While the honeymoon period is sure to end, the period of being comfortable and settled in a routine doesn’t have to last. There’s nothing wrong with it in the beginning. Everyone has a schedule, there’s not much to think about or keep up with. But routine is where the marriage can start to show signs of aging.
Like a home, your marriage may need some renovations. You see the shows on TV where people buy a fixer upper and start making upgrades in order to get the house of their dreams. Think of your marriage in a similar way. I’m not saying you should treat your spouse as the project, but your marriage in general.
Dr. Johnny C. Parker wrote a book explaining just how to go about doing that. It’s called Renovating Your Marriage Room by Room. The description points out, “With the same care and even more, couples should invest in building their marital houses.”
The book’s chapters are named after different rooms in a house: the kitchen where you feed your mate with communication, the bathroom where you shower them with forgiveness, the playroom where you’re set to have some fun. But of course, all homes and relationships have to start off with the right foundation.
The five most important words you can say to your mate are: “You did a good job.” The four most important words are: “What is your opinion?” The three most important words are: “I love you.” The two most important words are: “Thank you.” The most important word is: “We.”
The book is written for both, husbands and wives. With many references to scripture, Dr. Parker urges couples to keep God first in order to keep their marriage strong. There’s always going to be maintenance work that needs to be done on your marriage.
As you’re renovating your marriage, you will notice that there are similarities to when you’re renovating your home. A budget is going to be essential, both, for your household, and even for keeping the spice alive. Setting aside money for date night and getaways will be crucial to keeping the romance alive. Compromise is huge, because something unexpected always comes up.
Read this book with your spouse so that you both can become the master contractors of your marriage.
BWMK, Would you read this book with your spouse? [Click here to purchase a copy!]