Wednesday; October 23

          Last week Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter became the king and queen of presidential couples.  Former president Carter and his bride have had the longest marriage of any president and first lady.  (They passed George and Barbara Bush when they reached 26,766 days together – that’s over 73 years as a married couple.)
          As I read about this milestone, I got to thinking about what makes a marriage last and, while the list is quite extensive, here a few things that are important:

1.  Work together.  When we mention “work” within a marriage, we typically think of working to make it successful.  Yet, my point, is that when a couple shares common goals and projects they are apt to stay married.  For the Carters, they are actively involved in the Habitat for Humanity project.  Even in their 90s, they are out there working to make things better for other people.

2.  Play together.  While having a purpose is important, having fun is vital to marital longevity.  Hanging out and doing fun stuff with your best friend is a great way to spend a lifetime.  Sure, there are difficult decisions and challenging times within a marriage, that’s why spending time having fun is so vitally important.   Whether it is through romance, shared hobbies or just hanging out; couples who play together tend to stay together.

3.  Cleave together.  A while back I was preparing for a wedding and suggested this verse as part of the ceremony, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24 – King James Version).  I was a bit surprised when the personal asked what “cleave” meant.  Interestingly, it got me to thinking that while the word is a bit old fashioned, so is the concept it represents.  Cleaving in a marriage is an emotional, spiritual and physical joining together of two previously separate lives.  No, two people will not give up their own selves when they marry, but when they blend their lives together, they will be successful for decades.

          Think About It!

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