Ingredients for a Delightful Marriage

My wife and one of our dearest friends have established a rhythm of cooking together once a week or so over the last few months. The heart to heart conversations, adventure of trying new recipes, and fun of working and learning together have been truly profound blessings for them, as I can plainly see. And I sure am enjoying the good eats!

So this morning, as I sat down at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee, pondering what I would write about, I looked over at our shelf of various cookbooks, and the inspiration came: write a series about the ingredients of a strong, secure, delightful marriage. I’ll take time over the next few weeks to write about each ingredient and instruction. And I can certainly tell you that my “recipe card” has been updated a number of times over my own nearly 29 years of marriage – and I hope to keep learning more! But for now, here is the recipe I recommend to anyone wanting to enjoy a lifetime of committed partnership with your favorite person:

• Play (Be deliberate about having fun together.)
• Work (Don’t just expect your relationship to remain strong and vibrant – work at it.)
• Grace (Practice kindness, patience, and thoughtfulness with one another, especially when “they don’t deserve it.”)
• Service (Regularly serve one another and serve others together.)
• Acceptance (Your spouse is never going to be perfect. And neither are you. Enjoy and celebrate your partner for who they are now.)
• Mutual Vision (Of course you don’t see everything the same way, and you probably don’t share all the same goals. But you do need to a share a vision for your guiding principles and direction for living.)

1. Pray often. 
2. Forgive as often as needed. 
3. Work on your self regularly. (I said your self, not your spouse. And I also said regularly.)