23 years and counting
Today is my sister's 23rd wedding anniversary! Sadly, I can be sure that you know of many marriages that have done the big firework long before that. What has made Delia & Andrew's marriage a success when so many have failed? A good question, which they may be better placed to answer than I am. However, I believe that in no small part it has got to go to the fact that I don't think either of them consider divorce an option. "'Til death do us part" is a vow in the sight of God and means just that.
I know that the 23 years have not been without their challenges, and like in any life, there will have been dodgy times. But the evidence speaks for itself. God has preserved them.
I know I'm biased, but I'm allowed to be. De & Andy - well done!

Incidentally, it's not just marriages that can last under the African sun. I'm reminded that it is now 23 years since I managed to squish my foot under their new fridge. That fridge still sits proudly in their kitchen in Joburg, and still does the job. It came unhinged at some point (like the rest of us) but was restored and still does a magnificent job.
Zimbo manufacturing may have changed a little since 1978 (or maybe not), but we can still make things to last!

Last night I was asked "Are your sisters married?". I suddenly came up against a weakness in the English language. When we say "Is she married?" we generally expect a straight yes/no answer. Now in this case, while the younger of my two sisters is happily and successfully married, my older sister's husband was killed in a car crash 17 months ago.
So how do I answer the question? If I say "one is, one isn't" it implies that Gill is single. Yes, technically she is now unmarried again, but really, that does not do her justice. It seems to me that this just wipes out all the good years of their marriage and implies it never happened. But Gill is not the same woman she was before she met Don. She is not the same "single" as she was. She has grown. The seemingly closed question "Is she married?" must therefore be answered as an open question. She was married and tragically isn't anymore. Don's death did not nullify or devalue Gill at all. She is still Gill, and is still very special.

All in all, I love my family.
Today being Mother's Day, Mum (& Dad) get special attention and deserve it. They brought the three of us into this world and did a pretty brilliant job of getting us to where we are today. For all of their offspring (children and grandchildren), we learned early that there are true values in life and a true God to trust and follow. This is not just platitude - this is real.

Mum and Dad, Gill, De & Andy, Bryden, Nicky, Taryn and Donna - thank you for being such that I can be a very proud son, brother and uncle.