Marriage

Between having our pastor talk about marriage for a few weeks and completing my first year of marriage, I've thought a lot about marriage this summer. Here are a few things I've learned.

For a marriage to be at its best, the husband and wife both have to be unselfishly seeking good for the other person. For example, I tend to want to spend more time hanging out together than Matthew does. I often am suggesting that we do something together. While Matthew wants to spend time with me, he sometimes would rather be doing something on his own. We started getting frustrated because neither of us were feeling satisfied. However, when we realized that we needed to put each other first, I started letting Matthew do his own thing more often, and Matthew started offering to do things together more often. Amazingly, we're both happy. There are so many times when this principle applies. It is incredible how making someone happy makes you happy.

I have also been realizing how much our love for each other should be, and is, a reflection of God's love. I know marriage is supposed to show other people how God loves us, but it also shows me and Matthew. Last night as we were falling asleep, my mind had thoughts racing, and I was worrying a little bit. While curled up to Matthew, he smoothed my hair from my face, and rubbed my back. With that small action, my thoughts slowed. It reminded me that my husband loved me, and it also felt like God's own hands were calming me and telling me to sleep.