As we
intentionally find things about one another that we are grateful for, we can
plan times of celebration to honor those qualities in each other.
This
promotes good will and increases our love and appreciation for each other. It
also helps us to look more for the positive and to quickly forgive an
occasional oversight or moment of forgetfulness.
Thanking
each other for agreeing to unite our lives in marriage, we remember why we
chose to spend our life together. We made this decision, because we recognized
qualities in one another that we could not live without. This helps us to
realize that we really are the perfect mate for one another.
We start to find
joy in our mate's idiosyncrasies and we appreciate their strengths that fortify
our weaknesses. Noticing when our mate performs an unexpected duty that
benefits both of us, we recognize that they just made our life easier.
Taking time
to look at old photos, we cherish the memories that we made together, which are
immortalized in each picture. We comprehend the importance of encouraging each
other to follow God's call on our life together and as individuals.
Spending
time together is of the utmost importance in building our unity as a couple. Gift
cards are often given as gifts in our modern world. This allows the receiver to
get exactly what they want, rather than what the giver guessed that they
wanted.
If we give restaurant
gift cards, they allow the receiver to use them on creative date nights, either
for dine-in or for carry out to eat during a relaxing night at home.
Events in
our local area are often offered with free admission. This may take a juggle in
our work schedule in order to utilize free admission to a morning or afternoon
event, but that is why "personal days" are provided. They give us
breathing room to relax and enjoy our self and one another at unconventional
times.
As we take the time to develop the attitude of gratefulness, we remember to show
appreciation for the hard work we each do to keep our life financially solvent
and running smoothly, even during the unexpected trials of life.
Prayer:
Father God,
help us to show gratitude to our mate for supporting us in prayer during the
difficult times in our marriage. Remind us to thank each other for allowing us
to vent when our negative emotions overwhelmed us. Point out to us all of the
little things our partner does for us every day to help us to enjoy the success
we have in our life together.
Give us
ideas to spend quality couple time together that will cement our commitment and
increase our feelings of love. Remind us not to leave each other alone, but to
include one another in our ministry, activities and goals, in order to give us
time to chat and to understand each other better as we develop a deeper and
closer relationship.
Thought for
the Day:
We can frequently
relish the memories we shared over the years and celebrate the unity we enjoy, when
we dedicate our lives to making one another more successful and celebrated by
those in the world around us.
