Happily ever after.....

happily ever after....

In  church, our pastor is working through a series on marriage.  They even had a seminar for married couples on communication...

Points
-unity, commitment
-friendship, consideration
-work together, collaboration
-intimacy, courtship/romance
-family, communication
-holiness, Christ

Being a widow, it seems weird sometimes to be sitting there listening to lessons on marriage...on the other hand, it is good reflect back and see how we would have scored on scale of 1-5.  One being weak and five, being strong in those characteristics...how did we do marriage?  Were we unified....were we friends....did we work together....did we maintain  intimacy or courtship through 43 + years....did we have good family communication....did we have an attitude of holiness....????

Our scale would probably move from time to time...ours wasn't the perfect marriage...we worked on it over the years...it wasn't the worst marriage either...perfection doesn't come until heaven...

I miss the unity, the friendship , the working together, the intimacy/courtship, the communication, the holiness of matrimony...it went by so quickly.....poof, a vapor

Now, a new relationship is in place....that of having a husband in God...He promises to be a husband to the widows...so I have to work at the unity, the friendship, the collaboration, the intimacy, the communication, the holiness....His is perfect 5 and mine is coming along...a growing  awareness that He is accessible all the time, not just for mornings, tea, evenings..He fulfills the void created by the death of a spouse..

He created us for fellowship, unity, collaboration, intimacy, communication  and holiness...

So even though the services are about marriage of couples, He speaks to me also...what is my scale 1-5,  where do I need to improve my skills in this new relationship....this is an ongoing relationship...ongoing growth...ongoing awareness ....

Thank YOU for lessons on marriage on all levels! for the newlyweds, the ones   with small children, the ones with teens, the empty-nesters, all marriages, all ages.  Your word speaks to all of us no matter where we are in life...

Matthew 19:5-6
New International Version (NIV)
5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[a]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Ephesians 4:2
New International Version (NIV)
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ecclesiastes 4:9
The Message (MSG)
9-10 It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.
Share the work, share the wealth.
And if one falls down, the other helps,
But if there’s no one to help, tough!

Ecclesiastes 9:9a
New International Version (NIV)
9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,....

Proverbs 13:17b
Living Bible (TLB)
17.....Reliable communication permits progress.

Philippians 2:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: