Treatise on Marriage

My cousin posted a blog entry about marriage in which she divulged that her marriage went through a few very rough years- and now its better than ever. And she recommended a book that helped them confront their issues head on, humble themselves, and as a result they are experiencing a relationship they never thought possible. I'm assuming with each other. I responded with the following, which I will share, with you the reader. It is from my heart, mostly. I say mostly because I'm trying to watch "The Unit" which is a very cool show. Second only to the office, now that we dont have cable.

Wow Jill- you're brutally honest. I hate that. Our marriage is similar to yours only the spacing is different- where as you had your tough years in a clump, our tough years have been spread out in an every other day fashion: love hate love hate love hate love style and yes there were a few years where it was love hate hate hate, hate,love hate! (to the tune of dong ding ding dong dong, ding ding!) Fortunately the kids have kept us together ha ha. I wonder what people without kids have to argue about. Also, I wonder what keeps people together who don't have kids.

And so in closing we must conclude that everyone has gone through struggles in their marriage, even such stalwart examples as Pop and Maugi. (a much beloved, steady, prudent elderly couple in our family) But very few I think have confronted the yukiness in marriage head on like you have and you should be proud (excuse me, my wife just stuck a newspaper between my computer screen and my face and read a comic to me - not kidding) I'll have to admit that my wife is the sensible one and I can be a real spoiled brat horses fanny with a werewolf style temper. 85% of the time she bites her lip and the storm passes and maybe 10% of the time I bite my lip and go outside, turn into the incredible hulk and curse and break stuff and think "I cant take this anymore!" ROOAARRR! And in an hour or two I honestly cant remember what I was mad about or where all my buttons are. (get it? they blew off when I turned into the incredible raging werewolf hulk creature) I'm sure it was trivial. A practical tip - I only stay insanely mad for one or two hours. Although, at the time I think it will last forever.

There is something, some force that keeps us from totally imploding. Its invisible, from God. I think its Grace although for me its also sex. (Grace is the invisible one.) A sense of humor is also good in marriage though not to be confused with the sex itself, although after age fifty the two must be combined for best results. So, somehow we get by. I should get the book huh?

Being Thankful

Several weeks ago during Sunday service we recieved an admonition from our Pastors on the importance of being thankful. It struck me personaly as a new years proclaimation - and now that we are into March its time to get cracking!

Here is a completly hypothetical situation about being thanful. Pretend you have a fourteen year old boy named Wade who wont feed his chickens without congressional oversight. These are the chickens he couldn't live without.

Only after a barage of constant huranging during which you've threatened his very life (to be stripped of texting privileges) does he finaly feed them, wearing YOUR shoes. Your new Christmas shoes. He doesnt put the shoes on all the way. He shoves into them and crushes the heel of your shoe with his big foot. He thinks its hilarious. Then, after chores are finished and he has shuffled back into the house he plops your mucky shoes in the doorway where you trip over them, injuring yourself, which causes you to sin. THIS is the time to be thankful! Really thankful! Why not scream, weep and tear your garments and shout, Whats wrong with that boy? AARRGGGGHHHHHH! Great question!

Answer: Because all teenagers do this very thing. Just like you did. He's a somewhat normal, happy teenage boy. And thats something to be thankful for because there are parents who have lost their children who struggle just to be thankful for the short time they had together. Thats how they stay sane. Thats why you should be so thankful to God that you have a boy, a happy somewhat normal boy, who wont feed his chickens.