something to talk about...

I'm still thinking about Valentine's Day. Although I'm a few days late, I wanted to share my thoughts on some comments on marriage I enjoyed from my Real Simple magazine this month. While we all know this magazine doesn't have a Christian perspective, I felt the tips from their readership in the 'your words' section really reflect sound moral committment and some ideas I could relate to...

• Choose to stay in love! It doesn't always come easy, but marriage is a committment best complimented by love. And love is often something you choose by your words and actions as you support and encourage your husband from day to day regardless of how you may be feeling. We try to follow John Heller's advice of saying "I love you" every night before we fall asleep.
• Have something to talk about! My husband and I are two very different people. For a long time, I thought we shared few interests in common. However, we've found one common ground that's good for us both. We both listen to NPR when we are out and about. At the end of the day, we'll often say, "did you hear the piece about...?". It's nice to have something stimulating to discuss and share that doesn't have any bearing on the stresses of our real life and it keeps us up to date. (see my NPR feed on the right for randon headlines of the day)
• Playfulness! One of my favorite things about Brandon is his playfull personality. It makes him a fun husband and great dad. I am not very silly and I am thankful for his little made up songs and dances to remind me to find joy in the little moments.
• Sex and money! The question here is "what is the secret to a good marriage?" While love, trust and communication are all good answers - these two are deffinately key things to get right. So try to get 'date night' in the budget!

It's so easy to be busy being mommies. Let's not forget our first love. I know my husband, like my Lord, deserves my best efforts, not the leftovers.