The marriage of a much loved daughter

It's always been my dream that one day I would see my daughter walk down the aisle to be married, on the arm of the most handsome man in the world.

 But S, being S loves her dad so much, that she insisted on coming down the aisle with HIM.

Seriously though, Bob and I have been married for 31years.(Coincidentally,  it's 31 years for N and M too) (in-laws) and it  seems like yesterday M, doesn't it?

And we all know what a lousy day yesterday was!

I'm being really serious now, when you've been married for as many years as we have, you can joke like this, and your partner doesn't take offence.

But just let Bob crack any jokes about me in his speech this afternoon , and there'll be BIG trouble!

I'd like to say today that marriage is all about teamwork- being a team together. Like it says in A's reading; there are qualities needed in a marriage that go far far deeper than just being 'in love'.

It was HELEN KELLER, a lady who was blind, deaf and dumb,  who once said:-

"The best and most beautiful things in the world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt with the heart."

People who make up a team, any team, share

·        similar interests

·        a common goal

·        a sensitivity to each other's needs

·        humour and camaraderie

·        a matching up of strengths and weaknesses

·        commitment, belief

·        understanding

·        and a team spirit

but in every good team there is the need for the individual to express her or himself, but only if it is for the good of the team!

I rather like that last sentence. It was lifted straight off my son's application form for the fire service.

A TEAM:

S and A have known each other for about six years now, and they have shared so much together. They are already a team in the making, but I'm sure that both of them will agree, that they still have much to learn.

They have both separately, worked in voluntary projects abroad i.e. S in Southern India;  A in South America.

They've studied at university together, travelled and shared adventures together, they've been explorers, over land and sea. They share a love of sport, sun, exotic places and SAFARIS! Lions, hyenas, charging elephants, snakes, scorpions! Ugh! Fearless the two of them!

They both have nursed each other during illnesses in far off countries; such as the time in the Himalayas!

 When S was ill, with altitude sickness, A waited upon her hand and foot, till she had recovered, and grown strong again. He gladly surrendered his dream of reaching the summit to nurse her back to health;  regardless of the fact that a few days earlier, when He had a tummy bug, he was firmly told, in no uncertain terms, to 'pull himself together!'Some bedside manner for a doctor.

They've even achieved 'Good Samaritan' status together; rescuing a couple whose car had broken down. The man turned out to be the managing director of a well-known bride magazine.

Now it seems that he wants to print their story!

 S and A are two young people who have known a lot of love and security in their upbringing. They have come from a line of parents and grandparents, who have treasured and cherished their partners, and who've tried their best to share Christian principles with them, and demonstrate them, themselves.  They've tried to show them the kind of love, which J has just been telling us about in her N.T reading.

It's the kind of love you can actually see in the eyes. It is said that the eyes mirror what is in the heart.

I can see it when S and A look at each other. I can hear it in their excited voices when they're due to meet up with each other.

They're a good match these two.

 They're both well focussed, they know exactly what they want out of life, and they seem to know what they want to put back into life. They both are already pulling their weight, and sharing the load.

Hopefully they will harness their strengths in the future; be able to admit their weaknesses; and love and accept each other as they are. When a person marries, they actually take on board an imperfect person. Remember none of us is perfect, so forgiveness is an essential ingredient.

S and A have also both been given freedom to fly and be free, and to make their own decisions in life. Both families represented here today, are proud of all these two have achieved in their lives already.

But where does a team find its security, confidence and strength, family apart?

A good team actually need TWO things to ensure its success

A GOOD DIRECTOR AND A GOOD MANAGER:

Firstly a good director looks upon his players as his very own.   They sign a contract to be loyal and committed. The team belongs to him. It is he who lays down the rules, not for his own benefit, but for the good of the team; not to be a killjoy or to restrict their enjoyment of the game, but because he cares about them, and doesn't want them to be hurt or injured.

A good director encourages his players, provides for them and protects them. He knows each by name.

God our Father, is a director. Only he's not one who sits at a distance, cold and judgmental. He's one who likes to get involved in our lives.

I asked S recently, ‘Why do you want to get married in a church in particular, and not in some fancy hall?’ And the reply came back immediately, 'Because A and I are Christians, and we want God to bless our marriage'. In some places you see religion plays no part in the ceremony, you're not even allowed religious songs! So it was good to hear her answer. A and S WANT God to be involved and included in their marriage. They want Him to be present today, here and now, and in their future.

Secondly as Christians we believe that God has given us His only Son, to be our manager, the only one good enough to lead by example.

No other manager is like this one. He's not after success in human terms. He's not out to win trophies. He wants to lead his team to a different kind of victory.

In him, there is no need to try so hard to do, and to achieve, to reach the top, or be recognised. In him we can just 'be'.

In him there really isn't a need for striving for possessions, popularity or power.

He has promised to lead us where we should go. He wants us to trust him. He will guide us in danger, be our light in the darkness. He will be with us in all the shadows of life, at every turn. He will speak words of encouragement to us, in our worst moments. He'll get us going again, if we trust him. Even though we are the greatest sinners, he offers his life to us.

Without a good director and a good manager, a team won't get very far in any division. It will become confused, aimless and 'in-fighting' and disagreements may occur.

S and A we are here today to share in your joy, and to celebrate the fact that you have found each other, and that your love has stood the test of time, and of motorway, and of long distance loving.

We're all praying that your marriage will be a long and happy one; that you will both seek to guard and protect and treasure each other.

You make a lovely couple, ideally suited to each other. May your marriage be filled with God's love, and may you share God's love with those you come into contact with, may you give generously of yourselves to the world in which you live, and may you find yourselves richly blessed in all you do as husband and wife.

Amen.