For Valentine’s Day and Beyond

 

*I write this post from the perspective that both people in the marriage are committed to it. I’m not a marriage counselor. I know that each situation is different.

As I begin this post, I have to admit that I’m not a “holiday girl.” I don’t put much stock in the pressures of making holidays perfect for myself, my children, or my husband. I don’t hold my husband to the standard of having to bring home flowers or chocolates on Valentine’s Day or him taking me to Dinner. That isn’t to say that we don’t do something for Valentine’s Day at times. It just doesn’t happen every year.

This attitude is one that I would have scoffed at in my younger, romanticized teenage years. In fact, this attitude is exactly the kind of thing that I thought my otherwise awesome Mother should care about. I may have even vowed that I would never be like my Mother. That I wouldn’t allow MY husband not to get me gifts on special occasions.

Perhaps, I’ve gotten wiser as I’ve gotten older. (Though I’m not old yet) Or maybe some of you may think that I’ve just given up on my husband. That I’ve been disappointed too many times. Yet that isn’t really the case.

I’ve learned a few things about myself. I’m not really big on flowers. They die. Gifts aren’t my number 1 love language. In fact, they are almost at the bottom. Sure, I love chocolate just as much as the next girl, but my hubby can get that for me any day.

But Enough about Me

The point of this post isn’t to talk about myself.

It’s actually about Love.

For this, I must take you all back to the “Love Chapter.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

  • Love is Patient and Kind

Love is when our husbands patiently hold our hands while we labor to deliver a baby.

Love is when our husbands clean up the puke of one of the children because we can’t stand the sight of it.

Love is when our husbands patiently wait while we take forever to do our hair AGAIN.

Love is when our husbands don’t complain that dinner is late again even though we spent too much time on Facebook that day.

Love is when our husbands say not a word when we get a speeding ticket.

  • Love is Forgiveness

Love is when we forgive each other for harsh words yet again.

Love is when our husbands forgive us for losing our tempers with one of our children before we’ve even forgiven ourselves.

Love is when our husbands forgive us for shrinking his favorite shirt.

Love is when we forget each other’s wrong doings and never bring them up again.

  • Love is not irritable.

Love is when our husbands keep quiet even when we’re throwing a fit again.

Love is when we keep our cool even when he’s late for Dinner again.

Love is when we respond kindly to harsh words.

  • Love never gives up.

Love is when we keep trying to communicate even when it’s hard.

Love is holding our spouses near in the midst of pain and suffering, even when they don’t seem like they’ll ever be the same again.

Love is cheering for each other in spite of numerous failures.

  • Love endures through every circumstance.

Love is holding each other close through hard financial times or bankruptcy.

Love is remembering that you’re both hurting in the midst of loss.

Love is loving even when there’s no time to date.

Love is communicating even if the other spouse doesn’t respond.

The truth is the romanticized views of marriage that I had as a teen were just that-romanticized.

Marriage takes work.

Love isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice that we must make each and every day.

We must choose to love through the good AND the bad.

To hold one another near through thick and thin.

In sickness and health.

In loss and pain.

And the good news is that marriage is absolutely beautiful!

When we work at it, we get to live and work together as teammates with our very best friends!

No, this kind of relationship doesn’t come without work.

But that work is absolutely worth it!

So, today, I want to remind what LOVE is really about.

It’s a choice. I encourage you to make that choice today.

 

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5 Ways to Prioritize Marriage

 

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