In Honor of a Marriage

This blog will be a little bit early.  Normally I write on Tuesdays, but next Tuesday we are going on a vacation whose main purpose is to celebrate with my parents.  On June 2 of this year they will have been married for 40 years.  In a culture and world that has increasingly become welcoming of the "you better make me happy" mentality that allows and encourages divorce for any reason, this kind of longevity in a marriage is to be honored and commended.  And so I want to take this moment to commend my parents on many of the admirable things that have helped my own marriage last for the nearly 13 years my wife and I have been married.  Here are 10 things that I have learned from my parents.

1. Your marriage will last when you build it on the foundation of God first.
2.  Your marriage will last if you worry about your spouse's happiness above your own. 
3. You marriage will last if you admit you are not perfect.
4. Your marriage will last if you admit your spouse is not perfect and accept him/her anyways!
5. Your marriage will last if you put your spouse before your kids.
6. Your marriage will last if you are committed to stay, even in hard times.
7. Your marriage will last if you tell your spouse you are committed to stay, even in hard times.
8. Your marriage will last if you communicate - even if you are communicating how much you dislike the other person at the moment.
9. Your marriage will last if you have accountability before other people.
10.  Your marriage will last if you both work to make it last.

I think all of this could probably be summarized in a few words:  God, talk, stay.  No matter what.  And for this example I am eternally grateful to my parents.