One Year--give or take

They say that if you can make it through the first year of marriage you can make it through anything. I finally understand what everyone is talking about. John and I celebrated our 1st anniversary while on the road in the truck, so we did not actually get to do anything for it. I can say we deserve a pat on the back because we spent the first year of our marriage living within 3-4 feet from each other on a truck. It is definitely the way to immerse oneself and face every possible difference head on right away. I do not recommend this approach. Surely it is better to ease into all these things. What's the rush?

I will always highly recommend to people to date for as long as you feel is right, then have a decent engagement period to work out the things you will want to agree on once you are married. John and I did not do this. We were pals for 3 months, then dated for 3 months, then we eloped in 24 hours once we decided to be married. There was not any planning together or working through the differences. It would be so much better to come to those agreements while still in the "romantic" mode. We gave ourselves a whole 24 hours to go from broken up to married. There was not a whole lot of discussion about finances, living arrangements, employment, and so on and so forth. It changes the dynamics immediately once you are husband and wife and need to include and consider each other in everything. I do not recommend shock therapy in this but slow immersion.

The best advice I could give to people who are courting would be to take to heart the advice their loved ones are giving them. We hear all these trite phrases like, "you marry who you date." Or someone might tell you not to be in a hurry that marriage will come. You may also have been told that there is someone out there for everyone, you have all the time in the world, and whatever you do, Stick to your standards absolutely in your choice of marriage partner. All these people and all this advice are correct and GOOD. Believe it, listen to it, heed it and be happy that you have such great help available to you.

Marriage is not something to pursue out of desperation to pressure from friends, or church members, or because of age or loneliness. It is something to be open to but not in a rush to do. It is something to prepare for then fight for everyday for the rest of your life. It is something that does not come to a person easily but it can be lost swiftly.

PRAY TOGETHER DAILY!!!!!!!!!