DAN
Hello once again,
A short time ago I came across a picture of myself and my dear wife
Sarah from about 1987 or even 1988. I was as handsome as I am now and heading
for my eighteenth birthday, Sarah was very pretty, not long past her 16th
birthday and was clever enough to hold down a responsible occupation where the
local fish and chip shop would have failed to open for business if it wasn’t
for her aptitude at peeling potatoes. I was in full time employment for a
defunct electrical business where I had access to a works van and a
screwdriver!
A Peeling implement.
Our romance was a slow burner and it was some months later
when I rang her from a gay bar in La Manga, Spain to tell her that I loved her. When she replied, ‘I love
you as well’ I put the phone down and couldn’t wait to get home to hold her in my arms
and kiss those pretty lips! My best friend Sarah is much more reserved than my
good self and would not appreciate endless anecdotes about our courting days,
but trips to Blackpool, Morecambe, Southport and anywhere else that were
accessible from Burnley bus station provide happy memories of the fledging
months of our relationship together.
A Burnley Bus
Access to the van extended our geographical capabilities and
we went here there and everywhere until an unfortunate accident on the way to
Malham in Yorkshire led to us being incapacitated, stuck in a ditch and being saved
by a local farmer This led to a ‘bit’ of a telling off and to having the car
removed from my accessibility and heading straight back to the bus station, via
the job centre!
Malham
After a while we started living ‘over the brush’ and bought
our first house together, we were blissfully happy apart the constant screaming
and bellowing from the nut cases that lived next door. Many people kept
bringing up the subject of marriage, which I always batted away as I had a deep
fear of making a lifelong commitment and was insistent that I never wanted to be
betrothed.
And then nearly 17 years ago our young lad Joe arrived on
the scene and life was good. Memorable holidays to Devon and Cornwall and
Scarborough where we enjoyed watching him going from a baby to a boy. Plans for
a house with a garden were on the horizon. And in hindsight holding my son in
my arms to the point of losing the blood flow in my limbs as Sarah recovered
from the emergency operation whilst listening to Louis Armstrong sing We have
all the time in the world, was probably the moment that I realized fatherhood
was indeed a lifelong commitment and I had nothing to be scared of.
Mr Armstrong
Not long after in the utterly unromantic setting of our
front room surrounded by catalogue clearance furniture whilst doing something completely
forgettable, I do recall saying that if Sarah fancied it, we could indeed get
married! She shocked me, Sarah is not an emotional person she is very measured
and calm. However she was over the moon she was just delighted. We hugged and if I ever had any doubts about
the love she had for me they were completely removed at that point. To be
honest she has always loved me, I knew it, but couldn’t
believe it.
So we did
it, we got wed on my dear Fathers 80th birthday.
And as this amazing beautiful person watched me do all sorts
of things that were going to change mine and her life, from football
refereeing, hospital radio DJ, Stand Up comedian, writer, poet, she never
batted an eyelid, never said, pack it up you pillock! She just supported me,
loved me, and encouraged me. As mentioned in a previous blog sitting with Sarah
at my side at the Lowry theatre watching a professional stand comic perform my
material in front of a packed audience will live long in the memory.
A Football Official
And now, here today
being married to her is the heartbeat of my life, because of her I can be
myself, safe in the knowledge that whilst she might tut or shout at me, I know
she loves me and our friendship and our marriage will mean we live out our days
together. I write this blog because ordination looms, and if there is one thing
that is absolutely certain. Without Sarah at my side there is no way, just no
way on Gods earth would I be being ordained in the summer at Blackburn
Cathedral. I have never been referred to as God’s gift, to women, to comedy, or
to retail but I certainly believe that Sarah is indeed God’s gift to me. The
road we have travelled together has been so special, lots of setbacks, tears,
hurdles for me to overcome to get to this point. I did it because of her, and
because I believe God intended me meet her at bus stop back in the days of new
romantics and Rick Astley I believe ordination will prove to be a wonderful
life changing experience.
New Romantics
Sarah or Dan as I refer to her is preparing to take on the
next leg of the journey to our new home in the next month with extraordinary
enthusiasm, she continues to support me and love me as I moan about the here
and now but by grace to have her in Gods house on the 4th July (Ordination)
is the proudest thing I could wish for besides having three wonderful children
who make life hectic, exhausting and utterly exhilarating.
St Matthews Burnley
I do feel God has a plan for all of us, the difficulty sometimes
is working it all out, but maybe that’s the whole point. Maybe we are just not
meant to know. But by submitting to his will the answers to the conundrums may
be revealed, by not submitting you run the risk of never knowing how bloody
fantastic it feels to live with her by myside and heavily under the influence
of our savior Jesus Christ.
Love to you all
Alextheanglican.
