I love the results of a clean house, but the effort just seems like more trouble than its worth sometimes. I spend all of this time sweeping, mopping, washing dishes, & folding laundry. Just as I sit down to enjoy the fruits of my labor, Makenzie spills a drink in the kitchen, Justin tracks dirt through the living room, Logan dumps cereal all over the rug, Austin leaves his shoes in the hall, & somehow the laundry basket is overflowing again.
Really, but I JUST CLEANED! HOW did this happen?
Even though I feel like throwing my hands up & quitting, I resolve to pick up the toys again tomorrow.
What in the world does cleaning house have to do with reviving your marriage? I'm glad you asked!
Marriage is similar to cleaning the house, tending the garden, & mowing the lawn. These are all things that need to be done. Of course, you don't HAVE to do any of this, but most people do. Sometimes we complain, sometimes we half way work at it, sometimes we put it off, sometimes we give up & start over, but most people make some sort of effort.
If we look at our marriage as another "job" that we have to do, we will never see the results we are truly looking for.
Do you know someone who is a terrible house keeper? They are constantly tripping over things left laying about. They are always misplacing things. They only clean the areas that they know other people see. The garbage has been piling up & there aren't any clean dishes in the cabinets. The place is a wreck! It would be less work to sell the place & start over. Do you like to go visit them? Me neither.This marriage is on the verge of divorce. The couple no longer cares what goes on inside their "home". They don't see the need to make any effort any more. They think that their home is too far gone to worry about any more. What's the point, right?
Have you ever driven by somewhere & you realize that the yard has been mowed again? Does that make twice this week? I have. They live right down the road from me. They are outside in the yard every. single. day. They never rest from working on the lawn. They even pick up trash on the other side of the road because it makes their house look bad. Do they ever rest? Are they ever satisfied?This marriage looks good to everyone. Everyone that is, except the people living it. They are always looking for something wrong. They are always trying to fix things. They even look at other marriages to compare with their own. They are looking for perfection.
Don't you just love summer gardens? Nothing beats the taste of a home grown tomato after a long hard day! Did that tomato just poof into existence? Yeah, don't we wish! Thought, preparation, time, effort, money, & sweat went into getting that ripe juicy tomato to the table. The ground had to be tilled & fertilized months in advance. The fragile plants had to be picked, handled, & planted with care. They had to be constantly watched over for too much heat, too little rain, deer, rabbits, & bugs. When the tomatoes finally start to ripen, you have to pick them almost daily. Then, what in the world do you do with all of them? A good farmer cans them of course. Canned tomatoes, salsa, relish, spaghetti sauce, & tomato juice can all be enjoyed for months after the last plant produces if the farmer plans properly.
Even though farming is hard work, the farmer loves what he does. He can be proud of his sacrifice & share his harvest with others.
Doesn't this sound like a happy, healthy marriage? We labor day after day. We plan, prepare, protect, & provide for the ones we love. We fight for & sometimes fight with our partner. After continual effort & exhausting conditions, we get to enjoy our significant other.
Are conditions always perfect? Hah, hardly ever. Are circumstances less than ideal? Yeah, a lot of the time. But, do we give up? Or do we keep plowing away at the field while keeping the harvest in mind?
I don't know about you, but I need to spend a little more time in my garden!
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