Four stepping stones to life together
My wife is eight months older than I. No one believes this. One of us looks like George Burns, and the other looks like…my wife. Ramona was in the grocery store. Someone asked, “Is it your dad who writes those books?” She said, “Yes.” Pray for her.
One day she looked at my balding head and said, “When I agreed to grow old with you, I didn’t mean this rapidly.”
Somehow, we’ve managed to stay married a long time. It’s a miracle really. Catherine Zeta-Jones said, “For marriage to be a success, every woman and every man should have his or her own bathroom.” My secret to a happy marriage is simpler. If you want something in your account, make deposits. A good marriage is like a good retirement fund. You put plenty in, and through the years it turns from bronze to platinum.
Here are five deposits we’ve made.
1. We laugh together. It is impossible to be angry while laughing together. Sometimes that’s a movie, a memory, or a touching moment where I accidentally walk into a tree. Laugh together.
2. We travel together. I haven’t had a window seat in years. Who cares? I have yet to meet someone in an old folk’s home who regretted investing in memories.
3. We pray together. Jude verse 20 says, “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Prayer unites us before God. It boosts honesty and humility and deepens communication. Lately Ramona and I have been thanking God for His amazing grace. For pulling two selfish kids close to Himself and close to each other.
4. We play together. One day I told Ramona about my previous girlfriend. “I wrote a letter every day for three years,” I said. “Sadly, she married the postman.” Whatever your age, keep a playful spirit. Make fun a part of your daily routine. Like the guy who came home to find a note next to a Nerf gun. It read, “Welcome home, Babe. I’m hiding in the house with a Nerf gun. Here’s yours. Loser cooks dinner. May the odds be ever in your favour.”
