Happy Fourth!

My husband has a few things to say about being married to me for four years. I invited him to say it to me here.

I had a couple things to say to him too, you can hop over to his space to read them.
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Four years of marriage.

Four years.

Four years was the average state prison sentence handed out in the US in 2007. That's the length of time I spent in high school. It's the amount of time I spent in college.

It is also the amount of time we've been married, as of today.

I'm not comparing our marriage to spending time in prison. I guess I can't speak for you, but these past four years have been the best years of my life.  I don't know how many inmates can truly say that.

I realize four years doesn't break any record for the longest marriage, and it doesn't make me an expert by any means, but I think I've learned a few things.

The first time I heard the instructions on marriage in Ephesians 5, I thought it meant that wives have to do everything their husbands tell them.  Marriage would be a piece of cake if I took that literally.  But how boring would that be?  Who wants to spend their life with someone who just takes instructions?

Not me. 

I kept reading in Ephesians, and I found instructions for the husband as well.

The secret to a happy marriage?  Love you, my wife, as Christ loves the church. 

What does that look like? Like putting my needs, wants, and desires second.  Like doing things for you that may not be on the top of my own list.  Like sacrificing.

I make a sacrifice when I choose the option I don't desire the most.

That is a huge task.  I can't possibly do it all the time.  It's not possible for me to pour out the amount of love Christ has poured out on us. 

But I can try.

I fail at this.  I can't be perfect, but perfection is not something I am shooting for - or will ever attain.

So what am I to do?  I can do the things I ought to do, and not do the things I ought not do.

I can come home and help with the girls and with chores.

I can do things so you can relax.

I don't have to go to every social function I'm invited to.

I don't have to have the TV on all the time.
 
I love you, Julia. Here's to many more years of a wonderful partnership.  I look forward to your continuing to challenge me to be a better man, husband, father, and follower of Christ.

Brad