God is in the small stuff!

I have been reading a book the past month that brings your spirits up and remides you things about life.. When i read this chapter I felt this feeling that i need to post about it... I think mostly cause it deals with Marriage and so many of my friends and family members are married... and than so many of them end with a snap of the finger. So I just want to pass this on to encourage all that are married to love your spouse. The book is called "God is in the Small Stuff..and it all matters" By Bruce & Stan. I am quoting from Chapter 33 "How to REALLY love your spouse"

"There are four ways to love your spouse. But only one way will keep your marriage together.

You can have affection for your spouse. You can consider your spouse your best friend. And your sex life can be great that Dr. Ruth wants to hear all about it. In fact, it's possible to have all three of these feelings for your spouse, which is great. There's only one problem. Feelings come and go, especially in a marriage. One day you and your spouse are best friends, and the next day you can't stand each other. It happens, And marriages fall apart because couples base the whole thing on feelings.

Which brings us to the fourth love, the love that will keep your marriage together, as long as both of you take it to heart. It's that love with the funny name-agape love- which is the love that desires the best for the other person. This is unselfish love that seeks to give rather than take. This is love that takes work.

Here's another way to look at it: love is in the details. For a husband this means paying attention to the small stuff. It means remembering and planning special celebrations for anniversaries and birthdays (hint: she loves flowers, dinner, and weekends away). It means helping around the House, especially if your wife has a career outside the home. And it means (okay guys, here's a tough one) actually sitting down and having a meaningful, interactive conversations.

For a wife, love is in the details means showing interest in his work and hobbies. It means taking a breath between sentences so you can hear what he's thinking, even if he merely grunts (learn to interpret his grunts-- there are many shades of meaning). And it means offering your support and encouragement (let's fact it, your husband is more insecure than he lets on- all men are).

If loving your spouse unselfishly is a challenge for you, think about the way Jesus love you. The Bible says that Jesus willingly "Made himself nothing" in order to completely serve those he loved. And now he asks you to love your spouse in the same sacrificial way.."


".....In the Small Stuff

*Loving your spouse is not enough. :earn how to demonstrate your love
* Compliment your spouse with elegant words
* Think back and remember one ting you really admired about your spouse when you were dating
* Be as enthusiastic to stay married as you were to get married
* Remember when you got married
* Remember where you got married
*Remember why you got married
*Trade in your car, not your spouse..."

( -I Left some of the small stuff out but if your interested in the others let me know)

I think this is something that every married couple should read- if your husband wont read it, maybe you should try to read it to him.. Being married is something so special and they often end way to fast without a fight. I'm not married but one day when i am I will come back and re-read this again... I hope all married couples can keep this is mind as they go though life everyday!!