Sugar Babe

Made from sugar, this little darling looks so real!
So what has a little sugar baby got to do with our story?

Well, a special friend of mine just fits the bill!

As the second eldest in a family of six girls and one boy, Hilda was born in Penang near the village of Raki Raki in northern Viti Levu, the largest island in the Fiji group. Along with other local men, her father worked in the huge CSR Sugar Mill. Some of her fondest memories centre around that sweet stuff. And she and her siblings' favourite pastime was to gain a free ride on the back of trucks transporting the bagged sugar to Ellington Wharf. These imps also satisfied their 'sweet tooth' cravings by grabbing sticks of sugarcane off moving trucks. An exciting but dangerous diversion that would have gained far more than a scolding from their hassled parents had they known. But what goes around comes around, because they'd usually gain a fair spanking from jumping fully clothed into the river. Ah, those were the days!

Hilda became a true believer in Jesus in her late teens and in her early twenties felt called to learn more by emigrating to Australia to study at a Bible College. She later applied for citizenship. Eventually she landed a secretarial position with Ford and shared an apartment in the famous Sydney suburb of Bondi with her older sister and brother. Sometime later she met Al at a Christian youth meeting but neither made an impression on the other. Ah, but when Al was asked to take her and young bro home from church one night, Al became smitten with the sweet miss. From then on his little blue car would regularly pull up outside their apartment to visit Hil. Naturally that met with some ribbing from young bro!

Looking back, she knows the Lord led them together, and many years later she and Al have been blessed with two lovable grandchildren. She also treasures the memory of a praying father. And although she once longed to be a missionary to Brazil, she is herself now involved in a ministry of prayer with Elijah House.

When I asked Hil if she had a favourite Bible verse, she admitted she has far too many to enumerate. Knowing how my friend avoids sugar nowadays, nevertheless, this particular verse sums up her attitude ...
"How sweet are Your Words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth."  Psalm 119:103

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.

The Giggling Bride

Although christened in the Lutheran Church in Germany, Margaret was always a rebellious teenager. Religious morals did not suit her, and who was the Church to make rules about right or wrong? She believed, along with many other university students, that Science opposed the existence of absolute standards. So she determined to make her own way.

When she was nineteen, she met an unusual foreigner who had rented a room at her grandmother's residence. He'd actually been born in Germany, but his parents migrated to Australia when he was ten years old. Now he'd returned for a working stint to soak up the culture. Holger spoke and dressed differently than other fellows, and he acted in a confident manner which thoroughly intrigued her.
Now, grandmother (a natural born matchmaker) invited the two of them to dinner one night. Holger was taken with this lively, intelligent fraulein and promptly asked her to attend a concert with him. The attraction was mutual.

After a two-month-long engagement, they were married. However, Margaret's mother was outraged at her daughter's behaviour at her own wedding. Completely irreverent, Margaret giggled and whispered throughout the whole solemn ceremony. Her mother decided then and there to pray for her daughter and son-in-law to take God seriously.

When the pair moved to Australia, Holger soon started a successful communication business. She began a practice as a naturopath and hypnotherapist. By this time, Margaret had drifted into New Age concepts and joined the Rosicrucian Order. But then something unexpected happened. In answer to her mother's prayer, two lovely ladies from New Tribes Mission visited her clinic and told her about Jesus' death on the cross to save sinners. This shook her to the core, for if this God of the Bible was real, then she truly was a sinner who needed salvation. That very night she fell on her knees and repented of her rebellion against God and asked Jesus into her life. Soon after, Holger also became a follower of Jesus.

She now belongs to a rare breed, that of a Christian naturopath, where she truly seeks to guide people with a genuine God given gift in order to treat body, soul and spirit.

Once a giggling bride, Margaret has become a thoughtful wife. Along with her husband and children, she now belongs to the church - the Bride of Christ. You can contact Margaret via her website www.drlepke.com.au.

TOGETHER FOREVER - A Story of two police constables

 

Sarah and Mitch's wedding cake - handcuffs and all!

It's not often two police from the same local area command get married. Want to know how it happened? 

Sarah joined the force in 2009, and she was placed in the same area where Mitch worked in General Duties. Her training officer was a good friend of Mitch and made sure they were introduced to the new recruit. But this being her first year, Sarah was determined to focus on this alone, without distractions. 

However, this burly constable was immediately attracted to this attractive blonde and decided to follow up. He chatted with her awhile and mentioned he attended church. Sarah's ears pricked up. She never expected to meet a fellow Christian in the police force because she knew the lifestyle and the exposure to the worst of people was challenging to both body and spirit. But their conversation flowed easily as they spoke about church and families. When Mitch invited her to a colleague's house to meet others in their workplace, she readily accepted as she wanted to see where his interest in her led.

They spent the whole evening talking together for hours, and Sarah felt like they'd been friends for years. And after dating him several times, she came to the conclusion that there was much more to this man than his tough exterior and the no-nonsense approach he displayed at work. Without being aware of it at first, they both fell in love. No other relationship had been so right for either of them. They simply began as friends and knew they fit together like two halves joined.

