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Today's column is dedicated to the Walland Class of '68 and its 40th anniversary. This class turned out two fine ministers, my sister, my wife, a bunch of great friends and a group of fine people. Through all their trials, troubles, sickness and all the things of life that 40 years brings, their faith and trust in God has not diminished nor their smiles. May God bless and keep you all another 40 years. Thanks for the hotdog.

Our story this time will be familiar to everyone -- remember your first love? I'm sure everyone does and every one after that. This is a story about first love and how parents can help or hinder a marriage.

The woman's name is Michal and she can be found about 18 times in the Bible starting in 1 Samuel 14:49. Her genealogy is given -- her dad was Saul, the first king of Israel. Her brother is known better than she is; Jonathan was a good friend of David.

Now, David was around a lot and Michal was probably younger than David and had a crush on him. After all, he was a hero, handsome, a hunk and the future king. If you remember that one of the rewards for killing Goliath was the oldest daughter of the king. Of course, King Saul didn't keep his word -- surprise! Saul gave his oldest daughter to another man. Later he found out about the love that Michal had for David and used it to try to get rid of David. Through his servants, he had David come to him, and he told David that he could have Michal if he would fight the Philistines and bring back proof that he had killed 100 of them. David did better than that. He proved he had killed 200. So David married Michal and of course, Saul tried to kill David again and sent for him but Michal said he was sick and helped him escape. This made Saul angry and he gave her to another man (what a father-in-law).

I've heard that opposites attract, but come on here. We have a woman that was a princess, no doubt a refined lady, that had no want and a man that was, as we would say today, a redneck. I don't believe that David had the same love for Michal that she had for him. His motive, I believe, was political. Marrying the king's daughter did not give you the throne but it sure helped. David didn't go back for her after his escape and married more wives in the 14 years they were separated.

About seven years after Saul died, David needs Michal again and makes a deal to have her forcibly removed from her husband, Palti, who followed her weeping. Now this man loved her, David didn't. He used her as her dad did. As his wife he is re-established as part of the royal family and his own kingship is closer.

David reaches his goal as king and brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. As the Ark is arriving, David dances before it in a display of affection for God. Michal does not understand this but only sees that David is dancing before the handmaids in his underwear. Talk about throwing a fit, she did -- bad timing, because David was honoring God. She had no child unto the day of her death. Michal didn't have the relationship with God that David did, but in her defense, David wasn't much of a husband, either.

Gerald Ivey, "The Preacher with the Plunger," is a lay preacher and serves as the maintenance technician at The Daily Times. His column will run the second and fourth Sundays of each month in the Women's Section. Mail comments about his column to Gerald Ivey, The Daily Times, P.O. Box 9740, Maryville, TN 37802-9740 or e-mail Women's Times Editor Linda Albert at linda.albert@thedailytimes.com.