Marriage

So, laying in bed with my husband the other day, I am reminded of how lucky we both are.

Some of my friends who have been married are divorced.

Some are miserable.

But yet, by the grace of God, we are still married, still strong, still happy, and working on our second baby. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not reminded of how lucky we are. We have weathered some pretty intense storms, but the storms passed and we were left standing strong.

I think that there are three big factors that combine to make a successful marriage.

One is, of course, unconditional love for your partner. I think so many people go into a marriage not really knowing what love is. Love means loving your partner through anything, so before getting married, one should ask theirself. Could I love this person if they were paralyzed? Could I love this person if they were disabled? Could I love this person if they were in a coma? Could I love this person if they sustained a massive head injury and lived the rest of their life needing my total care? These are negative things to think about, but if you don't love your partner enough to stick through them through these circumstances, then marriage should not be considered.

Second key to a successful marriage is knowing your partner well. Although I didn't know Randall for that long when we married, we both got lucky and have not grown apart during our marriage. So many people marry and grow apart.

Third, people have to be determined to stick out a marriage for the long haul. Divorce is looked upon as a desirable option, and almost half of all marriages fail. Thats more and more children with broken families, and if this cycle continues, if we teach this to our children, then even more children in the next generation will grow up without both parents in the home.

Not that there aren't good reasons for divorce, there are plenty. Its just that divorce should be looked at as a last resort, not a first option. I think if we can teach our children anything, its the importance and sanctity of marriages. Don't preach about age of the couple, age is irrelevant to love. Just teach your kids how important and difficult marriages are. Be honest with children about the challenges married couples face and allow your children to see you be affectionate with your husband. By teaching your children about marriage and setting a good example, maybe we can instill these family values in the next generation and create a period in time where divorce and broken families aren't the norm.