CP 155 A tale of two Taroona High students
A tale of two Taroona High students
“Once-upon-a-time there was a school in fair Hobart called Taroona High. It was regarded as one of the ‘better’ schools in that southern kingdom of Van Diemens Land. Almost half a century ago, not quite in the olden days, a young girl named Rosemarie was enrolled in the afore-mentioned school. She flourished there and indeed, graduated as dux-of-the-school. An exceedingly bright future beckoned when she moved to the wondrous harbour-city called Sydney.
About thirty years later, in more modern times, another bright student was enrolled at the same school. Although Mary did not become dux-of-the-school, she excelled in her studies, and she too was drawn by the allure of the great city to the north.
By coincidence both young ladies met a handsome men called Fred. Rosemarie met her Fred on Coogee beach on a warm late-summer day. Mary met her Fred on a cool early-spring evening at Darling Harbour during the Olympic Games. Both women married their Fred. By coincidence both Freds worked in a vocation beginning with P, and both serve a in a Kingdom. Rosemarie’s Fred became a Pastor after he joined the Lutheran Church. Mary’s Fred turned out to be a Prince, and before she married him she too joined the Lutheran Church.
Nowadays Rosemarie lives with her Fred in Campbelltown, (let the reader understand,) while Mary and her Fred live in Copenhagen. Rosemarie lives in a parsonage while Mary lives in a palace. Rosemarie lives in relative obscurity and Mary lives in royal opulence. Their lives are a world apart. However both are happy and both expect to live happily-ever-after.”
Here endeth the tale.
Question… Which of these two fair ladies is the more richly blessed? Answer… I have not the foggiest idea. As the older of the two Freds, I might only speak for Rosemarie, and what presumption that would be. But, all things considered, I surmise that she must be very happy. She has 5 children. Add a baker’s dozen grandchildren. Plus she has me. She also has Jesus. And Mary? Touring Australia at the moment, she comes across as happy too. Apart from her children, the eyes of her Fred reveal a deep affection for her and that must count for much. She, too, may have Jesus.
So why am I writing this flowery tale? Is there a faith lesson in this story? Hardly. Is there a moral to this story? The answer is no. All I intend to do is to place a simple observation before you. And what is that? The person we marry, or will marry, has an enormous influence on the content and direction of our lives and in the way our lives pan out.
That’s it. The fairy-tale is to fall in love, then marry, and then live happily ever-after. However being ‘in love’ carries no guarantee of personal or marital happiness. Those who are madly-in-love are almost invariably unable to see with the eyes of wisdom and discernment. Being objective and being in love are not comfortable bed-fellows. Mistakes are par for the course. But who can control that mysterious thing of the way of a man with a maiden? For what it’s worth, at least try to be objective. (You may be sure that the ‘Palace’ checked out Mary of Taroona pretty thoroughly.) I will repeat what is important to remember: The person we marry, or will marry, has an enormous influence and impact on the course of our lives.
Is there hope? Of course! As William Willimon says, “Marriage is not about finding the right person as much as being [becoming] the right person.” For that you need Jesus Christ, his transforming Word, and his transforming Spirit.
Bless you people.
Fred
“Once-upon-a-time there was a school in fair Hobart called Taroona High. It was regarded as one of the ‘better’ schools in that southern kingdom of Van Diemens Land. Almost half a century ago, not quite in the olden days, a young girl named Rosemarie was enrolled in the afore-mentioned school. She flourished there and indeed, graduated as dux-of-the-school. An exceedingly bright future beckoned when she moved to the wondrous harbour-city called Sydney.
About thirty years later, in more modern times, another bright student was enrolled at the same school. Although Mary did not become dux-of-the-school, she excelled in her studies, and she too was drawn by the allure of the great city to the north.
By coincidence both young ladies met a handsome men called Fred. Rosemarie met her Fred on Coogee beach on a warm late-summer day. Mary met her Fred on a cool early-spring evening at Darling Harbour during the Olympic Games. Both women married their Fred. By coincidence both Freds worked in a vocation beginning with P, and both serve a in a Kingdom. Rosemarie’s Fred became a Pastor after he joined the Lutheran Church. Mary’s Fred turned out to be a Prince, and before she married him she too joined the Lutheran Church.
Nowadays Rosemarie lives with her Fred in Campbelltown, (let the reader understand,) while Mary and her Fred live in Copenhagen. Rosemarie lives in a parsonage while Mary lives in a palace. Rosemarie lives in relative obscurity and Mary lives in royal opulence. Their lives are a world apart. However both are happy and both expect to live happily-ever-after.”
Here endeth the tale.
Question… Which of these two fair ladies is the more richly blessed? Answer… I have not the foggiest idea. As the older of the two Freds, I might only speak for Rosemarie, and what presumption that would be. But, all things considered, I surmise that she must be very happy. She has 5 children. Add a baker’s dozen grandchildren. Plus she has me. She also has Jesus. And Mary? Touring Australia at the moment, she comes across as happy too. Apart from her children, the eyes of her Fred reveal a deep affection for her and that must count for much. She, too, may have Jesus.
So why am I writing this flowery tale? Is there a faith lesson in this story? Hardly. Is there a moral to this story? The answer is no. All I intend to do is to place a simple observation before you. And what is that? The person we marry, or will marry, has an enormous influence on the content and direction of our lives and in the way our lives pan out.
That’s it. The fairy-tale is to fall in love, then marry, and then live happily ever-after. However being ‘in love’ carries no guarantee of personal or marital happiness. Those who are madly-in-love are almost invariably unable to see with the eyes of wisdom and discernment. Being objective and being in love are not comfortable bed-fellows. Mistakes are par for the course. But who can control that mysterious thing of the way of a man with a maiden? For what it’s worth, at least try to be objective. (You may be sure that the ‘Palace’ checked out Mary of Taroona pretty thoroughly.) I will repeat what is important to remember: The person we marry, or will marry, has an enormous influence and impact on the course of our lives.
Is there hope? Of course! As William Willimon says, “Marriage is not about finding the right person as much as being [becoming] the right person.” For that you need Jesus Christ, his transforming Word, and his transforming Spirit.
Bless you people.
Fred
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 12:37 PM
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