Challenging Times

This is (more or less) what I said on Saturday:

On the wall over my desk, there’s one of those frames that holds twenty or so different pictures.

It’s filled with photographs of the three people who matter most to me. So obviously, there are quite a few photos of Judy, and then there are pictures of Hannah and Esther.

There’s one picture of Hannah when she was about two years old. She’s perched at the top of a slide, and is about to launch off down it, on a big adventure, and she has a big smile on her face. Not so different from today, then.

There are school photos of the girls, together and separately, at various stages through their junior school and secondary school life.

There are photos from family holidays in different places…

And the most recent photo of them together was taken a couple of years ago at John-Mark and Brittney’s wedding.

It’s a record of our life together as a family over the past twenty years.

As I look at it, it all seems to have flown by much too quickly, and this day has come round suddenly and unexpectedly.

It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that we were seeing Hannah off to university for the first time, and we found that quite difficult.

Not long after that, we started to see pictures on Hannah’s Facebook page of this tall blonde guy she’d met through the Christian Union, and we began to suspect that something was afoot. Still, we weren’t ready for things to move as quickly or as decisively as they did.

When Hannah came to me last year and said that she was hoping to get married, my first reaction was that I’m not old enough to have a daughter who’s getting married. I’m not ready for this.

A year later, and I’m still not ready for it!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve asked several people what I’m supposed to say in a father-of-the-bride speech, and the answer seems to be ‘nothing in particular.’

Judy tells me not to try to be funny when I speak, and I always do what she tells me. (Jon – I’m sure there’s a lesson for you in there somewhere!) So that rules out jokes.

The one thing that people did say was to tell some stories about Hannah when she was growing up.

When Hannah was very small, if thing weren’t going well, she’s say in a very sombre voice, ‘I’m not having a good day.’ Well – we hope you are having a good day today, Hannah.

Perhaps I should mention the time we were on a family holiday together in Weymouth, and Hannah fell badly in a kids’ play area. We thought she might have damaged her neck badly. She was rushed into Dorchester hospital in an ambulance with its blues and twos going. When we got there, the doctor sat her up, grabbed hold of the sides of her head, yanked this way and that, and said, ‘No, she’s fine. Next, please.’

Or I could mention the time she had been in Holland visiting the family, and phoned us from Amsterdam airport, having just missed her plane for a flight back to the UK. At least today she didn’t miss the car, or the boat. However, there is a flight in the offing, so that’s something to look out for, Jon.

There are other stories, which might be quite embarrassing. But even though I’m giving Hannah away today, I’d like to stay on speaking terms with her for the future, so those stories will have to remain untold.

This doesn’t leave a lot more to say. This means that I can get on to a couple of important things that I really do want to say:

First, this is a great day for Jon and Hannah. It’s also an important day for the families they represent.

Speaking for Judy and myself, and – I’m sure – for Ivor and Liz too – we would like to thank every one of you for being with us today, as we celebrate Jon and Hannah’s marriage.

If I’m honest, over the past few months, at times it has felt more like we’re losing a daughter than we’re gaining a son.

However, as we’ve got to know Jon better over the months, Judy and I would like to say to you, Jon, how pleased we are that Hannah is marrying you, and we’re very confident that you’ll take good care of her.

Hannah – mum and I want to say to you that we’re delighted that you’re marrying Jon, and we’re tremendously proud of you. You take good care of him, too.

In a few days, I shall be adding a new photo to the frame over my desk – a picture of Jon and Hannah together today.

For Jon and Hannah, this is a new beginning – the first step in their life together as a new family.

Our prayer as parents is that Jon and Hannah will continue to put God at the centre of their life together, wherever he takes them.

I’m sure that all of us here today want to join in wishing Jon and Hannah success and happiness in the future, whatever they do and wherever they go.

So please can I invite you all to stand with me, for a toast to the bride and groom.