Have you ever heard the song titled, “Every Other Weekend” by Reba McIntire? Kenny Chesney sings it with her. Listening to this song makes me teary eyed every time I hear it. What makes it worse is when you watch the video that goes along with it. What is the Devil’s biggest threat to human kind? In my personal opinion, its breaking up the home – its divorce.
When God created the heavens and the earth, He created man to enjoy everything that He created. He didn’t want man to be alone, so He gave him a help meet. Someone that he could enjoy the company of, share a friendship with and also have to help in the garden. God loved spending time with Adam and Eve. It talks about God walking through the garden, Genesis 3:8.
Modern day society has a different view on what marriage should be. Slowly, mankind has gotten this sense of entitlement. That is in all areas, I “deserve” this. Women believe that their husbands should be like Edward in Twilight with his romantic words or like charactors in 50 Shades of Gray (for the record, no I have not read that book and do not intend to). While reading these novels, we women tend to look at our husbands and wonder why they don’t sweep us off our feet like that….say the romantic words….constantly give surprises. We look at the perfect fictional character and wonder why we don’t have that. Husbands now a days want the perfect trophy wife, kids taken care of and happy so that they can sit and watch sports and holler for a snack and drink. They would also like for you to be ready for him every night with open arms in all the lingerie that you got before you got married.
Is any of this realistic for everyday life? No and that is what the media and hollywood tells us is that we deserve. Mankind has become so selfish just wanting our own needs to be met and not focusing on what the main objective is. If everyone would have a SERVING heart, I can guarantee you that this world would turn around instantly! All of a sudden, people would be holding doors for other, helping the elderly with groceries to their car, holding the elevator, SMILING AND SAYING GOOD MORNING (my biggest pet peave), customer service in businesses would be top notch and would be sincere because employees would realize, along with the employers, that they have that job because of Jo Blow walking in from the street. You would ask Jane how her mother is doing and bring over food so that she can have a night off, you would ask the Elders of your church how you maybe able to help some of the projects they have in mind instead of critisizing that they are not meeting YOUR needs. You would volunteer to teach bible class because you would remember how your first bible class teacher made an impact on your life. You would talk to others with respect and not talk down or condescending to them. You would call others to see how their day has been NOT to tell them how your day at work went. You would do kind things for others on their birthday so that they felt special and that someone was thinking of them. When the walmart cashier asks “How are you?” you tell them and ask them back! And what does all of this have to do with marriage? Because you would go home, and after a long day of focusing on others, serving and doing for others, you would realize how darn lucky you are that you have a house and food in your cabinets. You would have pride in the blessings GOD alone has blessed you with and you would continue to show how thankful you were for those blessings by meeting His commands and fulfiling the duties that God has given you as a wife or a husband. You would smile and ask your spouse how their day was and ask the other if they need help with dinner or with the kids or you would give the spouse a break from working all day and have dinner ready. You would be happy to personally dish up food for each and everyone of your family members because this is what you love to do.
And if you and your spouse get into a disagreement, you listen. You try to put yourself in their shoes and you care that they are upset or disappointed. Instead of proving your point, you listen to theirs. If both parties are doing this, I can guarantee you that being selfless will prove rewards! God will bless you because you are not trying to be right, you are trying to DO right. When you have had a hard day, and you don’t feel like you are in a great mood, you still perservere and you want to know why? Because there is always someone that has it harder than you. There is always someone that is struggling more and there is always someone that needs more.
God wanted us to serve each other, bless each other, help with each others needs. In relationships, if you are selfless and worried about if the other one’s needs are met, you will continue to grow in strength. Marriage was our gift that God gave us and we have ruined it. We have forgotten what the true meaning of relationships are. I found this on another blog site and thought it was marvelous!!!!! Her title was, “If I could tell my engaged women this” But I think its more appropriate if you title it “Hey Women!” and this can also be changed up for the men. It always goes both ways. There is not one with more responsibility than the other, it is a team effort. Hope you enjoy:
1. Marriage is made up of two good forgivers.Because every marriage is made up of two sinners. (Romans 3:23)
2. At some point, you will have to learn that life isn’t all about you. (Philippians 2:3)
3. Don’t listen to women that tell you that passion fades…it doesn’t have to! (um…all of Song of Solomon)
4. Don’t give up. Love never fails. (1 Cor. 13)
5. He wants a kind wife, not a maid or another mother. Be nice. (Galatians 5:22-23)
6. Give your husband the gift of your respect. He needs it more than you know. (Ephesians 5:33)
7. Be mindful of your expectations.
8. Honor the Lord above all things. Colossians 3: 17
9. Find your worth and security in the Lord, and don’t look to your husband to meet all of your needs.
10. Be very careful about reading romance novels, they set you up for an unrealistic view of romance.
11. Real romance is finding that one spot in the crook of his arm to snuggle into, that shared look over the dinner table when the kids are acting crazy, and the way he fixes the leaky sink when he is dog-tired after work.
12. Love is about relationship. The more I love my husband, and seek a relationship with him, the less critical and duty-bound I become. It is similar to my relationship with God.
13. Be thankful for the husband you have. Accept him as he is, not for what you want him to be.
14. Don’t compare!! Don’t buy into the game of comparing him with anyone else’s husband.
15.The Biblically “normal” marriage is filled with joy, connection, laughter, and peace. It’s not free of hurt feelings and conflict, but they know how to process their pain with one another so that they live more often in a meadow than at the scene of a train wreck. This is not the average marriage, but it normal – -because it is a visible display of Jesus’ relationship with His bride (Ephesians 5:22-33).
16. Your marriage is a testimony! “The #1 evangelistic tool in America (the world) today is a successful marriage, because it’s a living miracle!” – Dr. Joe Aldrich, former president of Multnomah Bible College.
17. Pray for your marriage. Pray hard.
18.I’ve heard that is gets better with age. I have to say in my short {13 year} experience, that is so true.
19. Where there is God, there is always hope. Even for the most broken marriages. “With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
20.Marriage is commitment and sacrifice. But it’s also the best, most wild ride you will ever have with your best friend.
