Sacred Marriage

Insights from bible study:
Most of us got married, not to learn how to love but to be loved.
That's what causes marital problems because it's not in the image of Christ.

When we grow in our commitment to serve each other, we become more like Jesus who said, "The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve" Matthew 20:28

My goal is to serve Chris and spend time making him happy and quit focusing on what will make me happy. I have realized though that the more you make your spouse happy the more they make you happy. It's a win win situation!
I have realized after talking with a group of women that my husband isn't the only one that seems a little ungrateful at times. You know....when the house is spotless, dinner is delicious, errands have been run, clothes have been washed and put up, and it all goes unnoticed without a thank you. It's easy to get your feelings hurt when you are living to make yourself happy instead of living to serve others. A wise women in our study said, "it doesn't matter if he didn't notice your service, God knows and will reward!" I could get mad because he didn't make me happy by bragging on me but WHY ruin a day that God has given us? Chris isn't just my husband he is God's son and no matter his faults God wants him to be loved and that's what I committed to do until the day I die!!

* If you love to get love then it isn't love
* Success in marriage is not about finding the right person but being the right person.
* I have to be a God-centered spouse not a spouse-centered spouse

Things to pray for:
* God, you made men and women gloriously different. Teach us to use these difference as a gift, not a curse.
* Let our marriage be a laboratory for you to work in each of our lives, and teach us to love and serve like the Savior who gave himself for us.
* Give us eyes to see our spouse as you do, and not from our limited perspective.
* Show us the folly of dreaming about some nonexistent "soul mate" and instead teach us to invest our heart, service, and love in the spouse you have already given us.

We also discussed our responsibility as a parent:

You shall love the Lord God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on doorposts of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:5-9

We have a huge responsibility as a parent to guide our children down the right path and how great is God to give us advice to do so!
I couldn't decide which verse to put on Chase's wall and while we were reading that verse I had an AH HA moment. Above his bed will be the words
Love the Lord God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5