Marriage Matters

It’s our wedding anniversary today.  And we’re thinking about what we’d say to ourselves on that morning. What we’d want to say to others in the same position..

DON’T DO IT!!!!

(I know, hilarious. Sorry.  Though in point of fact, that’s exactly what the taxi driver said to Glen on the way to the church.  ‘She’ll drain the life out of you.  Wait till you’re fifty and get a twenty-year old blonde’. And he hadn’t even met me. A similar thing happened at our reception in Australia.  One of Glen’s friends rocked up to me with this opener: ‘Blimey.  You’re not at all what we expected.  We thought you’d be leggy, blonde and gorgeous.  Anyway – congratulations’).  Well they do say the first year is the hardest.

So – words of wisdom..

Marriage feels like death.  We did a marriage prep class and that’s how we started it.  Ephesians 5:25 – husbands, lay down your lives.  But it is a way of finding life  too.

The grass is always greener.  If you’re married you’ll think all your single friends are out clubbing with male models and speed dating in trendy bars.  If you’re single you’ll picture domestic schmaltz as you listen to Celine Dion on repeat.  If you’re childless, it hurts.  If you’ve got kids, you miss your freedom.  Nothing but Christ satisfies.  Glen is a great husband but he’s a terrible Saviour.

A sense of humour is vital.  Especially when things are tough. Sometimes it’s a choice between tears or laughter. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

You are more selfish than you could ever have realised.

You will fall out of love.  At least the kind of love you see on TV.  This is good.  It’s the precursor to a deeper, better relationship.

The only person you can change is yourself. Yes I know, it sounds like a Hallmark card.  But you try living like that.

You learn by making mistakes.

No-one should be closer than your partner.  Not your family, not your best girlfriends, not your dog, not your ‘ministry’.  Newsflash – your marriage is your ministry.

And  finally.  Marriage is fun.

6 thoughts on “Marriage Matters

  1. My dad always says ‘don’t do it’ when he sees people going to get married. I think sometimes people don’t realise what it actually means to be married, which can cause problems.

  2. Hi Sarah

    Thanks for your comment.Yes, a lot of people (me included) don’t know what they’re getting into. There are issues that need to be considered, like family and money and how you’re going to live together and what roles you’ll take on. But some of them are only learned once you’ve made that jump. All the marriage prep in the world can’t prepare you for what it is actually like. And part of getting it ‘right’ is making mistakes together.

  3. Your marriage is your ministry…….I’m stealing that!!

    and happy belated anniversary! Where has the time gone! Was just thinking when I read this that I hadn’t even met my future wife yet when it was your wedding!

    I need to email you, I have big news (ha, I’ll leave it dangerously tantalising like that! Check your inbox!)

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