I have attended several weddings in the past months, and one ceremony had a poignant moment. They asked specific people to surround them.   They stood up, walked up to the couple, surrounded them, and prayed over them, blessing their marriage. These were their mentors.  Folks that will keep them accountable in marriage. Now that’s a powerful moment.

What a great way to start their commitment to each other!

I love being married-

The partnering to create a life together that will leave a legacy.

 I don’t like what marriage can do to one another.
As a wife and mother, I often find my role diminished, by choice.
We often give the power to our spouses to make us happy and bring us joy.
We have expectations that we believe are clearly defined as their role in our lives.

Love me and make me happy!

Well, I have learned that is not a healthy relationship. That is not a healthy expectation.

Marriage is work!

And like any kind of work, that are successes, failures, and losses, but you keep doing the work.
When we get up to go to work we put our best face forward, we show respect to our co-workers. We do our best so that the company and team succeed. When you fail at that, you are replaced.
Think about it…if marriage is work. Why don’t we treat it with the same respect? Why don’t we give it our best? Why do we choose not to succeed for the team?

As I’m getting older, I realize that the glitter and magic of our newlywed love can easily turn into tarnished metal.

Every day we have to take out our special cloth of grace, kindness, forgiveness, and polish the metal so we can see the reflection of what it once was. 

Yet, this takes a team, two people committed to each other, committed to the work!

Lesson:
Marriage is work.
Forgiveness is greater
Choose every day to do both!

‘Til Tuesday