World War 3 Or A Saved Marriage?

World War 3 Or A Saved Marriage?

     Obviously Bruce and Charlene had been squabbling as they showed for their initial counseling session at 10:02.  Bruce snarled before sitting, "I am furious with her.  She makes me late every time we do anything.  I'm fed up."

     "Honey... you don't give me..."

     "Don't you dare interrupt me and make another lame excuse.  It's you who needs counseling or better yet a Shrink," he acidly snapped.

     Gesturing toward the couch, "Why don't you both have a seat."  Charlene sat and Bruce bolted to a chair.  Shaking his head he barked, "Maybe I'll just leave.  She'll never change."

     I interrupted, "Perhaps you should if you won't quit throwing a tantrum."

     I'd seen fiery angry outbursts before but never at the start of a session.  Silently I asked the Lord to provide the much needed wisdom.

     Having watched Charlene trying to dodge his grenades for an hour I motioned for them to pause, "I'm going to pray now.  Finished I said, "We'll meet again but only if you'll both agree to do an assignment...and not refuse nor ask why."

     Curious Charlene smiled, "Sure."  Bruce scowling reluctantly nodded.

     "This next week spend an hour, without your spouse, at a cemetery."

     I stood and watched the puzzle on her face and the smoke coming from his ears as they left.

     When they returned I said, "Describe what you saw at the cemetery."

     "I loved the rhododendrons and azaleas.  It was so quiet I could almost hear myself thinking.  Peaceful.  Restful.   Most of the grave markers were so sad.  Tears filled my eyes."

     "All I saw was a giant, crazy waste of my time.  I couldn't get out of there soon enough.  Why in the world did you send me to a graveyard?"

     "Each grave holds a person who never got to finish his work."

     This is the key to save your marriage.

     Over the next sessions we dealt with how to stop living a time-controlled life.  Having Bruce leave his watch home when they're going to the beach or mountains and allowing Charlene to decide when to go home.

     "You'll begin to enjoy the closeness of loving your spouse because of how different they are from yourself.  The differing gifts were implanted by the Creator to complement each other."

     I asked them, "When you're looking in a mirror do you kiss your own image?  Do you want your spouse to be your twin?  Why didn't the Creator paint everything with one color?  Just imagine: brown grass, brown skies, brown flowers, brown oceans, brown rainbows, and brown flamingos!"

     Always remember: It isn't who is right; it is what is right.  Living together seeking what is best for your spouse is what is right.  "Treat others just as you want to be treated."*  Learn to be appreciative of how each of your differences are designed to fuse you together.  That's why you're called a Couple!"

     Never forget the Lord wants you to live together peacefully and always trust that He'll be there for you.  He'll make things right no matter what it might be.

* Luke 6:31

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