Throughout history there have been many great love affairs and couples. Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Adam and Eve, Clark and Lois, Archie and Edith, Sonny and Cher and so on and so forth.

But there is one love story that has been hidden in the annals of history for many years. It is the love story that almost wasn’t. The love story with many twists and turns, crazy situations and potential disaster. Key word, “potential.”

In the vein of Jack Webb and Dragnet, the story you are about to read is true. Some embellishment and stretching perhaps, but still true. No names or dates have been changed and it is up to you, the reader, to “believe it or not.”

The love story of John and Deb!

John and Deb began dating in early ’73, falling deeply in love, and became engaged during the Christmas season of the same year.

Love is a many splendored thing and this true love was as splendored as any true love could be. However with any true love, there can be a few bumps along the way. Big bumps. Such a bump occurred around Valentine’s Day in 1974.

John drove Deb home after their date and they, ah, “talked” for a bit in the driveway of Deb’s family farm in Chelsea. Somehow, somewhere, this talk suddenly took a turn for the worse. Much worse. Much, much worse.

Deb got out of the car, crying over what tragedy transpired in just a few short moments and took off the engagement ring, returned it to John and this great love affair looked over before it even started.

John now had the engagement ring in his hand. What to do? What to do? What to do? Well, in John’s mind, there is only one thing to do. With the ring firmly clasped in his hand, he threw the ring as far as he possibly could.

It’s over. Kaput! The engagement is off and the ring is gone forever. Oh my, oh my…

However in the next couple of minutes something quite eerie and weird happened. Deb was aghast at the ring being flung through the air, John was aghast that Deb was aghast and before you could say, “snap, crackle, pop,” John and Deb were in each other’s arms, apologizing one to the other, kissing and hugging and all’s well that ends well.

Except…

The ring was gone. Thrown into the wild blue yonder or something like that. Frantically, John and Deb began looking for the ring. All through the driveway, in the gravel, the grassy knoll they looked and looked but to no avail.

Now here’s the crazy (and funny) part now. When John, in a fit of angst, threw the ring as far as he could, he actually kept his hand enclosed in a fist and never actually threw the ring. It had stayed in his hand the entire time. Like stated earlier–this was funny now! John had a dilemma. Divine intervention would be helpful and it was, sort of.

Well, after searching for this ring for what seemed to be hours, John and Deb gave up. They embraced, hugged each other tightly and Deb prayed that God would somehow help them find this ring. Well, God did help, sort of.

As this couple were embracing, John slowly and discreetly dropped the ring between them. So there this ring was, lying beautifully on the ground directly between John and Deb.

Suddenly, John exclaimed, “Deb, look, there’s the ring.”

Yes, the ring miraculously appeared right between them, right where they stopped and embraced after searching frantically forever for this ring.

The ring was found! The engagement back on. A miracle had happened. At least Deb thought so. And Valentine’s Day, 1974 was one for the books. Believe it or not.

Let me know what you think at jsheda@indytel.com or call me at 319-327-4640. Maybe we could make this into a movie.

John Sheda is the pastor at Living Water Church in Independence. He is a native of Chelsea and a South Tama County alumni (Class of 1969).