Thorns?

(07.13.21– Secret To Happy Living! –Song of Songs 2:2)

May I ask you a question? How is your relationship with your spouse? Are you spending time with each other and expressing your love? Are social friendships becoming more important than your marriage relationship?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

There are few things in life that bring a greater degree of happiness and contentment than relationships. Having counseled a number of married couples over the years, however, I've found that a great deal of unhappiness is the result of relationships. When we're single we maintain many individual relationships that are what I call non-mutual. Friends come and go and some stay for years. Yet, those friendships have barriers that define them as limited. There are physical, even some emotional barriers that are or ought to be in place. Marriage, however, changes all that. Now our understand- ing of relationships changes from individual to mutual. Barriers are removed and sharing is mutual, not individual. Unfortunately, happiness in a marriage depends on a couples' understanding of mutuality. Individual focus needs to be reserved and mutuality put on the front burner. Otherwise, bad things just happen.

Here's a story: As the bee continued to hum by a beautiful lily, day in and day out, the flower finally noticed him. They became acquainted with each other and soon they were married. Soon life accelerated. Still they both hoped that some- how life would slow down and that they could enjoy each other the way they used to. Time went by and the bee began to focus on himself. Soon the lily noticed a thorn growing around her. They began paying attention to her, and soon they didn't seem threatening. "I wish my bee would pay me this much attention!" she thought. As the lily and the thorn grew closer, and the bee seemed more distant, the lily convinced herself that the thorn was the one who really cared for her. But then the thorn pricked her, and a drop of blood surfaced on her petal. "What have you done?" She cried. Before long her bee came by. The lily called out to him and they began to talk again. The bee found time in his busy schedule to be with the lily and to listen to her and to love her. Priorities were reset, and they became closer than ever, until the end of their days. They realized that their friendship was precious, and that the thorns could only destroy them. (Source Unknown)

How is your relationship with your spouse? Are you spending time with each other and expressing your love? Even if your mutual feelings have drifted, start reaching out now. Don't let the thorns of this world take advantage of you. Spend time with each other. Listen to each other and share with each other your inner thoughts. Before you know it, your relationship will be closer than ever, even closer than the day you married each other. Keep your mutual relationship with your spouse always first in your life. There's nothing wrong with having individual friends, but remember, there are thorns everywhere. Mutual, spousal relationships repel the thorns and keep your marriage rooted and mutually happy.

We pray. Heavenly Father, help us Dear Father to avoid the thorns of this world that take advantage of our spouse and family. Remind us constantly to spend time with each our spouse and listen to each other, sharing with each other our inner thoughts. Bless our commitment to communication and sharing with a relationship closer than ever, even closer than the day we married each other. Forgive us Lord when we are tempted to make social relationships more important than our relationship with our spouse. Although there’s nothing wrong with having individual friends, help us to remember there are thorns everywhere. Our mutual, spousal relationships repel those thorns and keep our marriage rooted in mutual happiness. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Thorns?

(07.13.21– Secret To Happy Living! –Song of Songs 2:2)

May I ask you a question? How is your relationship with your spouse? Are you spending time with each other and expressing your love? Are social friendships becoming more important than your marriage relationship?

My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I'm M. Clifford Brunner.

There are few things in life that bring a greater degree of happiness and contentment than relationships. Having counseled a number of married couples over the years, however, I've found that a great deal of unhappiness is the result of relationships. When we're single we maintain many individual relationships that are what I call non-mutual. Friends come and go and some stay for years. Yet, those friendships have barriers that define them as limited. There are physical, even some emotional barriers that are or ought to be in place. Marriage, however, changes all that. Now our understand- ing of relationships changes from individual to mutual. Barriers are removed and sharing is mutual, not individual. Unfortunately, happiness in a marriage depends on a couples' understanding of mutuality. Individual focus needs to be reserved and mutuality put on the front burner. Otherwise, bad things just happen.

Here's a story: As the bee continued to hum by a beautiful lily, day in and day out, the flower finally noticed him. They became acquainted with each other and soon they were married. Soon life accelerated. Still they both hoped that some- how life would slow down and that they could enjoy each other the way they used to. Time went by and the bee began to focus on himself. Soon the lily noticed a thorn growing around her. They began paying attention to her, and soon they didn't seem threatening. "I wish my bee would pay me this much attention!" she thought. As the lily and the thorn grew closer, and the bee seemed more distant, the lily convinced herself that the thorn was the one who really cared for her. But then the thorn pricked her, and a drop of blood surfaced on her petal. "What have you done?" She cried. Before long her bee came by. The lily called out to him and they began to talk again. The bee found time in his busy schedule to be with the lily and to listen to her and to love her. Priorities were reset, and they became closer than ever, until the end of their days. They realized that their friendship was precious, and that the thorns could only destroy them. (Source Unknown)

How is your relationship with your spouse? Are you spending time with each other and expressing your love? Even if your mutual feelings have drifted, start reaching out now. Don't let the thorns of this world take advantage of you. Spend time with each other. Listen to each other and share with each other your inner thoughts. Before you know it, your relationship will be closer than ever, even closer than the day you married each other. Keep your mutual relationship with your spouse always first in your life. There's nothing wrong with having individual friends, but remember, there are thorns everywhere. Mutual, spousal relationships repel the thorns and keep your marriage rooted and mutually happy.

We pray. Heavenly Father, help us Dear Father to avoid the thorns of this world that take advantage of our spouse and family. Remind us constantly to spend time with each our spouse and listen to each other, sharing with each other our inner thoughts. Bless our commitment to communication and sharing with a relationship closer than ever, even closer than the day we married each other. Forgive us Lord when we are tempted to make social relationships more important than our relationship with our spouse. Although there’s nothing wrong with having individual friends, help us to remember there are thorns everywhere. Our mutual, spousal relationships repel those thorns and keep our marriage rooted in mutual happiness. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to ”This Passing Day!”

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.