Blessed By A Choice

As my husband and I quickly approach our ten year anniversary, I’m more grateful everyday for the choice that I made in my spouse. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who is going to help my walk with God and not hinder it. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who is committed to our family and committed to raising our children in the Lord.  I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who exhibits patience towards me. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who works hard to provide for our family, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I’m thankful that I chose a spouse who exhibits the agape love of 1 Corinthians 13 in our marriage.

As a 21 year old, I know that I did not fully grasp the importance of my decision when I said “I do.” I have a feeling that if I am blessed with another ten years of marriage that I’ll look back at this ten year mark and think I didn’t know the half of it then either. I’m so thankful that looking back over the past ten years brings joy, and that I’m confident and comforted by my choice in my spouse.

And, my prayer for my children choose someone who is a Christian, seeking to follow and obey God daily. As I pray for them, I must teach them. I have to first teach my children to love and obey God. If they don’t live that life, finding a spouse who loves God isn’t going to be important to them. There are many other influences in the world telling them what their priorities should be in a spouse, and loving God isn’t on that list. I also have to teach them about the gravity and significance of marriage. Once again, there are many other influences telling them that marriage isn’t significant, that it isn’t really that big of a deal such that marriage can be stopped and started again without consequence. However, marriage is something to be honored as precious and valuable.

Though teaching my children about marriage is a complex matter, instilling the importance of a spouse who loves God as well as instilling value and worth in marriage should lay a strong foundation for preparing them for marriage. I know that I am blessed because my spouse loves God and honors marriage, and my desire for each of my children is that they make choices that result in marriages that are blessings as well.

Shouldn’t I do that everyday?

My husband celebrated his birthday over the weekend. Leading up to his birthday I kept trying to think about what things I could do to make his day special; what things I could do to make his day easier; what things I could do to show him that I love him.

Many of the things I thought that I should do were things that I should do for him everyday (but don’t always). I was thinking about making him breakfast'; letting him choose where we ate for lunch; getting up first with the children in the morning so he could sleep a bit more; changing dirty diapers without trying to *pawn* it off on him; etc.

In several ways, I actually felt like I failed on his birthday in doing all the things I wanted to do. I was very tired (thanks to my children who have been waking up way too earlier these past couple of weeks), and I think I let my tiredness get in the way of how I had planned to treat him throughout the day. But, the truth is that I should as his wife, I should treat him like he is special everyday regardless of whether or not it is his birthday. He is special. He is deserving of me treating him as such. I should support him in all that he does. I should do my best to make his life easier. I should go about my daily business without complaining. I should seek to please him. I should I should seek to his best interests because I love him, not just in a *feel good* way, but because I should love him with an agape love; a self-sacrificing love. I know I don’t always do as I should as his wife, but I hope that I am growing more and more into the type of wife that always seeks out the best in and for my husband.

Growing Closer

I’m truly saddened and heart broken when I think about the state of many marriages in today’s society. Marriage is something that is so precious and special, yet it seems as though many people don’t treat it that way. I doubt many people enter into marriage with the intent of it only being a temporary thing, but they end up treating it that way through their actions. Marriage is hard work (like many worthwhile things in our lives), and I think it can be easy to forget that it requires work.

I am so thankful that my husband and I are growing closer as we continue in our marriage, rather than growing apart as is the case in many marriages today. I’m thankful for a husband who is committed to our marriage, and demonstrates a selfless attitude toward me. We aren’t perfect by any stretch, but I know we are moving in the right direction as we do grow closer, especially through keeping God as the center of our marriage and home. I feel as though our marriage has only gotten stronger as we have become parents, and as we face new challenges together  that come with parenting. I hope that we can teach our children the importance of marriage, and to seek out a spouse who also views marriage as sacred.

And Jesus said in Mark 10:6-9: “But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh;so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

More Thankful Everyday

Thanksgiving always reminds me to really think about the things that I am thankful for in my life. I have been blessed greatly, and I'm thankful for many things, but one of the things I am most thankful for is my husband.

He is supportive, loving, and trustworthy. He is wise and level-headed (even when I'm not). He is funny and knows how to make me laugh. He is perceptive and knows when something is wrong with me, and he knows how to cheer me up. He knows when I need a break - when I need a chance to unwind and relax - and he gives me that time even if it means driving around a fussy baby so I can have a few minutes of peace and quiet. He is a great father and husband. He makes my life better.

As I've gotten older, I've realized more and more the importance of choosing one's spouse wisely. I've always been thankful for my husband, but as our years together grow longer, I've come to love and appreciate him even more.  I know that I made a good decision when I chose to marry him. I'm thankful to be sharing and living my life with my best friend. I'm thankful to be married to someone who is trying to help me get to heaven, and who is helping me raise our children in the Lord. I am more thankful everyday that I chose to marry him, and that he found me fit to by his wife.