Our society puts so much pressure
on couples to think of the perfect gift to bless our spouse on that special
day. Men resent it and women delight in it, but both often fail to get their
loved one what they had their heart set on.
In my family, we have found that
giving our time to shop with our spouse is the best idea on those special days.
We are giving our time and effort, but allowing them to choose exactly what
they want as a gift.
We go to the thrift stores, but
you may want to go to the mall. We look in our favorite section of the store
and choose the item that catches our eye and feeds our soul or supplies some
physical need we may have.
This prevents CEOs from turning
the gift choosing over to their secretary or from having to hire a professional
"gifter" to make it happen. It also eliminates the muss and fuss and
disappointment of receiving a gift we are less than excited about.
Oh, we do try to express our
gratitude for their thoughtful gesture, but it is hard to fake the enthusiasm
we do not feel. When we are allowed to pick out exactly what we want, it is so
much easier to express excitement.
This method of shopping
accomplishes the same goal of making our special days feel special; and we let
our spouse know that they are very special to us as well.
Another way to make our spouse
feel special is to care about their family - even the family members to which
they are estranged or have issues with, or those who dislike us or mistreat us.
Our interest in our spouse's
family touches that place deep within them, beneath the hurt accumulated over
the years, and they especially appreciate our effort to give their family's
abusive behavior toward us to God.
Prayer:
Father God, help us to set our
affections on things above, not on things of this life (Colossians 3:2). As we
dedicate our life to You, teach us that our second priority is to nurture our
marriage and family. Supporting them financially, spiritually, mentally and
emotionally is very important. Meaningful hugs for our children at unexpected
times, heart-felt kisses for our spouse, thoughtful gifts - not only for
special holidays, but also just because we love our family members, etc.
Help us to bear with one another
with love - accepting differences and idiosyncrasies, keeping our vows with
enthusiasm and diligence, honestly discussing changes we need in our
relationship without blaming and belittling, never insisting on our own way but
willing to compromise to meet everyone's needs. Help us to establish the goal
to find a way for our family to grow in love and service to one another, rather
than to manipulate circumstances and people to win every argument.
Thought for the Day:
If we neglect our spouse and
children in the pursuit of career, hobbies or community involvement, we sever
our self from one of the most fulfilling and meaningful relationships in our
life.
