SILVER anniversary today!

I am still a young man. I still ride my bicycles, and motorbikes. I still enjoy Katy Perry’s music.

So how can it be that today is already my silver anniversary?

This morning, at 09h00, at the old Klipkerk in Bloemfontein 25 years ago, my bride walked down the aisle with her dad.

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I was very young when I took the leap- just past my 23rd birthday. In the beginning, I was very insecure and it must have been difficult at times for my lovely bride. But we grew together, and as the Afrikaans saying goes, started eating our seven sacks of salt together.

There have been wonderful times, and we also went through extremely difficult times together. I still can’t go away from home for a long time, without actually having an aching heart when she is not near. Her smile still lights up my day.

In my work I see how few couples are really happily married, and stay together even this long. So I know I am truly blessed, being married to my best friend.

We are growing older- we are not as young and as beautiful as 25 years ago- that would be the world’s opinion, not mine! But the journey of life just keeps on getting better and better together…

Who would not love a wife who goes on a 3000 km Bike trip with you?

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It was so good last week, on the Word Rider Tour, being so near Golden Gate, (Free State, South Africa) where we started our honeymoon 25 years ago…

Who would not love the mother of our 4 beautiful kids, and the calming factor when the storms of life hit us?
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I don't know who posted this in the first place- but all respect and honor to you!

I don’t know who posted this in the first place- but all respect and honor to you!

Welcome to my office…

As stated in an earlier post today, I had a wedding to officiate this afternoon. This is  the wedding venue, built on a cliff, overlooking a beautiful valley.  Remember- this is winter around here, and yesterday was the coldest day I felt in a long time!

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My view from my “pulpit”…

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And the view the bride and groom sees when they overlook my presense…

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Some days I really love my job! Today was difficult though, because I only met the groom an hour before the wedding and the bride when she walked down the aisle. I usually love to spend more time with a couple and get to know them better, to make it a more personal experience for them. But I still tried my best today…

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I am a blessed man!

With a wife who still loves me after nearly 25 years of marriage and 4 kids! And who rides with me on my new bike! What more could a man want in life?

Today we took our first ride together on the “new” GS…  It was fun!

And yes, I love my wife dearly!

So… I am cooking tonight’s meal: a Chicken Pot…  served on a bed of Couscous…  The chicken is underneath all the veggies…

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Now for some GOOD NEWS…

After yesterday’s sad news blog from my side, I had to go look for something uplifting for the spirit.  This morning, while having a coffee with my younger colleague, I found something inspiring to share.  Colleague, being married for 4 months now, took this photo and I (being married for 24 years Monday) stole it from him.

And here it is: really mindblowing and awesome and inspiring and amazing and uplifting… you get the picture?

These two lovely people are members of our church. Their daughter took them for coffee and cake. What is so really special about them?

Today is their 65 th anniversary!  That is a Sapphire Wedding Anniversary, they told me. And the best part of it: they are still in love, and really love each other deeply.

Now THAT is inspiring to me this morning! When I am 90, I would love to be happily married for 67 years! Working on it!

TWO are better than one- Ese’s Word a Week Challenge

A Word A Week Photo Challenge – Two

There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. /A.Einstein/

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First my Quote- From the Bible- Ecclesiastes 4: 9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.

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Two are better than one… in marriage

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Two wheels are better than one! Or four…

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Two cups of hot milk and melted Belgian Chocolate, shared by loved ones, are better than one alone…

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And Sometimes two are prettier than one…



RSVP (Daily Prompt)

Daily Prompt: RSVP

by michelle w. on June 7, 2013

Plan the ultimate celebration for the person you’re closest to, and tell us about it. Where is it? Who’s there? What’s served? What happens?

Photographers, artists, poets: show us CELEBRATION. 

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 I want to celebrate the life I have with the person closest to me- my wife.  The photos are all just part of a celebration of love and marriage that is still going strong after 23 years… There are so much, much more, but this is enough for this blog.

I would like to take her to the Blue Peter Hotel in Bloubergstrand on our 25th anniversary, as this is where we enjoyed the greatest part of our honeymoon. I would like to take her to a Michelin star Restaurant for an exceptional meal, and real French champagne like Moët…  And then we will begin the next 25 years of happiness together…