Four year later Grant went for a ride on his motorbike. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted now 15 year old Karena. He had to do a double take. No longer did she look like that 11 year old kid he was once introduced to. Taking a deep breath he pulled to the side and nervously offered her a lift home. The rest you would say was history...........
For most of us on Valentines Day, love is the storybook fairy tale. The happy ever after. We think about the falling in love and that "love story" is what everyone wants to hear about when you meet someone for the first time. "How did you meet?" they eagerly ask? Lets face it, most of us whether we admit it or not are love junkies. What about the after "How did you meet?" story? What happened then? Having been married myself for 13 years, I have a fair idea of loves bumpy road. When I look at couples who have been together for over 30 years, I am looking for a glimpse of love in their relationship that often I see missing and I am disheartened. "Is this what we have to look forward to?" I wonder? Surely we can do better.
For Grant and Karena, their story takes a different turn from most. They have been married for 34 years and I am sure that life has not been all chocolate and roses. However, when I look at them, I see a beautiful couple who consciously make a choice to make every day "Valentines Day". Not in the romantic way that you may think. Grant and Karena wake up every morning choosing to love the other person. They put the other persons needs ahead of their own, compromising at times. They pray together daily, they respect one another and they communicate openly with one another.
This couple have been a huge inspiration to myself and my relationship with my husband and to many that know them, including their own children. When I first had children, Karena said something to me that will always stick with me: "Your children are on loan to you. It is your job to raise them the best that you can but there will come a point when your job will be done and they will leave. The relationship with your husband will be what will remain." In the midst of the crazy child rearing years I see the wisdom in Karena's words now more then ever. Its so easy for life to revolve around kids and our responsibilities and what often comes last is the one person that I have built this life up with. Grant and Karena have chosen to make their relationship a priority and because they have done so their children have stood up and applauded: They haven't gone without, seeing mum and dad put each other first. Instead they have received a legacy that will be passed down generations to come.
*Grant and Karena married in 1981 when Karena was 18 and Grant was 22 and by the time the were 24 and 28 they had three kids. Grant was a qualified builder and spent a few years managing his Dad's orchard. A few years later they felt called by God to move to Nelson...no idea why and no house or job to go to, they packed up their young family (3, 5 &7) and left everything they knew. They sent the furniture van to Nelson with no address to deliver it to, but by the time it arrived two days later God had provided them with a house to move into. After 5 1/2 years working as Camp Directors and realising their passion for reaching unsaved kids they heard the call of God again and packed up their family once more and moved to Tauranga to go to Faith Bible College. A few years later they joined with another couple who were working in a couple of schools teaching Christian values to kids...called Cool Bananas. Twenty years later Cool Bananas is in most of the schools in Tauranga and they teach thousands of kids Christian values every week.
Right from the beginning they committed themselves and their marriage to God and they have trusted him every step of the way. He has led them into an amazing ministry and they have worked together everyday for the last 25 years. They are passionate about God, about their family, about their ministry and about each other. They spend their free time walking, kayaking, cafe-ing and being with their 6 grandkids. 34 years married and they are still Best Friends and passionately in love. An amazing example of marriage and commitment and my inspiration everyday.
For more information on Cool Bananas and the ministry that Grant and Karena run, you can visit
http://www.coolbananas.org.nz/
*Provided lovingly by Grant and Karenas oldest daughter Micaela.
This couple have been a huge inspiration to myself and my relationship with my husband and to many that know them, including their own children. When I first had children, Karena said something to me that will always stick with me: "Your children are on loan to you. It is your job to raise them the best that you can but there will come a point when your job will be done and they will leave. The relationship with your husband will be what will remain." In the midst of the crazy child rearing years I see the wisdom in Karena's words now more then ever. Its so easy for life to revolve around kids and our responsibilities and what often comes last is the one person that I have built this life up with. Grant and Karena have chosen to make their relationship a priority and because they have done so their children have stood up and applauded: They haven't gone without, seeing mum and dad put each other first. Instead they have received a legacy that will be passed down generations to come.
*Grant and Karena married in 1981 when Karena was 18 and Grant was 22 and by the time the were 24 and 28 they had three kids. Grant was a qualified builder and spent a few years managing his Dad's orchard. A few years later they felt called by God to move to Nelson...no idea why and no house or job to go to, they packed up their young family (3, 5 &7) and left everything they knew. They sent the furniture van to Nelson with no address to deliver it to, but by the time it arrived two days later God had provided them with a house to move into. After 5 1/2 years working as Camp Directors and realising their passion for reaching unsaved kids they heard the call of God again and packed up their family once more and moved to Tauranga to go to Faith Bible College. A few years later they joined with another couple who were working in a couple of schools teaching Christian values to kids...called Cool Bananas. Twenty years later Cool Bananas is in most of the schools in Tauranga and they teach thousands of kids Christian values every week.
Right from the beginning they committed themselves and their marriage to God and they have trusted him every step of the way. He has led them into an amazing ministry and they have worked together everyday for the last 25 years. They are passionate about God, about their family, about their ministry and about each other. They spend their free time walking, kayaking, cafe-ing and being with their 6 grandkids. 34 years married and they are still Best Friends and passionately in love. An amazing example of marriage and commitment and my inspiration everyday.
For more information on Cool Bananas and the ministry that Grant and Karena run, you can visit
http://www.coolbananas.org.nz/
*Provided lovingly by Grant and Karenas oldest daughter Micaela.
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