Thursday, July 24, 2014

Walk in Unity

I am so thankful for my husband, and I am so glad God created the institution of marriage for us to be able to share life together.  I love him with all my heart and we have raised three awesome boys.  Life has been good.  God has definitely blessed us.

Marriage is not easy though.  There are times we have differing opinions.  It's in these times we have to decide whether we will fight each other or work through the differences.

I choose the latter.  It's so much better to work through things than let petty things divide us.  Satan knows the things that push our buttons and I feel he looks for every opportunity to speak little negative thoughts in our ears.  If not Satan, maybe it's just our own flesh that is conjuring up the conflict.  Regardless of the source, it's definitely not God.  

The point is, by staying in unity, we can accomplish so much more.   The Bible says in Matthew 18:19, "If two of you agree on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you."  

We can also hinder prayers by not walking with each other in understanding according to 1 Peter 3:7.  

Today if you are struggling to agree with your spouse, take the high road.   Set aside the negative feelings and start counting your blessings.  When you think of the positive things about your spouse instead of focusing on the negative, life will be a lot sweeter.  

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Come Away My Beloved




Jerry and I just returned from a much needed vacation on the California coast.  It was awesome being able to get away from the heat in Arizona for a little while and a great time to communicate with each other. 

If you have never taken time away with just your spouse, let me encourage you to try it.  Getting away is not only refreshing physically but it is also a time to reconnect with each other without distractions you may have at home. 

Jerry and I have been married 37 years, and when our kids were young we made a decision to take an annual time away from them, usually around our anniversary.   It was something we considered as important as paying the electric bill.  

I think the kids enjoyed us going out of town as much as we did.  Most of the time they were with grandparents, although we made other arrangements at times too.  Whether it was for one night or an entire week, it’s amazing how much going away did for our marriage.  

We always had a family vacation too, but by taking a little time for ourselves first, we were better prepared for the pace of the family vacation.  

I believe one of the best things we can do for our kids is to show love for our spouse.  It makes them feel secure and models for them what a healthy marriage is to be like.  

Waiting till our kids are grown to take time alone is just not reasonable.  If we concentrate on our kids and all they are involved in and don’t nurture our spouse, we probably won’t have much of a relationship by the time they are grown and gone. 

Even though we are empty nesters, we still make time for dates and over nighters.   It is one of the things that has kept us passionate about each other.   Taking ourselves out of routine does wonders for our relationship.  I’m sure you will find the same thing happens for you. 

There are many vacation deals around Arizona in the summer.  Getting away doesn’t have to take you far.  Make arrangements for a family member to keep your kids or trade with a friend.   It is an investment in your marriage that will pay huge dividends.