A 17 Month Honeymoon
My wife and I have been married for 17 months now. I can say with a smile that the honeymoon has not ended yet. We dated nearly 5 years before marriage. Much of those 5 years was long distance as she went to Kentucky and I to Florida for college.
One of the resources we used as we were apart was a guide through the Song of Solomon; the Bible's how to book on marriage. The author shared principles of what to do and what not do within your relationship. Abi and I have parents who are both beyond 25 years of marriage now. Still, we found these principles valuable in building the bond between us.
The do not is as follows:
-Never Raise your voice
-Never Publicly embarrass your mate
-Never quarrel before the children
-Don't use the kids to win
-Never use sex to win
-Never touch in anger
-Never call names
-Never get historical
-Never stomp out
-Never freeze your mate out
-Never use the in laws
-Never reason in the face of pain
-Don't let the sun go down
-Never reverse an argument
-Never fail to listen
On the flip side, there are things we can do to stoke the flames. What makes for great romance?
- Learn to be courteous
- Be together
- Be expressive
- Be affectionate
- Be creative
- Be thoughtful
- Be energetic
- Be insightful
I hope these are encouraging and helpful to you as you seek to nurture the relationships with those you care about. We are NOT perfect by any means. We are just two imperfect people learning from those who have gone before us. Be blessed!