Both agree they'd never thought they'd ever meet a Christian partner in their profession. Sarah is adamant that it wasn't coincidence, for she knows without a doubt that the Lord had arranged for her to be stationed where Mitch worked. She believes implicitly it was God's plan in bringing them together because they were meant for each other. There were no doubts about their relationship right from the start, and no doubts nine months later when Mitch asked her to marry him in February, 2011. And the tongue-in-cheek decoration on their wedding cake was a potent reminder of God's ultimate plan for each of them.

An Aussie Fifty-Year-Old Romance

I knew all about the fiery violinist at Youth For Christ Saturday night rallies before he ever laid eyes on me. And I especially enjoyed it when he sang lead in the Gospel quartet. But I was was just one in a crowd until the Lord stepped into the picture and I was introduced to this young man by mutual friends.
Well, how can I explain it except by saying sparks flew. We found we had so much in common. And most of all, we both wanted to serve the Lord. After hearing I was a ceramic artist, he asked me whether I used my art for God. I admitted I didn't, so he promptly entered me into the current YFC talent quest. How could I stand up in front of a crowd and draw? No problem, he said. "Just find a preacher and draw what he's speaking about." Hah, easy for him to say.

However, a young married man from our church stepped up, and amazingly, we won. The prize was to join the team as they ministered in various churches and youth groups. This became a wonderful way to use our gifts in the Lord's service. It also meant we saw a lot of each other, and in turn that led to us becoming duetists. Wanting more, we decided to keep our hearts singing in harmony by marrying each other.

Soon after our marriage, we entered Emmaus Bible College to prepare ourselves for whatever the Lord would have us do. A little later, an American evangelist held meetings in Australia and he challenged us to join him as his musical team. We spent five wonderful years traveling with him along with our preschool son. When he returned to the US, the Lord opened the way for us to step out in faith and many invitations came in.

Radio opportunities began and nowadays, we script and co-present on COMMUNICATION, a program heard throughout Australia on over four hundred FM stations and on Missionary Radio, HCJB.During all this time the Lord has drawn us closer to each other. Has the romance faded? A thousand times no!

If a person commits their way to the Lord, He will guide their steps. And especially the big step of choosing a life partner. Even after these past fifty years, we love each other more than words can express and we still have the great joy of continuing in the Lord's service.

LOVE at the VERY, VERY FIRST SIGHT???

Can infants be attracted to each other? Umm, well...

Regina Merrick tells her story:

 

When I was about six months old I was taken to a  church picnic. A three-year-old boy there wanted to trade his brother for me, because I was cuter and more active than his brother.  But it was his OLDER brother, all of five-years-old, who snuck up to his mother’s ear and asked how old he would be when I was eighteen. He knew that eighteen was the magic number, since his mother was eighteen when SHE married!

I didn’t get the oldest brother, or the youngest, though I love them as much as if they were my own brothers. I got the middle brother. Funny thing, that. We grew up together, went to church together, went to the same schools with him being three years ahead of me, grade-wise.

After years of playing together after church, and my being considered his younger brother’s contemporary, we started to “notice” one another when I was a freshman, and he was a senior in high school. Our youth group put together a play, and of course both of us were in it. I couldn’t figure out WHY I seemed to stammer and giggle my way through my part every time we were on stage together.

We didn’t start dating until after school was out for the year. I kid him that he just didn’t want to be known for dating a freshman in high school, so he waited until I was officially a sophomore.

So that’s the story of how we met. The rest, as they say, is history . . . .

About Regina:  Regina is Christian, wife, mother, musician, librarian, writer . . . still trying to connect the dots and constantly in wonder at how they all fit together.” A follower of Jesus since age 8, Regina has been a wife to the love of her life since age 19, a mother since age 25, and a college graduate since age 35.

Romance HMONG-style

Interesting customs of Hmong tribal youth,Northern Thailand.

One month ago we attended their 2554 New Year celebrations which differ from both Thai and Chinese New Year calendars. No matter where they work, near of far, many will make the yearly trek back to their villages. Both sexes enjoy decking themselves in all their hand-woven and hand-sewn tribal finery.Never mind that to a westerner, some of the womens' headgear resembles fancy lampshades!

Romance between boys and girls begins in their early teens around fourteen/fifteen years of age. And we witnessed a fascinating courtship ritual. Boys line up opposite the girls (also lined up,) and they begin by throwing a soft foam ball to each other. I'm unsure whether they change partners during this time until they find the person of their choice. No kissing or overt touching is allowed in public, so this actually gives them the opportunity to talk and laugh and flirt with each other under the watchful eyes of their elders.  It all looked so innocent, and we enjoyed watching them eye each other. They seemed to have a ball. Pun intended!

The unmarried often wear white garments, similar to virgins of the Karen tribes who wear long white dresses. We were told they marry very young and begin their families early, often becoming great grandparents before fifty years old. See what a little thing like throwing a ball can lead to?