We will celebrate 40 years of marriage on the 24th of this month. Does this make us experts in all things pertaining to marriage? Not by any stretch of the imagination! What we are is experienced. We have learned many valuable lessons by living with each other.
Since Tom and I are opposite in many ways, it provides fertile ground for various conflicts to grow. None more so than his cautious approach to life and my impulsive nature.
I like to think I’m spontaneous! 😊
Of course there are times when being spontaneous or impulsive is good, fun even. I like to tease Tom how boring his life would be without me. He agrees. However, I shudder to think how my impulsive nature would have played out if left unchecked. I’m forever grateful for Tom’s solid, well-thought out way of doing life. Together we are better individuals.
In this day and age people tout their individual rights as if it is a godly virtue. But I believe God calls us to need the help and support of others to help bring us to a place of maturity in Him.
Tom’s patient weighing out of all options used to make me crazy!
Why can’t he just decide already, was a constant thought pattern. But I have discovered there can be much wisdom in his caution, as well as much foolishness in my impulse.
I asked him recently how he was able to decide to marry me after only three months of dating. He says he knew after our first date, but thought it would scare me away if he asked me that night; He would have been right. Funny isn’t it? Tom showed no caution when he knew God had given him clear direction to marry me. I guess that’s where we get the saying “leap of faith!” When God speaks we are ready to jump.
Don’t throw caution to the wind however, let it inform you when it is the best time to take the leap, then jump in with all you have. I’m so glad we did!
In what ways are you and your spouse different? Has it made you bitter or better?
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This is our fourth post for our National Marriage Week Challenge to post each day leading up to Valentine’s Day. #NationalMarriageWeek2019
The Romantic Vineyard 
I’m pretty calm (“Hey, is that dude still breathing?” and tend to take life as a joke), and my wife is rather emotive and serious. It balanced well until the cancer thing really started to accelerate; now my attitue drives her kinda up the wall.
‘Twas a night of troubled breathing
but really, what the heck.
Sun is shining, dogs are playing,
and I’ve a DVD of ‘Shrek’.
I’m not going to let this kill me
death won’t be my fate;
they say life flashes before thee,
and reruns I really hate!
Some find black humour hard to take
like nails upon a chalkboard
But sorrow’s something I can’t fake;
I’d rather just go forward
through these days dark and fell,
laughing my way through hell.
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Ha! Sounds familiar. My husband could spend an hour in the lighting aisle of Home Depot picking just the right bulb for a lamp, but within a month of us dating, he wanted to get married. And once we were engaged (five months after meeting!), he asked me most days on the way to the wedding if we could just go say our vows immediately and be done. So I hear ya! ♥
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Tom insists the difference is that God had given him clear direction. Grateful for the fact that I was a clear choice without hesitation!
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