It Is That Kind of Day

I apologise if yesterday I gave the impression that my anniversary was then. Yesterday was the day I had to complete the long list of preparation tasks I had been set by my family.


Today is the day, 40 years to the day when I got married. I remember it well because it was a simple wedding with family and friends. Being at the time a student studying theology there were more ministers there than at most. Six if you count me as one of them.

I wrote the wedding service, and used it for the next twenty years as I conducted the weddings of so many people. I only laid it to rest a few years ago, continuing to conduct weddings even as a teacher.

I enjoy thin king back to all those weddings and rejoice when I hear of couples still together and happy.

Unlike the girl who on returning from her honeymoon was asked by her mother how it had gone. “It was marvellous, mother, and so romantic. But since we got home it is terrible, John has changed and is using terrible language, all those four letter words.” “Calm down,” said her mother, “tell me what are the four letter words he is using.”

“Terrible words like, cook, dust, wash and iron.”

I find it sad that we live in an age where relationships do not last. It is as if we are constantly looking for perfection and when we have to face reality we just give up. Nobody should ever have to live in an unhappy relationship, but it does often seem that we have lost the idea of working at making things better. We seek instant everything including happiness.

We need to find some way of making things last a bit longer to give life a chance. Like the couple married for 48 years with ten children and 23 grandchildren. Asked how they had managed to stay together the lady said, “We made a pact at the beginning. The first one to consider leaving had to take all the kids with them.”

I used to tell my children that if their mother and I ever parted company I would fight tooth and nail not to have custody.

Today we will all gather together and round the table and laugh because they know that they are and always will be the most important people in my life.

Hope your weekend is going well.

Did you notice the flowers at the top of this blog?  Buddleia