Newly-Wed Love For Life

I love Pinterest.  I mean, I really love Pinterest. I look forward to my Pinterest time at night. Once the kiddos go to bed, I sit on the couch next to Clayton or I go lay on my bed and just Pinterest away.  Its my sacred 'me' time every night.  The other day I pinned something that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. It was a quote and unfortunately, no author was cited. It said, “ Love grows best in little houses, with fewer walls to separate. Where you eat and sleep so close together, you can't help but communicate.  And if we had more room between us, think of all we'd miss.  Love grows best in houses just like this.”


It made me think back to Clayton and I's first apartment. We had just gotten married and moved into our first apartment together in Lavista NE.  I think it was around 900 sq ft.  A gorgeous apartment, but small.  You couldn't sneeze without the other one hearing it!  We have such fond memories in that small apartment.  Over the last 11 years we have continued to move into larger and larger spaces.


It would be so easy to allow all the extra space that we now have to drive us farther and farther apart.  We can both be in completely opposite ends of the house doing our own thing and if not aware, hours can go by without communicating to the other.  Marriage is hard. Marriage is beautiful and wonderful but it is still hard. You have to always be on the offense. Always going out of your way to love your spouse.  I am selfish.  I am tired at the end of the day and making Clayton feel special is not always on the top of my 'to do' list like it needs to be.  Praise God I have been involved in so many marriage studies over the last few years because I desperately needed it.  God showed me through older, wiser, Godly women how I needed to improve my game!  I was getting lazy.  I was not making Clayton's needs the priority in my life.  My needs and wants were top priority.


I wanted that newly wed love back.  I wanted our small apartment back that was so easy to keep clean.  I wanted to just go back to that time of life and enjoy the fun we had that first year living together as Husband and Wife.  I have been so incredibly blessed to have so many Godly mentors in my life right now.  Their marriages have inspired me in so many ways.   We are so lucky that both our parents have been married over 35+ years, our Grandparents had all been married 50 - 63 years before passing away.  We have had so many amazing examples of what a Godly marriage looks like.


I have to be better at intentionally loving my husband.  The man God set apart for me.  I have quotes on my bathroom and bedroom mirrors to help remind me throughout the day to pray for Clayton, to go out of my way to show love and appreciation for all he does for our family.  I want to be his biggest cheerleader, the one he can depend on for prayer, support and love no matter what! I want a marriage that pleases God, a marriage my kiddos can depend on their entire lives.



Be intentional my friend, look for ways to spice up your marriage.  Pray for your spouse continually! Pastor Craig always says, “ A couple who prays together stays together!”  Spend time everyday in prayer together.   There will always be excuses why you don't think you have the time or energy to go out of your way for your spouse. Trust me, I know!  I’ve been there.  I've used every excuse in the book.  But, at the end of the day, it is me who will stand before the Lord and give an account for my life and my marriage.  I must do everything in my power to be the wife God wants me to be, the wife he created me to be!  Marriage is fun, its exciting, and romantic.  Don't get lazy!  Pursue God and then surprise your spouse like you were newly weds again.