to look at property. While looking at a house, we drove around the neighborhood and I said, “I want a house like that one on the hill!” The realtor thought it was for sale, and we went to check it out. Walking across the property, we thought it would be a great place to raise the girls. Once we got back home, we decided to make an offer; keep in mind, we had no jobs in Springfield! Three days after we made the offer, Zenith Electronics called and offered David an interview! We have been in the same house since. We call it our family miracle.
Photo by Randy Bacon
We have so much compassion and caring for others. David chose the profession of safety to save lives for a living. I went into education, choosing to nourish young children and their minds. We have been incredibly blessed with health, energy, wanderlust, and a desire to give back. In 1999, David wanted to retrace Teddy Rosevelt’s trip down the River of No Return in Brazil. A friend asked if he would like to go build a church there. He said yes! And my response was, “If you’re going, I’m going!”
So, we embarked on a journey to South America. We built a church there and were invited back the following summer to build another church. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back (it’s HOT in Brazil!), but a small voice told me to let this happen. This began 15 years of returning to different places in Brazil and building churches. The weather was hot, but the people, both the team members we took and the Brazilians, were wonderful. We received more than we gave.
Having a passion for nature, David has worked extensively with the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. He was looking for land to deer hunt and found five hundred acres at Cedar Gap that contained headwaters of the Bryant Creek. While he couldn’t afford to buy it himself, he strongly believed the land should be preserved. At that point, he and I began to raise the money needed to make this purchase. After a year of letter writing, making presentations, and fundraising, the sale was completed, and we presented the Cedar Gap property to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Photo by Randy Bacon
I have continued pursuing my love of teaching by working with a program called “Good Dads”. This program helps men (most of whom have been incarcerated) become better fathers and re-establish relationships with their children. I have to respect these men and their efforts to make a better life for themselves and their kids. Several years ago, I suddenly lost the hearing in my right ear. It was difficult for me to accept until my youngest daughter’s best friend was diagnosed with cancer. I remember thinking, “I bet Shawna wishes all she had was a hearing loss!” My perspective has changed.
A fairy tale marriage? No indeed! At times it’s been hard! There are ups and downs, arguments and disagreements. We would not have lasted this long if we had not included God in our marriage. “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecc. 4:12
This is US at our 50th anniversary and the story is not finished yet!
Photo by Randy Bacon
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