Last month I had the honor of attending a friend’s bridal shower and wedding. It was a beautiful occasion and we were so happy to celebrate with the happy couple. As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, my husband and I celebrated our one year anniversary a couple months ago. These have lead me to think specifically about what makes marriage so wonderful. While I could keep counting, here are 10 wonderful things I’ve personally experienced while being married to the most wonderful man and husband in the world:
We get to be together all the time. Of course, it isn’t true that my husband and I are together 24/7, but we get to be together whenever possible. There have been many times when after a relaxing day or a fun date night, I’ve commented something like “I’m so glad we get to go home together.” Unlike during dating, once you’re married, you go home together. While it is good to put some special fun things in a schedule, we don’t have to schedule time to be together. We are together, unless other things get scheduled over that time. And we try to avoid that and do things together as much as possible.
We get to do little things with and for one another. While you can do this in any relationship, it is much easier to do little things that show love when you live together. It might be making one of his favorite foods for dinner, or him helping me with dishes, or playing music together before bed, or watching funny YouTube videos. It may not be something that is a big deal, and maybe not something you would have thought about being special before marriage, but when you are together so much, those little things make memories.
We always have each other’s backs. You can also think of this as advice, “make sure to always have each other’s backs” but if you know you can count on your spouse to be there for you and support you, it is a wonderful and beautiful thing. Of course, it is a good idea to talk about things and not just assume your husband or wife will agree with you no matter what. But when you communicate and support one another, you will feel strong and secure.
We are able to share everything. “Share everything” has two meanings, and I mean both of them. On the one hand we tell each other everything, hopes, dreams, fears, and even just the ups and downs of the day. We all need to do this and who better to do it with than the person you loves you most in the world? It also means getting to share physical possessions and money. Everything is ours and so we treat it like ours. When you share everything with another person you are forced (in a good way) to become less selfish and more giving. The more selfless and giving you are, the more you love.
We get to be best friends. While it is good to have other friends while you’re married, your best friend should always be your husband or wife. Being best friends encompasses a lot, including much of what I’ve already said, but I am so thankful to be married to my forever best friend.
We get to wake up and go to sleep together. I’m not sure anyone told me how wonderful this was before my husband and I were married (or maybe they did and I didn’t listen well enough). It goes along with being together all the time, but having the person you love most in the world right there when you go to sleep and right there when you wake up is such a blessing. Since we’ve been married, my husband and I have always gone to bed and woken up together. He has to leave for work at 5am? I’m up with him to see him off. I have to be home from a swim meet at midnight? He’s waiting up for me when I get home. Especially since I’ve been pregnant (or in the early morning or late night situations) we will sometimes nap without each other in between, but staying on the same schedule as much as we can has been a huge blessing in our marriage.
We get to look to the future and pursue goals together. The future always has uncertainty, but one thing we can be certain about is that we will be doing things alongside one another as long as we both live. This means we get to share our plans and dreams and hopes for the future together. An obvious example of this is planning for our land, house, and baby recently. Who to better brainstorm ideas and share goals for the future than the one who will be beside you through it all?
We get to see God work together. We get to look to the future together, but we also get to look at the past and present. We have seen God continually provide for us since we’ve been married, even more than we could ask or think. While it is a joyous thing to share and celebrate God’s work with other believers and friends, you and your spouse get to experience them together while they are happening. This is so amazing!
We get to laugh together. Of course, laughter is something you can do with family, friends, your boyfriend/girlfriend, and even strangers! Laughter bonds people together and refreshes the soul. But when you spend so much time with your husband or wife and share everything and are together when things are easy or hard and when you’re tired or refreshed, you are bound to share a lot of laughter. The best laughter often comes at unexpected times and over things you can’t recreate later. Inside jokes with your spouse are also a hilarious and wonderful thing. Laughter brings special closeness, so laugh together!
We always know we are loved. I hope everyone knows they are loved, by God and by good family and friends. But being married is a special kind of love, one that we should remind ourselves and our spouses of daily. Always be quick to show love to one another. It’s said that there is a space in every human heart that can only be replaced by God, nothing else can satisfy that hunger (including a significant other!). I believe this to be 100% true. That being said, I also believe that sometimes God also creates a small hole and hunger in our hearts for the special someone we will marry someday. We should be fully satisfied in Christ, but when God brings us our “other half” we are satisfied, complete, and fulfilled in a new way, as husband and wife become one and pursue God together.
My dear single friends, while this post has talked about many wonderful things about marriage, if you are not married, you must still know that you are so loved! You are loved by God and by those around you. And while God calls some to marriage, he calls some to a life of singleness. He also calls some to a season of singleness to teach dependence and satisfaction in Him, even if you do get married later, whether later is months or decades away! I will not say more here, because that is the subject of my next post: Wonderful things about being single!