TREE HOUSE HERO - A story from South Africa

Once upon a time a little girl dreamed of playing in a tree house with her brother and his three friends. But she knew boys didn't play with girls and they definitely didn't invite them into their tree houses.

One day the middle brother of the three friends felt bad that the little girl was left all alone on the ground. So when the others weren't around, he invited her up to his leafy pad. And like a monkey, she eagerly clambered up to join her hero. But not long after, Hero moved away to a distant boarding school and they didn't see each other anymore.

The little girl grew into a young woman. She too moved from the village to follow her dreams into a big city far, far away. Sadly, she kissed a few frogs as she searched for her prince, her only true love.

Years later, on a trip back home, she saw Hero sitting on a wooden pew in the village church. He was also home, visiting his kin. She couldn't help noticing her tree house hero had grown into a handsome young man. Although shy, Hero wasn't blind to the fact that his little tree house playmate had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. From that day on they were inseparable.

The above picture shows Noel and Marion at the time they celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Marion says that marriage is not handed to anyone on a "silver platter", but comes from years of perseverance, working through times when many would think it easy to give up. She believes communication is vitally important and also remaining faithful to your marriage partner.

An author herself, she quotes Geff Gerke in his book, The Art & Craft of Christian Fiction. He says, "Be sure you understand Who you're writing for and why you're writing it for Him." The same wise advice fits well for marriage in placing the needs of your loved one before your own. She reminds us from Ephesians 5:    "....They two shall be one flesh; nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife, see that she reverence her husband."

She goes on to say that lack of communication is cited as the #1 reason for divorce. Better communication can, however, save a marriage. And when husbands and wives communicate, they move their marriage forward from one year to the next ... and the next ... and finally, a lifetime.

Marion Ueckermann is a member of  International Christian Fiction Writers.