With Love To Jennifer

With Love to Jennifer

Be kind to each other.

Ephesians 4:32

In about 1970 singer Pat Boone came to Abilene Christian University to do a concert. A girl named Jennifer in my dorm was absolutely nuts about Pat. She even had a huge photograph of him hanging in her room over her bed.

Pat was coming to our dormitory to lead our evening devotional after his concert. As president of the dorm, it was my privilege to meet him and guide him to the parlor for the devotional. The other 360 girls in the dorm were all atwitter.

When Pat arrived, I told him about Jennifer and the photograph. He asked where her room was, and since it was near the parlor, I took him there first. I used my master key to let him in. He got on his knees on her bed and autographed the photograph with something like “With love to Jennifer. Your boy, Pat.” He loved doing it, and I thought it was a very kind thing for him to do.

When the devotional time was over, Jennifer was ecstatic at having seen her hero. I followed her back to her room, wanting to see what she would do when she saw the newly autographed photo. Before she even saw the beloved photograph, she threw herself down on her bed, kicked her feet, and screamed like a little child. Then she glanced up at the photo, did a double take, and froze. She slowly got to her knees and read the inscription. Then, realizing he had actually knelt on her bed to sign the photo, she fainted dead away. It was several minutes before she came to.

I think it was also several months before she washed her bedspread. She was both horrified and happy! And I suspect Pat had a good laugh for a few days too.

Father, thank you for the many kindnesses you do for me every day. I am grateful to you for your generous blessings. They add such richness to my days, and my life would not be the same without them. Amen.