Alma greeted me with wild excitement upon my return from the bank and post office.

I would like to say this is normal. After 59 years of marriage, however, it isn't. I knew something special had happened.

I did not have to wait long to find out. After I got into the house she said almost screaming, "You are not going to believe what just happened. I answered the telephone and a lady calling from Boston said she wanted to make my husband's fantasy come true."

Such a statement is enough to make any husband anxious and wife curious, so she asked her to please explain "making my husband's fantasy come true."

Eager to hear the answer myself, I dared not interrupt. Alma continued, "She told me her name and that she and her husband own the Lewis Reeve Sams house in Beaufort."

She had read my column on the Internet about the house and my "fantasy island experience¿" and wanted to invite us for a weekend in the house as their guests. Hearing this, my excitement soared even higher than Alma's.

To understand the significance of this story, I must take you on two flashbacks.

First, my March 2006 column, "My Fantasy Island Experience," described our visit to Beaufort to see and photograph the three antebellum houses built by the Sams family. The Lewis Reeve Sams house became our focus because it was built in 1852 by my great-greatgreat grandfather. This magnificent home of over 7,000 square feet was used as a hospital for Federal troops during the War Between the States, and has been the location of several major movies.

We discovered it was for sale for $2,750,000 unfurnished. I told the Realtor of my family connection, the role the house played in my family heritage, and my desire to return it to family ownership. Remembering that the Power Ball lottery that week was $365 million, I told her if I won the lottery, I would return to Beaufort immediately to purchase the house.

Upon returning to Gaffney, I bought my first and last lottery tickets just in case the Lord was trying to tell me something. Evidently not. I did not win. My column concluded with the following line: "I will return to Beaufort, however, I will not be staying in the Lewis Reeve Sams house!"

In the second flashback, September 2008, I rented a huge 3- story beach house at the Isle of Palms. From Friday until Monday our entire immediate family (25 at that time) celebrated Alma's 80th birthday in royal fashion. She deserved it and we did it.

This past Christmas I told my family I did not expect nor want them to even think about celebrating my 80th in July 2009 in the same royal fashion. A simple cake, ice cream, and candles (lots of candles) in July during our annual Family Beach Week at Surfside would be sufficient.

Knowing my family, I suspected they may not listen to me, but it was not until February that my four children told me they would like to duplicate Mom's for me but they couldn't. They did not want me to pay to rent my own special place to celebrate my birthday, and they could not afford to do so. I assured them this was fine with me.

In the weeks after the owner's telephone call from Boston, she and I talked many times and the invitation grew to include our four children and their spouses. So the children said: "OK, Dad. This is the special place we will celebrate your 80th."

On Memorial Day weekend, May 2009, we celebrated my big 80th in a royal and unforgettable way in the Lewis Reeve Sams house. If I had the whole world to choose from for a special place, this would have been my place of choice.

Absolutely incredible!

It seemed almost impossible to believe.

Later, Alma and my daughter Becky told me that for two months prior to the telephone call from Boston they made a covenant to pray every day: "Lord, we want Dad to have a very special place for his birthday celebration, but we can't provide it. So, Lord we ask you to please provide a special place for us."

Wow! And did He ever.

Incredible?

Yes, for sure. When I learned this part of the story, then I knew it was another miraculous answer to prayer.

To God be the Glory!

(Dr. French O'Shields is a Gaffney native and a retired Presbyterian minister.)