It's our day together.

No work. The kids are at school. Jason has his laptop. I have mine.

I'm pretty sure Jason thinks I talk too much. I agree. But I'm on to something, I've discovered that when I type my thoughts.... I have to let some go—

1) Because I can't keep up with all of my thoughts and

2) Because some thoughts aren't worth sharing.

To even out our communicating, Jason and I have come up with a plan. We are going to interblog.

INTER--BLOG = A collaborative blog writing experience where each author builds upon and expands the thoughts of the other.

I talk a lot on Sundays and Wednesdays. I don’t talk a lot otherwise.

We can drive from here to Amarillo and I’ll never feel the need to say more than, “What do you want to eat?” Sounds pretty lame right?

It is.

But when you’ve known each other for as long as Kristi and I have been knowing one another, there is something deeper being communicated than words can express.

There is a joy of being in each other’s presence. There is a security in a love that is well established. There is a fondness that can be expressed through a look, or a touch. There is a fellowship enjoyed by two who are on a journey together.

I know a silent car ride doesn’t sound like the most romantic thing in the world. It certainly is weak on the WOW factor. But being beside my bride, for all of these years, for all of these quiet trips, has led to a WOW marriage.

I shared with a group of kiddos not so long ago what my idea of prayer is. It matches what Jason just mentioned.

A prayer can be "Dear Lord, You amaze me.......Amen". That's often been the way I speak to God; like we're having a long distance phone conversation.

If I am in the house with Jason, I don't tell him bye before I walk out of the room like I'm finished with him. I don't even say good morning. We are just pleasantly aware of each other's presence.

If we are to pray without ceasing, there are few "dear Lord’s" and "Amens" because the communication is continual—even in silence. Greetings are unnecessary. I'm thankful that God has given me a life-partner that I can enjoy being with 99.9% of the time (the other .1% accounts for an occasional mood moment).

Our close and steady relationship, I believe, is a beautiful picture of the kind of relationship and communication God wants with us. I say that in complete humility knowing that I am a mere speck of dust in comparison to God. That's what makes it all the more amazing—that he delights at my delighting in him.

It’s the important things that we take for granted. When we neglect to reflect on what is most important to us, we are in danger of holding those things in low esteem.

It’s sad when we only realize how special something is when it is taken from us. Here’s what I plan to do for both Kristi and for God today…

• Be Intentional. I’m learning to say, “I Love You” to Kristi and to God throughout the day.

• Be Creative. I’m going to be loving God and Kristi for a long time. I need to find many ways to express that love.

• Be Real. God created me to love him from my heart, not from someone else’s idea of how I should love him. He wants my words, my affections, my honest reactions, and my true sentiments. This also applies to how we love our spouses. We need to give them the love that is absolutely true to our hearts. There are no techniques or gimmicks. There is only the real you, encountering the real them, in the context of real love.

Read Song of Solomon. It doesn’t get more real.

 

How do you pass your time together?

What conversations do you no longer have to have?

How has your faith formed the relationship you have with your spouse?