Marriage

We just came home from a great weekend. We spent it at a camp in central Iowa with about 25 other couples all interested in not only their own marriages but in helping others with their marriages. We met people of different nationalities and from different communities. We all had different life experiences but we all agreed on one thing. Marriage is important. We gain strength and stability by being married. While each wife and each husband are individuals, we are more well rounded with our partner.

We also agreed that God created marriage to be a life time commitment. Now don't get me wrong. I understand that we live in a broken world and good people get divorces. There are more than one in my own family. But that doesn't mean that I have to think "that's just the way it is." Many marriages could be saved but often people give up way too soon or never receive the help they really needed.

Marriage is a relationship. Relationships require that we live "beyond" ourselves. It can't always be "about me". In fact, when I make it about me, it never works out the way I was hoping. I'm never satisfied. But when I actually live my day realizing that I'm a part of my husband's team. I can make our day better by being a team player or worse by only looking out for myself. It's amazing what just that little shift of thinking can do for my attitude. It's a choice I can make.

What do you think? Is your marriage a team plan or two soloists living together?