Preparing Your Marriage For 2011

Today we are going to talk about preparing our marriage for 2011.  Another blog I read recently asked us to describe our marriage in one word.  What word would you use?  Frustrating?  Stressful?  Existing?  Loving?  Passionate?

Thinking back over 2010, what was your marriage like?  Did you and your spouse date?  Did you pray for your spouse each day?  Our marriages are so important.  When we said "I do" we made a firm commitment to stay with that person for the rest of our lives. I have been to many weddings and the vows are always the same...till death do us part.  I have never heard the vows say for the next eleven months or for the next eight years.  It is till death do us part.  I do not want to spend the rest of my earth living days only existing with my husband.  I want my marriage to be a beautiful thing.  I want my husband to know how deeply I love him and I want to know how he loves me.  I want laughter not yelling.  I want hugs not slamming doors.

I also want you to think about this.  The marriage you have will be the marriage your kids see and are likely to model.  Do you want your children to grow up, get married and fight every day?  Do you want your son to see that it is okay to talk down to your wife?  Do you want your daughter to think it is normal to go to bed crying every night?  Or do you want your children to have loving, kind, and Godly marriages? 

Suggestions for today:

1. Pray and ask God how you can change your marriage for the better.  If possible, do this prayer with your spouse.
2. Go through your 2011 calendar and mark a date night once a month.  Make this a date that can not be changed (other than for an emergency).  If you are like us, we can not always afford to go out and do something and pay for child care.  Try this.  Find another family and swap out free babysitting.  Take their kids one night a month for free and have them return the favor.  This gives both couples a night out without having to worry about child care.  If money is still tight, try taking a walk in the park.  Once the kids are gone to the sitter, go back home.  Turn off the lights and light the candles.  Cook dinner together then eat over candle light.  Lay on the couch and watch a movie or play a board game.  There are many free or inexpensive ways to date.  Get creative!
3. Pray for your spouse every single day.  Also pray that God would help you to be the kind of wife/husband you need to be.
4. When your spouse comes home from work each day, greet him at the door with a smile and kind word.  If you are the one coming home, leave the troubles from work and frustrations from traffic outside the door.  Walk in and give your wife a hug and kind word.  See what difference this makes!
5. Make a point to say I love you every day.  Not love you, but I love you.  Personalize it and mean it. 
6. Kiss your spouse like you mean it, every day. 
7. Try doing devotions together.  Maybe time does not permit for every day, but try doing once a week.  When the kids go to bed, pull out the Bible and read a verse or two together and pray together.
8. Throughout the day remind your spouse of your love.  Leave a note where they will see it, send a text saying I love you, buy a package of heart stickers and leave them in places they will see.  Think of ways to show them all day long that you love them.

Make your marriage count.  Make it a priority.  Let your husband/wife know how much they mean to you.  Fall in love all over again.  Let your kids, family and friends see that you love your spouse.

Sweet Blessings~