Sam’s Speech – David’s 40th

For me, this is a day where we all have a chance to reflect on the years and months that have passed in David’s life. I have mentioned to a few people in the weeks leading up to this day that a 40th is a milestone in itself, but when you’re planning a 40th rather than a funeral, it becomes an incredible “audacious” (J) occasion!  Quite frankly, a funeral is often where my simple human mind has fearfully dwelt in the last year and a half.

Sam’s speech at David’s 40th

I am so incredibly overjoyed on this special day to have you all here with us, but more importantly, to have DAVID, HERE, with us!

There are so many places we could’ve been today, less happy places… I am glad we are NOT at the blood bank, or the oncology ward at Little Company of Mary, or at the X-ray department, or in the doctor’s waiting room, or in the infamous ‘chemo-lounge’, as we called it. No, today, we give praise that on this significant and special day, we are here in this place (Eastside), that has been so instrumental in our journey, to celebrate the life of one called David Crewe-Brown, my miracle man!!

If today was last year, David would have struggled to really enjoy his party. Recovering after chemotherapy, he had Bell’s Palsy – a rare bilateral Bell’s palsy – unable to close his eyelids (I had to tape them closed at night), move any facial muscles, including his lips to hold food in his mouth. This time last year, David was adamant to enjoy sushi out for his birthday, and the dear man had to hold his lips closed to chew his food and shield his eyes from the glaring lights.

And here today, we look back and see how our Lord Jesus has never left us on our own. He has used the people and events in our lives to bring us to this day: incredibly talented and respected doctors, modern medicine, powerful prayer warriors, unwavering love from family, you, our faithful friends, some old, some new, and the body of Christ. To Him be the glory today!

David and I wanted to arrange a great big bash after we were sure the first scan post- ‘1st line chemo’ would be clean. When the scan was not clean, we knew this “bash” would just need to be postponed. Well, it was postponed by quite a bit, and David’s 40th year of life has now been a tremendous reason to throw such a “bash”! (Although in the planning and weeks leading up to this event, he was tempted to rather just give all the money away that was being spent on celebrating him…. But I would not have any of that!!!)

SO with the milestone of 40 years, I thought it appropriate to share 40 things I love most about David…… Hehehehe J  Got you! But if you would give me half the chance it would be an easy task for me to stand here and do JUST that.

But I thought it would be sweet to use David’s name as the focus of my speech.

David (and actually, correctly pronounced DAWID) for those who did not know, is named after his Oupa David, his mother’s father.

David means beloved. And today, David, there are many here who celebrate with you because of who you are, and because of what you have endured, and so…. you ARE, and to some, have become, particularly beloved.

Each letter in your name I will use to highlight a characteristic that I have come to love about you.

D is for devoted. Firstly, and above all, he is devoted to the Lord, and his devotion is evident in every aspect of his life. His love for Jesus, and his heart to draw closer to Him, is an encouragement to me and so many others. This devotion did not waver during trying times of gruelling chemo sessions, uncertain prognoses and difficult days in hospital. His devotion to his family as a fabulous father isn’t hard to miss and his love for us, his parents and siblings, my family and his friends, is in many ways, the fibre that has helped him to keep fighting.  David can often be found on family holidays playing hockey or cricket or rugby in the garden with the kids, or building great big boats for the children and cousins to row in on the beach – making sure each one’s is as special as the next. He always sees chance for things other people don’t, and has even taken 8 little kids all at once, on his own, to the beach to play!

David is also devoted to his work and maintains excellence in all projects he undertakes, from stacking the dishwasher, to planning a 20 million rand project. His company has clearly recognized this and honoured him for this quality in the way they have cheered him on, supported him, encouraged him and waited with him, thru the last 18 months.

David’s ultimate devotion to his wife has to be the late night cappuccino he makes me each night- and it’s a “hard work” cappuccino nogal, not a single button contraption. I try and match this by making the odd veggie juice for him in our fancy juicer, but even though the labour is intense, my veggie juice does not quite match up to his cappuccino 🙂

Table decoration

A is for adventure and adrenaline! David loves adventure. His greatest one yet was probably completing the great Cape Epic a few years back! In the snowy mountains overseas, he would always make sure he was the first up the chairlift to catch the early morning powdery snow.  Between snowboarding, (which he can’t do as often as he would like to) and tearing down rocky, narrow, non-snowy paths at the speed of light, it’s no wonder we know the insides of many an emergency room with his fair share of repeated shoulder dislocations! And I’m sure many don’t know the story of 2 and a half year old David who climbed up and jumped off the 3 metre high diving board (in his Bentley belt, thankfully). Much to the relief of all the terrified spectators watching, he popped up out of the water, very chuffed with himself. It all started off at a very young age…. !!

V is for “voema”. David is the type of friendly person who will almost always chat to a stranger in the lift, who will greet everyone in a chirpy happy tone on a cold and wintry morning when no-one else can find a good reason to be “vrolik”. He will want to go for a walk at sunrise on the beach when all I want to do is sleep in a little because I am on holiday… “But we are missing out on this lovely sunshine day in this beautiful place!” he would say! AND then he almost always convinces me to go along, because it is contagious to have what he’s got. His list of who to invite to supper next is loooong, and always includes newcomers and people he would like to reach out to. He would also often be the first to greet newcomers at church, making sure they receive a friendly welcome.

A perfect day in David’s life, is also a perfect example of his “voema”. Such a perfect day would go something like this… An early morning ride with his buddies, a few DIY things at home, with Benj trailing close behind, a quick shop with his wife to buy her some new clothes :-), a walk to the oval to play some cricket with Benj, Sarah-Jaynie and Neena and then watching the Bulls beat the Stormers at his folks’ place!

I for inability to moan. This became the most apparent to me when David was in his deepest, most difficult days of chemotherapy. Those days when his condition did not allow him to walk from the bed to the chair. Not once did he moan, snap or become irritable. David always sees the bright side of a situation and adding him in the mix of any conversation is often a breath of fresh air.  I think this also springs from his servant heart, where he will do many a practical task without expecting much in return – he will clean up the kitchen for me while I’m out running errands, or his greatest joy is working through the “list” when I am away somewhere for a day or few. He will then take great joy out of me discovering what’s been done around the house 🙂

D for discipline. This is probably the characteristic that I admire the most in David, perhaps because it’s a tough one for me. Training for a race requires tremendous discipline including putting in adequate hours, waking up at difficult times. David’s discipline in reading the Word and praying early each morning inspires me to grow in my walk with the Lord. I know that this discipline of walking daily with Jesus is what carried Him through many recent dark and difficult days. Through this you have challenged me to walk closer and follow harder after Christ.

I recently finished reading the well-known Corrie ten Boom book, The Hiding Place. I love the way she writes of her experiences in war-torn Holland and Germany and I love this quote from her book: “I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do”

I know The Lord has great plans for you, my liefitjie.  It’s been an incredible privilege to be part of 16 of your 40 years.  Thank-you for making it so easy for me to love you.

Now it is my turn to introduce you to the most beautiful person I know — my dear, David Crewe-Brown.