By: Donna Martin
There are several accounts in the Bible when God’s people set up stones to mark a special event, time, or place. Archeologists have found the remains of large stones that had been set to commemorate important events. Some of these monuments are considered to be thousands of years old. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground God commanded Joshua to have men bring stones from the center of the river to build a monument. When the Israelites passed by the monument they would remember the miracle that God had preformed.
Do you have places that you like to revisit that remind you of special times or events in your life? At least once a year around our anniversary Mike and I like to visit one of our special places. It is on a bench beside a lake in Highland Park, TX. This is the place where Mike proposed to me 47 years ago. Every June we revisit the lake and walk along the sidewalk observing the lily pads growing in the water, gazing at the mansions along the road, exploring the trail beside the creek that drains into the lake, and sitting on the bench where I said, “Yes!” This is always a special time for us. It is a time to reflect on our life together. We laugh and dream and enjoy the quiet unhurried moments as we remember how we felt when we first fell in love.
When Mike performed our daughter and son-in-law’s wedding, he told them that if they ever doubted their love for each other, to remember that day in November when they stood under the gazebo beside the ocean and vowed that their love would last a lifetime. He told them to remember how they felt at that moment and how their hearts were filled with love.
Do you and your spouse have a special place? How often do you go there? If you do not have a special place, plan a time when you can get away to a place where you can renew your love for one another. It does not have to be far away or fancy. It could simply be in your backyard lying on a quilt gazing at the stars, or sitting on a bench in a park, or sipping coffee at a cozy restaurant. Find a place where you can go to talk, reflect, laugh, dream, and renew your love for each other.
The Martins currently present “Happy Together” Marriage Enrichment Events for churches and organizations. To schedule an event call Michael at 940-735-1515. They are certified “Prepare/Enrich” Facilitators and are available to work with couples on an individual basis using the “Prepare/Enrich Assessment.” They publish a weekly “Happy Together” Blog about family and marriage issues. You can order copies of their new books Dancing With Death and 366 Tidbits We Have Learned in 14,610 Days of Marriage, read, and subscribe to their “Happy Together” Blog by logging onto the Martin’s website at www.happytogethermarriages.com.